College rookies: 17 must-watch Aussie freshman

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The Australian basketball pipeline continues to deliver top-tier talent to NCAA Division 1 programs, year after year and 2025 is no different.

There's no shortage of big names, from former Next Star recruits to young guns with Boomers caps already on the resume.

Ahead of the NCAA college basketball season, let's dive into the full list of incoming freshman talent from Australia.

1. Roman Siulepa - Pittsburgh

He’s only 19, but Roman Siulepa has already had quite the journey to wind up playing college basketball.

Siulepa has had one of the highest profile junior careers in recent years for an Australian youth athlete, tearing down rims and generating incredible highlights on the regular with a spectacular combination of size, strength and explosive athleticism.

After a tumultuous (false) start to his professional career, which saw him sign with the Tasmania Jackjumpers as a Next Star, then part ways before playing a game for the organisation, the NCAA is his next chance for a next step.

Due to both the perceived upside, and the perceived volatility, there’s no dispute that Roman is the number one story to watch in college this season. The ACC will put his skill-set to the test as he goes up against some of the NCAA’s best athletes, but if he can carve out a consistent role on this Pitt team, it may be the best thing for his long term career.

2. Jacob Furphy - UCONN

Siulepa may be the most exciting player to watch, but Furphy may be our best incoming freshman.

It’s been an incredible twelve months already for Furphy, who debuted for the Australian Boomers men’s national team in November, before having a highly successful Under 19 FIBA World Cup in July.

‍‍Furphy joins UCONN, one of the true powerhouses of the college basketball scene. The Big East will put his physical limitations to the test, but the Huskies will be a fantastic fit for his complete perimeter skill-set, and his supreme level of feel and polish has translated to every level he’s competed in thus far.

3. Luke Fennell - Syracuse

After a season getting his feet wet as a development player for the South East Melbourne Phoenix, big guard Luke Fennell has his sights set on making waves in the ACC.

Fennell has been a star for Victoria over recent national championship campaigns, and was the U19 Emu’s only other double digit scorer beyond Siulepa and Furphy, shooting over 48% from three in the process.

‍‍It shouldn’t be surprising if Fennell faces some teething problems as he adjusts to the athleticism of high major basketball, and tries to carve out minutes alongside a stacked roster that includes Kiyan Anthony (some of Carmelo), but the future is bright, and his shooting ability gives him an immediate reason to see some year one opportunity.

4. RJ Greer - Davidson

The name may be foreign to many, but RJ Greer is one that Australian fans should acquaint themselves with sooner rather than later.

Brought up in the US by father Ricardo (currently Associate Head Coach at Dayton University) and mum Misty (originally from Tasmania), the Australian passport-holder made his way back to Australia this off-season to partake in Boomers training camp for the first time; hopefully a prelude to more appearances in the green and gold.

‍‍That prospect should be an exciting one, because RJ Greer is a very talented prospect. The quick-trigger sharpshooter joins the Davidson Wildcats to start his college career, and it’ll be exciting to get an extended look at the potential future Boomer.

5. Klairus Amir - Campbell

When Klairus Amir signed a three-year deal with the Sydney Kings ahead of the NBL24 season, it appeared that Amir had locked himself into the professional pathway, but with the growing prevalence of NIL opportunities in college basketball, Amir was fortunate to have the flexibility to re-calibrate his future.

We didn’t get to see Amir on an NBL floor beyond a few garbage time minutes, but we did get to see him ply his trade across several NBL1 seasons; most recently for the Central Coast Crusaders, where he managed to average 15.8 points per game this past season.

‍‍Now 20-years-old, Amir is a slightly more polished product than a traditional incoming freshman, and in joining Campbell, he should have plenty of opportunity to perform. The move draws many parallels to former Fighting Camel Anthony Dell’Orso, who used the smaller school to become one of the best players in the CAA and leverage it into a transfer to Arizona. We’ll see if Amir can do something similar.

‍(Given Amir’s unconventional route to college, his classification as a freshman is somewhat murky. I’ve made the inclusion off the basis of his listing on Campbell’s team page)‍

6. Ben Waller - UC Riverside

UC Riverside has been a successful pipeline school for Australian athletes for years now, with Lachlan Olbrich among many successful alumni, but with Head Coach Mike Magpayo jettisoning off to Fordham, we saw him take several talents along with him in the migration.

Waller, who committed to the Highlanders prior to Magpayo’s announcement, was then left in limbo as the new coaching staff had a decision to make on whether they had an equal appetite to add him to the roster. Fortunately for Waller, they saw the tape, and they decided to keep him.

‍‍In my books, that’s a wise move - Waller is a quality scorer and an incredibly sneaky athlete. All things going well, he has all the talent to make an immediate role on the wing.

7. Emmett Adair - Loyola Marymount

This freshman class has been dominated by guards, making Emmett Adair one of the best forwards to represent on this list.

Adair is a quality sharpshooter with motor and a high IQ, who should be able to come in and find opportunity as a stretch-four at Loyola University of Maryland.

His role was limited at the Under 19 World Cup, sitting behind both Siulepa and Mading Kuany at the forward spot, but make no mistake, Adair is polished and ready to be a college contributor.

8. James Dyson Mwere - Evansville

The first true big on our list, James Dyson Mwere possesses the dimensions, both vertically and in mass, to provide a reliable interior presence for Evansville this season.

The Purple Aces have taken a likening to recruiting players out of the NBA Academy system over recent years, including Gabriel Pozzatto, Kaia Berridge and Australia’s own Joshua Hughes, and after seeing ‘JDM’ at the Academy Games earlier this year, it didn’t take long for the centre to earn an offer from the program.

By and large these players have had good opportunities as freshman, and I would expect Dyson-Mwere to be the same. His skillset is somewhat late blooming, but with his strong frame and physicality, he’s ready to make an impact.

9. Jesse Mcintosh - UC South Dakota

He may not have been selected for the U19 World Cup team, but Jesse Mcintosh is a hooper.

We saw flashes of Mcintosh’s skillset display themselves during his NBL1 season with Diamond Valley, where he averaged over 11 points per game.

Mcintosh feels primed to make a name for himself at UC South Dakota this season. As a big wing that can create his shot and score on volume, the right opportunity on the rotation could result in a big season.

10. Ned Renfree - Milwaukee

After an incredibly successful junior career in Australia, one moment stands alone as Renfree’s definitive performance - a 35 point masterclass against Queensland South. It was a dominating performance full of unconscious shot-making and unparalleled toughness, knocking out the power team of Siulepa and Rocco Zikarsky and sending Vic Metro through to the final.

While it is the most stellar example of Renfree’s game, these qualities are typical - Renfree is tough, athletic and a skilled shot maker.

Point guard can be the trickiest position to immediately earn minutes out of the gate, so there may be a period before we see Renfree really get let loose, but his potential on both ends of the ball long term is tantalising.

11. Paddy D’Arcy - Eastern Carolina

This off-season, Eastern Carolina were after shooting, and they found their answer with South Australian sharpshooter Paddy D’Arcy.

‍‍D’Arcy was the most prolific three pointer shooter at the 2024 Australian Junior Championships, finishing first in three point makes (2) whilst shooting over 40% from behind the arc.

We’ve seen some physical development over his season as a DP with the Adelaide 36ers, but there will still likely be some athletic/strength developments for him to tap into his long term upside, but at 6’6 with his versatile shooting ability, there’s a chance he sees some year one minutes.

12. Frank Oguche - Charlotte

Frank Oguche went under the radar for a lot of his junior career in Australia, but after finishing high school over in the US, Aaron Fearne and the Charlotte 49ers jumped at the opportunity to bring the wing onto the roster.

Conference USA will be a big jump for the rangy wing, so don’t expect Oguche to play much as a freshman, but with size, length and ball skills, this should be a good long term development spot for the Victorian.

13. Harrison Beauchamp - Central Arkansas

Harrison Beauchamp is a safe bet at the college level. For years, Beauchamp has been one of the most sure-fire perimeter players of his age group, proving to be a dependable outside shooter, scorer and leader.

Central Arkansas sits in the ASUN, one of Division 1’s smaller conferences, which should prove to be a smooth transition for the wing.

A decidedly below the rim player, it’ll be fascinating to see how potential limitations may change how he’s used positionally and limit his rim finishes, but as a knock-down, high IQ floor spacer, Beauchamp is a no-brainer.

14. Ryder Cheesman - Missouri State

Cheesman did his recruitment wonders after leading Victoria Navy to Gold earlier this year at the U20 National Junior Championship, and he was rewarded with a Division 1 offer to Missouri State as a result.

The pass-first lefty is a true, traditional point guard who can run a team and attack the rim with equal quality.

The big question mark? His outside shot. The form’s a little funky, and the release a little low, but if he can make defenders pay from outside, he should be a handy backcourt piece for the Bears.

15. Truman Bryne - Central Arkansas

Central Arkansas have good taste, picking up a second Aussie freshman to kit out their roster this season.

Truman Bryne feels like a potential sleeper in the rough, possessing unique shooting ability at 6’10, and with a solid frame to boot.

In the ASUN, Bryne is probably big enough to find minutes at both the four and five, putting him in a good position to demand a role.

16. Henry Lau - Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh double dip on Australia talent with the addition of 6’7 forward Henry Lau out of New South Wales.

This was a slight surprise given the stature of Pittsburgh in Division 1 basketball, and Lau will have competition with fellow countryman Siulelpa, on top of some other extremely talented options for minutes, but it’ll be a fantastic chance for Lau to get better with a well resourced and high level day to day environment.

17. Xavier Istomin-Monroe - Detroit Mercy

You can’t teach height, and Xavier Istomin-Monroe comes in as the tallest incoming freshman on our list at 7’1.

With great length and some touch around the rim, XIM will naturally be a project for Detroit Mercy, but provides a unique commodity as the man in the middle, bringing rim protection and finishing down both ends of the paint.

About the Author

Michael Houben is an Australian basketball writer and scout based in Melbourne, Victoria. As well as covering the game as a journalist, Michael supports US colleges to identify and recruit Australian talent as the owner of Airtime Scouting, and supports grassroots athletes through Airtime Basketball.