September 29, 2025
By Sam Weiger
We’ve seen plenty of high-caliber international players compete in the UFA over the past couple of years: Tobe Decreane, Elliot Bonnet, Ben Oort, Aaron Wolf, and many others. It’s no secret that more and more top-drawer international players are making their way into the league..
But it’s the 2025 Rookie of the Year (ROTY), Daan De Marree, who had the most promising rookie season of any international player ever.
His debut campaign was not merely promising; it was a statistical and narrative anomaly, a whirlwind of on-field dominance that few, if any, first-year players have ever achieved. The 24-year-old Belgian import redefined the rookie standard, not only by putting up unprecedented numbers but also by becoming the undeniable engine of an undefeated team. His remarkable journey is a testament to his talent, a blueprint for international players aspiring to the UFA, and a powerful symbol of the league’s expanding global reach.
The Rookie Standard, Rewritten
The case for De Marrée as the UFA’s top rookie is built on a foundation of staggering statistics. In just 10 games, he amassed 33 assists, 45 goals, and 19 blocks. This blend of offensive production and defensive tenacity is what truly sets his season apart. His completion rate of 95.79 percent on 273 total completions speaks to his reliability with the disc, while his 1,933 passing yards and 3,235 receiving yards showcase his exceptional versatility as a hybrid threat.
His dominance was perhaps never more apparent than during his otherworldly stretch from Week 11 to Week 13, a stretch that is already being called one of the greatest in UFA history. In four games, De Marrée totaled 14 assists, 27 goals, and 11 blocks. This four-game stretch yielded a remarkable plus-49 and launched him into the number one spot in the UFA for plus/minus per game, with a final mark of plus-83.
With these unbelievable performances, the top rookie of 2025 earned a spot on the All-UFA First Team and finished as the runner-up in the MVP race. De Marrée’s rookie season rivals that of NBA all-time great Wilt Chamberlain, who averaged 37 points per game, 27 rebounds per game, won ROTY, finished first-team All-NBA, and won MVP. Both were in a tier of their own in their respective league after year one.
While it’s no secret that De Marrée entered his rookie season with plenty of experience competing at the professional level in Europe, he still had to adjust to rule changes, playing styles, and so much more. Sure, Decreane, Bonnet, and Oort were also difference-makers in their rookie year, but it’s not a guarantee that every international player will have this success in year one. We’ve seen plenty of international stars struggle to adapt to the league in their first year.
The Union's Untouchable Engine
De Marrée did something truly remarkable this year as a rookie: he became the most valuable player for a team that went undefeated in the regular season. And to be honest, he made it look effortless at times. His ability to get above defenders and make difficult layout grabs appeared second nature to him. On defense, he skillfully took the disc away from opponents. This combination of offensive flair and defensive discipline made him a constant mismatch and a player that opposing coaches had to game-plan for every single point.
So what was the underrated part of his game? His throwing prowess. De Marrée is known for his layouts and highlight reel plays, but his ability to weave passes around defenders and execute a wide variety of throws added even more to his résumé of versatility.
All of De Marrée’s skillsets are heightened by his level of field awareness, a level that very few players are capable of reaching. His vision consistently spot on, even in games where he had to carry a heavy load on his shoulders, playing a high number of points. De Marrée played 25.75 points per game in his final four games of the year, and managed to put up video game numbers in three of them. So yeah, De Marrée was playing at an unprecedented level at times this year.
But perhaps what impressed me the most about him was how he managed to adjust to the UFA after being thrown immediately into the deep end in his first game. In his first career game, he was tasked with throwing 34 completions and led his team in offensive points played. To make his adjustment to the league even more complicated, he missed the next three weeks before finally playing his second game in Week 7. In this game, De Marrée led his team in plus/minus. From that point forward, he finished every game with a plus/minus of at least plus-5.
The Belgian Blueprint: A New Wave of UFA Talent
De Marrée's story is the latest and perhaps most striking example of the UFA's burgeoning international pipeline. De Marrée, born and raised in Leuven, Belgium, honed his skills with local clubs Jetset and Mooncatchers. Before crossing the Atlantic, his reputation as a generational talent was already well-established; he was the first player ever to be selected back-to-back as Ultiworld European Men’s Player of the Year (2023 and 2024).
An international rookie sending shockwaves through the UFA is not an isolated event but rather the continuation of a clear trend. The 2024 UFA Rookie of the Year was none other than his fellow Belgian, Decraene. The back-to-back Rookie of the Year awards for two Belgian players demonstrate that the sky is the limit for international stars wanting to showcase their talent in the UFA. I wouldn’t be surprised if UFA teams ramp up their efforts to recruit global stars after seeing what De Marrée and Decreane accomplished this season. I expect his season to inspire many up-and-coming international players to become UFA pros.
De Marrée helped prove something significant to the ultimate world: The greatest players in the world are not all American. Sure, the United States might have the best team in international play, but De Marrée showed that he can be the top player on any American team.
A Legacy Forged
As De Marrée collects his ROTY award, it is essential to contextualize his outstanding season. A comparison of his final season stats to those of other recent ROTY winners, especially Decreane, highlights the exceptional nature of his campaign. Decreane blew our minds last year. He transformed a struggling Montreal Royal team into a force to be reckoned with. He finished with 52 assists, 17 goals, and 18 blocks—all star-caliber numbers in his rookie year—but his accomplishments with Montreal don’t even come close to De Marrée’s.
De Marrée had nine more combined assists, goals, and blocks with one less game played. He completed a much higher percentage of his passes, committing just 11 turns compared to Decreane’s 32. Consequently, De Marrée finished with a much higher plus/minus—plus-83 to Decreaene’s plus-54—the statistic that most accurately shows how much greater De Marrée’s rookie year was.
These numbers prove that De Marrée's season was statistically one of the most dominant rookie seasons in UFA history. His production also placed him squarely in the 2025 MVP conversation with established superstars like Jeff Babbitt and Austin Taylor. He was a consistent MVP frontrunner for the entire second half of the season, an extremely rare feat for a first-year player.
De Marrée's rookie campaign was a flawless blend of individual dominance and team success. He broke records, redefined expectations, and demonstrated that elite international talent is not only ready for the UFA but capable of leading it. In just one season, De Marrée’s legacy has been forged.
