By Pietro Cristofori
As the 2025–26 college basketball season gets underway, a new wave of European talent is already shaping the landscape of the NCAA. From backcourt specialists to towering rim protectors, the first month has revealed which players are ready to take a leap and which ones are redefining their roles.
This report breaks down the early-season performances of three of the most intriguing names from Europe: Ruben Dominguez, Aday Mara, and Christoph Tilly, and examines what their trajectories could mean moving forward.
Ruben Dominguez - 01/23/2003 (22.8), Sophomore, 6’6”, Forward, Spain, Texas A&M
Season’s averages: 15.9 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 50.0 FG%, 49.3 3PT%, 92.3 FT%
Dominguez has been one of the most productive players from behind the arc throughout the first month of college basketball, and he has already found his comfort zone in Bucky McMillan’s offense. Texas A&M has won its last 5 games, and the Spanish forward has been one of the main reasons for this run.
Dominguez has separated himself as one of the best shooters in the nation, hitting a record 10 3-pointers in the game against Manhattan and shooting an insane 49.2% from deep against Top 25 competition. He’s elite in spot-up situations, and his dynamism and balance allow him to be a threat in catch-and-shoot situations. He’s a versatile weapon on the perimeter, given his appealing strength that allows him to play both the 3 and the 4 spot at the HM level. His burst and slashing abilities are decent: he can make his way to the basket thanks to his strength, but he lacks elite change of direction and speed to be a creator.
Dominguez brings to the table a legitimate amount of pro experience gained throughout his seasons in Estudiantes and Bilbao. He’s reliable and consistent, and he’s rarely caught off guard.
Aday Mara - 04/07/2005 (20.7), Junior, 7’3”, Center, Spain, Michigan
Season’s average: 10.1 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.9 APG, 2.7 BPG, 64.0 2PT%
Over the first weeks of the season, Michigan has emerged as one of the top teams in college basketball, and Aday Mara has been one of the main contributors to this. The Wolverines were dominant in the “Players Era Festival” in Las Vegas, and Mara came up strong in the Final Game against Gonzaga, where he scored 13 points.
The Spanish big man has been used as a facilitator and passer in Michigan’s ultra-sized lineups. His skill set has always been above average for his size, but now it looks like physicality and intensity are coming along in his game. He’s not settling much on shots without contact, and he’s starting to play bigger and tougher.
He has good presence under the rim: thanks to his long arms and quick thinking, he makes up for his lack of elite strength and power. Thanks to his length, in college basketball he has big impact: he covers much ground and he can affect many shots. He’s a fair shot-blocker, and his rim protection has been one of the factors that brought Michigan to #1 in Defensive Rating this season.
The Spanish center has recently been added to some mock drafts, confirming that the buzz around him is starting to grow again, like before he landed at UCLA, where for various reasons he fell off draft boards for some time.
Christoph Tilly - 01/28/2003 (22.8), Senior, 7’0”, Center, Germany, Ohio State
Season’s average: 15.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 3.1 APG, 47.6 2PT%, 86.0 FT%
The senior big man Christoph Tilly has impacted the game right away for Ohio State after transferring from Santa Clara. The German big is having the most productive season of his college career so far.
Ohio State has played against two power conference opponents over the last month, and Tilly scored a game-winner in one of them (against Notre Dame on 11/16). Over the last few seasons, he has developed a consistent face-up game that allows him to stretch the floor and find opportunities driving to the rim against closeouts. He has a soft touch with both hands near the rim, and he’s able to score from tough angles. Throughout the first month of the season, he hasn’t been able to be a consistent threat from behind the arc, shooting a poor 16%, but the percentages should increase. Tilly’s mobility and athleticism allow him to play alongside another big man — likely one who has more interior presence and rebounding force. That’s an extremely valuable ability given his 7’0” frame. The main concern for him is his toughness on both ends of the floor, he has to improve under that aspect to maximise his potential.
Over the first weeks of the season, the Big Ten has appeared to be the best conference in the sport, giving Ohio State and Tilly a challenging conference schedule in the early months of 2026.
As the 2025–26 college basketball season gets underway, a new wave of European talent is already shaping the landscape of the NCAA. From backcourt specialists to towering rim protectors, the first month has revealed which players are ready to take a leap and which ones are redefining their roles.
This report breaks down the early-season performances of three of the most intriguing names from Europe: Ruben Dominguez, Aday Mara, and Christoph Tilly, and examines what their trajectories could mean moving forward.
Ruben Dominguez - 01/23/2003 (22.8), Sophomore, 6’6”, Forward, Spain, Texas A&M
Season’s averages: 15.9 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 50.0 FG%, 49.3 3PT%, 92.3 FT%
Dominguez has been one of the most productive players from behind the arc throughout the first month of college basketball, and he has already found his comfort zone in Bucky McMillan’s offense. Texas A&M has won its last 5 games, and the Spanish forward has been one of the main reasons for this run.
Dominguez has separated himself as one of the best shooters in the nation, hitting a record 10 3-pointers in the game against Manhattan and shooting an insane 49.2% from deep against Top 25 competition. He’s elite in spot-up situations, and his dynamism and balance allow him to be a threat in catch-and-shoot situations. He’s a versatile weapon on the perimeter, given his appealing strength that allows him to play both the 3 and the 4 spot at the HM level. His burst and slashing abilities are decent: he can make his way to the basket thanks to his strength, but he lacks elite change of direction and speed to be a creator.
Dominguez brings to the table a legitimate amount of pro experience gained throughout his seasons in Estudiantes and Bilbao. He’s reliable and consistent, and he’s rarely caught off guard.
Aday Mara - 04/07/2005 (20.7), Junior, 7’3”, Center, Spain, Michigan
Season’s average: 10.1 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.9 APG, 2.7 BPG, 64.0 2PT%
Over the first weeks of the season, Michigan has emerged as one of the top teams in college basketball, and Aday Mara has been one of the main contributors to this. The Wolverines were dominant in the “Players Era Festival” in Las Vegas, and Mara came up strong in the Final Game against Gonzaga, where he scored 13 points.
The Spanish big man has been used as a facilitator and passer in Michigan’s ultra-sized lineups. His skill set has always been above average for his size, but now it looks like physicality and intensity are coming along in his game. He’s not settling much on shots without contact, and he’s starting to play bigger and tougher.
He has good presence under the rim: thanks to his long arms and quick thinking, he makes up for his lack of elite strength and power. Thanks to his length, in college basketball he has big impact: he covers much ground and he can affect many shots. He’s a fair shot-blocker, and his rim protection has been one of the factors that brought Michigan to #1 in Defensive Rating this season.
The Spanish center has recently been added to some mock drafts, confirming that the buzz around him is starting to grow again, like before he landed at UCLA, where for various reasons he fell off draft boards for some time.
Christoph Tilly - 01/28/2003 (22.8), Senior, 7’0”, Center, Germany, Ohio State
Season’s average: 15.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 3.1 APG, 47.6 2PT%, 86.0 FT%
The senior big man Christoph Tilly has impacted the game right away for Ohio State after transferring from Santa Clara. The German big is having the most productive season of his college career so far.
Ohio State has played against two power conference opponents over the last month, and Tilly scored a game-winner in one of them (against Notre Dame on 11/16). Over the last few seasons, he has developed a consistent face-up game that allows him to stretch the floor and find opportunities driving to the rim against closeouts. He has a soft touch with both hands near the rim, and he’s able to score from tough angles. Throughout the first month of the season, he hasn’t been able to be a consistent threat from behind the arc, shooting a poor 16%, but the percentages should increase. Tilly’s mobility and athleticism allow him to play alongside another big man — likely one who has more interior presence and rebounding force. That’s an extremely valuable ability given his 7’0” frame. The main concern for him is his toughness on both ends of the floor, he has to improve under that aspect to maximise his potential.
Over the first weeks of the season, the Big Ten has appeared to be the best conference in the sport, giving Ohio State and Tilly a challenging conference schedule in the early months of 2026.
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