The Big East enters the season with an interesting mixture of established stars and players on the verge of becoming nationally recognized.
UConn has the conference's preseason Player of the Year in Silas Demary Jr. Marquette has one of the country's premier sophomore guards in Nigel James Jr. St. John's added Baylor standout Tounde Yessoufou, while Villanova has surrounded Tyler Perkins with an imposing collection of veteran frontcourt talent.
Then there are players such as Braylon Mullins and Na'jai Hines who could become significantly more prominent during their sophomore seasons.
Here are 10 Big East players every college basketball fan should know entering 2026-27.
1. Silas Demary Jr., UConn
Demary may not lead the Big East in scoring.
He still might be its most important player.
The UConn senior averaged 10.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.6 steals last season, leading the league in assists while earning first-team All-Big East and All-Defensive honors. He enters 2026-27 as the conference's official preseason Player of the Year.
Demary's importance extends beyond statistics. Hurley trusts him to organize the offense and pressure opposing guards defensively, and UConn will lean even more heavily on that leadership with Ball sidelined for the season. If the Huskies return to the Final Four, Demary will almost certainly be one of the primary reasons.
2. Tounde Yessoufou, St. John's
Yessoufou could become one of the most impactful transfers in college basketball.
The 6-foot-5 guard averaged 17.8 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.0 steals as a Baylor freshman, setting school freshman records with 605 points and 226 field goals. He now joins a St. John's program attempting to win a third consecutive Big East championship.
Pitino should love Yessoufou's physicality and defensive activity, but his scoring may be even more important. St. John's lost significant production and needs players capable of creating offense without sacrificing its defensive identity. Yessoufou checks both boxes.
3. Nigel James Jr., Marquette
James already had his breakout.
Now comes the possibility of superstardom.
The Marquette point guard averaged 16.4 points, 4.9 assists and 2.0 steals as a freshman, earning Big East Freshman of the Year honors. He produced three 30-point games in conference play and enters his sophomore season as a unanimous preseason first-team All-Big East selection.
Smart will again place enormous responsibility in James' hands. If his efficiency improves while Marquette challenges UConn and St. John's, James could become a legitimate national All-America candidate.
4. Braylon Mullins, UConn
Mullins provided one of the defining shots of last year's NCAA Tournament when his deep 3-pointer against Duke sent UConn to another Final Four.
That wasn't his only contribution.
Mullins averaged 12.0 points and 3.5 rebounds while hitting 72 3-pointers during his freshman season. He earned Big East All-Freshman recognition and enters his sophomore year as a unanimous preseason first-team all-conference selection.
UConn will need more from him with Ball unavailable. Mullins has already proven he can make enormous shots. The next challenge is becoming a consistently dominant offensive player.
5. Tyler Perkins, Villanova
Perkins quietly developed into one of the Big East's most dependable guards last season.
He led Villanova at 13.7 points per game, made 66 3-pointers at nearly a 40% rate and earned the conference's Most Improved Player award. He was also selected to the All-Big East third team.
Villanova has added enough frontcourt talent that Perkins shouldn't have to force offense. Evans and Royal will demand attention around him, potentially creating even better perimeter opportunities. If Villanova becomes a legitimate championship contender, Perkins could become one of the conference's most recognizable guards.
6. Na'jai Hines, UConn
Hines was one of the Big East's most productive freshmen on a per-minute basis last season.
At Seton Hall, the 6-foot-11 center averaged 6.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and a conference-leading 2.2 blocks despite playing only about 18 minutes per game. His combination of rebounding and rim protection made him one of the country's more intriguing young big men.
Now he gets Hurley's developmental system and a larger stage at UConn. Hines doesn't need 15 shots per game to make an enormous impact. If he can remain productive while handling increased minutes, he could become one of America's premier defensive centers.
7. Kwame Evans Jr., Villanova
Evans gives Villanova a frontcourt player with an unusual combination of size and versatility.
The 6-foot-10 Oregon transfer averaged 13.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 blocks last season while starting all 30 games. His ability to impact multiple areas makes him a natural fit for a Villanova team with postseason expectations.
Playing alongside Royal should also make both forwards more difficult to defend. Evans can protect the rim, rebound and score without needing the offense to revolve entirely around him. He could become one of the league's most complete frontcourt players.
8. Ian Jackson, St. John's
Jackson has already shown that he can score at the high-major level.
Last season, he averaged nearly 10 points despite playing only 18 minutes per game and made 49 3-pointers. He reached double figures 16 times, with St. John's going 14-2 in those games.
The opportunity should grow considerably this season. Pitino can use Jackson as a more prominent scoring guard alongside Yessoufou, giving St. John's a potentially explosive perimeter combination. If Jackson's production rises with his minutes, he could become one of the league's biggest breakout players.
9. Miles Byrd, Providence
Byrd won't need to score 20 points every night to become one of the Big East's most valuable players.
The San Diego State transfer was named Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year after averaging 10.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.2 blocks. At 6-foot-6, he can affect almost every part of a game.
That versatility should translate extremely well to the Big East. Providence can use Byrd against multiple positions defensively while allowing Mack and the other guards to handle significant offensive creation. He is exactly the kind of player whose value becomes increasingly obvious during close conference games.
10. Jackson McAndrew, Creighton
McAndrew essentially lost last season to injury.
That makes him easy to forget.
It also makes him one of the Big East's most interesting potential comeback stories.
The 6-foot-10 Creighton forward has made 75 3-pointers in his first 40 college games and is fully cleared after undergoing season-ending surgery last year. His ability to stretch defenses creates the type of spacing Creighton's offense has traditionally exploited.
If McAndrew remains healthy, he could quickly remind the conference why expectations were so high before his injury.
The Big East has legitimate star power
Demary enters the season as the conference's established leader, but Yessoufou and James have the scoring ability to become national names quickly.
Mullins has already delivered a March moment. Hines could become one of the country's best rim protectors. Villanova has multiple veterans capable of playing their way into All-Big East consideration.
The league may not have one obvious 25-point-per-game superstar.
It has something potentially more interesting: a deep collection of players capable of becoming one.
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