What We Learned From Top Prospects' College Basketball Debuts

College basketball's first two nights of the season was a thrill for everyone watching. The first night of action did not disappoint, with exciting primetime matchups, as well as the arrival of many top NBA draft prospects.

The 2026 NBA Draft class is being hyped up just as much as, if not more than, the 2025 class. Monday and Tuesday night saw many freshmen make their debuts, and we got some elite performances. Here are four takeaways from the first two nights of college basketball:

There's more to love outside of Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa and Cam Boozer

Heading into the season, it seemed like the trio of Peterson, Dybantsa and Boozer were head-and-shoulders above the rest of the class. However, the drop-off isn't quite what you think.

Rather than three generational prospects being perceived at the moment, that number has expanded. Nate Ament (18 points, nine rebounds), Tounde Yessoufou (24 points, seven rebounds) and most notably, Koa Peat (30 points, seven rebounds, five assists), were unbelievable in their debuts.

Peat's 30-point performance in a win against No. 3 was one of the best freshman debuts we've seen in years. The 6-foot-8 forward proved that he could be up there in the draft with his ability to score around the basket despite being smaller than most big men.

Peterson, Dybantsa and Boozer are fantastic, but they shouldn't dominate the buzz. With so many talented freshmen across the nation, the rest of the recruiting will be heavily watched moving forward.

Keep an eye on AJ Dybantsa's shooting

Dybantsa's 21-point, six-rebound, three-assist performance in a win over Villanova is pretty much what we expected from the 18-year-old. He could end up being the No. 1 pick in 2026, and he displayed that with his ability to make plays on both ends of the floor. Dybantsa was flawless in attacking the basket, using unbelievable explosiveness and finishing ability.

However, it's worth noting that the Massachusetts native shot just 2-for-7 from the free-throw line and only attempted one three-pointer.

Dybantsa could be an elite three-level scorer, as he showed in high school. However, the 6-foot-9 freshman will have to show that he can consistently knock down jumpers from most spots on the floor. Keep an eye on his shot selection moving forward.

Duke should have multiple draft prospects

Cam Boozer is garnering most of the hype at Duke, and his 15-point, 13-rebound performance against Texas warrants that. The 6-foot-9 power forward shot 3-for-12 from the field and still ended up contributing in a major way.

However, don't gloss over the rest of this team. Jon Scheyer's Blue Devils could have as many as six players test their luck in the draft and end up succeeding.

Boozer's brother, Cayden, is another projected first-round pick. Isaiah Evans and Caleb Foster, despite being older, could have been chosen in the 2025 draft and showed promise in their season debuts. Evans, most notably, led the team with 23 points in 33 minutes.

Then there's Dame Sarr, the Italian guard who last played for FC Barcelona, and Patrick Ngongba II, the 19-year-old sophomore who put up 10 points and four rebounds against the Longhorns.

There is so much talent on this roster. In the NIL era, it would make sense for players to return. However, there is legitimate top-50 talent in most of Duke's rotation.