Summer has quickly come and gone, and as American college students return to lecture halls, a wave of international basketball players are joining them on campus practice facilities.

We’re just a couple of weeks away from the first exhibition games and a little more than a month out from the regular season, and there’s already plenty of hype around the new arrivals across the country.

As the college game dips progressively deeper into the international talent pool to build out Division I rosters, there is a surplus of captivating players from abroad to monitor this season. This list highlights a few we’re keeping a particularly close eye on as we begin the road to Indianapolis.

Mathieu Grujicic, Ohio State (Germany)

A 6-6 guard who can fill up the scoresheet, Grujicic offers Buckeyes coach Jon Diebler copious options offensively. He can orchestrate the pick-and-roll, attack the rim, catch and shoot, and create his own shot off the dribble.

He averaged 13.6 points and 3.5 assists in his final season with FC Barcelona’s U18 team and even made a few appearances with the senior team before hopping across the pond to join Ohio State. The Buckeyes’ backcourt is somewhat crowded, but Grujicic should see plenty of opportunities to make an early impact. He has the raw talent to be Ohio State’s first one-and-done player since Brice Sensabaugh was selected in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Hannes Steinbach, Washington (Germany)

The Huskies landed an impressive prospect in the 6-10 power forward from Würzburg. Steinbach is coming off a performance at the FIBA U19 World Cup where he propelled Germany to a silver-medal finish, averaging 17.4 points and 13 rebounds per game. He also averaged 9.1 points and 6.9 rebounds in the Bundesliga last season, Germany’s top division.

Steinbach was ranked as the No. 3 overall international prospect in his class, and it’s easy to see how his game will translate seamlessly into the Big Ten. He’s long, deceptively athletic, and equally skilled on the perimeter and in the paint. He’s a strong rebounder on both ends of the floor and an excellent interior defender. He’ll look to revive a Washington program that has largely struggled to compete in the realignment era before almost assuredly entering the 2026 NBA Draft as a projected first-round pick.

Kristers Skrinda, Stanford (Latvia)

A two-time alum of the Get Recruited Latvia showcase, Skrinda is a dynamic big crafted in the mold of his elder countryman, Kristaps Porziņģis. While not quite as tall as “The Unicorn,” Skrinda is equally capable of stretching the defense at 6-10 with a smooth shooting stroke and comfort putting the ball on the floor to attack the basket.

Skrinda averaged 17.7 points and 10.6 rebounds at the 2024 U18 EuroBasket, shooting 44 percent from three and 96.3 percent from the free-throw line. He projects to slot in as Stanford’s starting center on a talented roster led by coach Kyle Smith, who has made immediate progress in turning around the program in his first year on campus. Skrinda could be a core piece of Smith’s rebuild in the ACC.

Dame Sarr, Duke (Italy)

It’s been a whirlwind of a summer for the Italian-born guard/forward, who only announced he was coming to Duke four months ago and is already on campus practicing with his new teammates. He’s reportedly settling in nicely and has impressed Blue Devils coach Jon Scheyer in early practices. Sarr enters the season slightly overshadowed by the much-anticipated arrival of the Boozer twins, who are hoping to continue their father’s championship legacy at Duke.

Sarr quickly rose through the ranks of Italian basketball before joining FC Barcelona’s youth academy in 2022. He made his senior team debut at the age of 16 and ended up playing in 15 EuroLeague games last season, shooting over 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from three. Sarr is an electric scorer who joins a loaded roster not short on shot creators, so it’ll be interesting to see how he fits into Scheyer’s offensive plans in his freshman and presumably final season at Duke.

Malick Kordel, Michigan (Germany)

One of the oldest (21) and biggest (7-2) true freshmen in the NCAA, Kordel is tailor-made for Big Ten basketball with his size, athleticism, and playing style. A traditional back-to-basket center with a modern feel for the pick-and-roll, Kordel projects as an immediate starter for a Michigan team that looks primed for a run at the conference title.

Kordel began playing basketball only four years ago after growing up as a handball player. He’s still raw and lacks the ability to stretch the floor, but he’s aggressive on the boards and disruptive protecting the rim. He’s a modern NCAA coach’s dream because he’s the kind of prospect who has NBA potential but will probably need all four years of college ball to prepare for that next step.

Thijs De Ridder, Virginia (Belgium)

Another beneficiary of the NCAA’s lax eligibility standards in 2025, De Ridder will step onto campus as a 22-year-old true freshman with three years of professional experience in Spain’s top basketball league. Virginia will welcome De Ridder’s experience and leadership as it continues to rebuild its program in the post–Tony Bennett era.

De Ridder is a high-energy power forward who can play anywhere on the floor at 6-9. He’s an adept ball handler for his size and has shown extensive range, complementing his ability to assertively attack the basket. De Ridder should slot in as the primary scoring option on a fascinating Virginia team.

Luka Bogavac, North Carolina (Montenegro)

Bogavac is coming off his best season in the Adriatic Basketball Association, where he averaged 14.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game last season for SC Derby while shooting just under 40 percent from beyond the arc.

At 6-6, Bogavac is a poised guard and effective maestro of the pick-and-roll, with his North Carolina teammates already crediting him as someone who “can’t be sped up.” Early reports around Chapel Hill say Bogavac has encountered some growing pains, particularly in facing a level of length and athleticism he hadn’t yet seen in the ABA. But the Montenegrin guard just “oozes talent,” according to one UNC insider, and could play a pivotal role for the Tar Heels as games start to mean more later in the year.

Andrej Kostic, Kansas State (Serbia)

The 6-6 wing out of Belgrade put together an impressive performance in this year’s FIBA U19 World Cup, averaging 16 points and 2.6 rebounds per game for a Serbia team that struggled early but finished with three consecutive wins.

Kostic has a fluid shooting motion and is a reliable perimeter threat, both in catch-and-shoot and off the dribble. While not the most explosive athlete, he pushes the ball well in transition and has the strength to finish through contact in the lane. Kansas State will welcome his infusion of creativity and talent after a disappointing Big 12 campaign a year ago.

Ivan Kharchenkov, Arizona (Germany)

A member of the Bayern Munich organization since he was 12, Kharchenkov arrives in Tucson as seasoned as any freshman in the country. After leading Bayern’s youth team in scoring at 22.5 points per game in 2023-24, Kharchenkov rose to the senior team last year and saw action in 23 EuroLeague games.

Kharchenkov is an athletic guard/forward hybrid at 6-7, capable of being the primary initiator or more of a connector who elevates the play of his teammates without relying on high usage. Arizona is no stranger to bringing on international talent under fourth-year coach Tommy Lloyd, and the Wildcats are hoping Kharchenkov can be the piece that helps them return to their first Final Four appearance since 2001.