Everyone is looking for March Madness sleepers, breakout teams, and upset picks, but at the end of the day its all about the players. The Jack White role players of the world are huge factors in the outcome of games, but at the end of the day its the stars who take the last shot and determine who wins in March. Determining the Top 30 players was difficult because each team plays in a different conference and at varying paces, but it was even more difficult because their are 68 teams. 68 teams is a lot of teams.
Here’s what we came up with:
Honorable Mentions:
Eric Paschall, Dean Wade, Tyler Cook, Anthony Lamb, Shizz Alston Jr., Jordan Bone, Makai Mason, Terance Mann, Cam Reddish, Tacko Fall, Xavier Simpson, Jordan Murphy, Jordan Ford, Cameron Johnson, Devon Dotson.
The 10 Below we’re players who we’re heavily considered, but just found themselves out of the Top 30. This is in no particular order.
Just Missed:
Jarron Cumberland, Cincinnati
Quinndary Weatherspoon, Mississippi State
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Virginia Tech
Barry Brown Jr, Kansas State
Tyus Battle, Syracuse
Jordan Caroline, Nevada
Matisse Thybulle, Washington
Justin Robinson, Virginia Tech
Ignas Brazdeikis, Michigan
Phil Booth, Villanova
Top 30
30: Corey Davis Jr. PG Houston
Davis is the go-to-scorer and face of a guard heavy team in Houston. His range from beyond the arc and ability blow by opponents and get in the paint make him a tough matchup for opposing defenses.
29: Kerry Blackshear Jr. PF/C Virginia Tech
When VT’s best offensive player Justin Robinson went down, Blackshear broke out to the tone of 18.5 PPG 8.6 RPG over the final 11 games. Considering how slow VT plays, those are some impressive numbers. If he can continue to play at this level with Robinson back, he could be a huge X factor for the Hokies.
28: Jaylen Nowell SG Washington
The Pac 12 POTY Nowell is an aggressive slashing scorer who thrives with the ball in his hands. Averaging 16.2 on a very efficient 50% from the field Nowell could have a breakout March for the Huskies.
27: Fletcher Magee SG Wofford
Probably the best shooter in the country. Jacking up 10.7 3PT attempts per game on an insane .482%, he is more than capable of dropping 30 on your favorite team. If you’ve heard of him its probably due to his upset over UNC last season.
26: Dylan Windler SG/SF/PF Belmont
Windler is a big 6’8” G/F who can do a lot of things really well on the basketball court. Averaging 21.4 PPG 10.7 RPG and hitting three 3PM per game allow him to be an inside out threat capable of beating you in a lot of ways.
25: Bruno Fernando C Maryland
Fernando is a big bodied center who will dominate every matchup on the boards. His 13.7 PPG 10.4 RPG and 1.9 BPG will be a huge help if Maryland hopes to travel far into the tourney.
24: Brandon Clarke PF/C Gonzaga
Clarke is Gonzaga’s defensive anchor putting up an insane 3.1 BPG and 1.2 SPG. He compliments a team that is generally offense first and is on a short list of best big men of the nation on that side of the court. Offensively he’s no Ethan Happ, but he uses his size and athleticism to get easy buckets and a great clip.
23: Kyle Guy SG Virginia
UVA’s leading scorer is among the best and most efficient shooters in the nation. His numbers aren’t eye popping due to the pace of Virginia’s offense, but his impact is.
22: Coby White PG UNC
White has been scorching in ACC play cracking double digits in 17/20 games. His large 6’5” size for a PG combined with and ability to hit shots on the move is almost unguardable at the college level when he’s in his groove.
21: CJ Massinburg SG Buffalo
If you’re a casual CBB fan there is a good chance you haven’t heard of Buffalo’s CJ Massinburg. An above average defender and elite rebounder for a guard, Massinburg’s efficient 18.3 PPG is only 1 aspect of his game. In his 3rdand final March Madness he could be the face of a Cinderella. Dude dropped 43 and 14 on WVU earlier this season.
20: Ty Jerome PG Virginia
Jerome probably has the worst raw stats on this list, but he is one of the elite PGs in College Basketball. An elite passer and defender, the Junior always seems to step up in crunch time.
19: Shamorie Ponds PG St. Johns
Ponds is an absolute electric factory of a scorer who has carried ST. Johns to their first tourney appearance since 2015. His ability to get in the passing lanes and generate offense from defense is a huge factor in ST. John’s success moving forwards.
18: Jared Harper PG Auburn
I believe Harper is the most underrated P5 player in the country. His impact comes from his ability to break down the defense and create opportunities for his offense. He has made multiple game winning shots this season and is among the best PGs in the nation.
17: Luke Maye C/PF UNC
Maye hasn’t had the season that UNC fans hoped for, but that doesn’t mean he is not among the best big men in the nation. His rebounding and passing out of the post are among the best in the tourney and is crucial for the Tar Heels. He broke out with his shot over Kentucky 2 seasons ago, can he do it again?
16: Tremont Waters PG LSU
Waters is 5’11” and won DPOY in the SEC after generating 3 steals per game. Impressive. Offensively every possession runs through him. Easily one of the best and most entertaining players in the nation.
15: Admiral Schofield SF Tennessee
Schofield and Williams form a 1-2 punch rivaled only by Duke. His complimentary scoring ability off cuts and as a shooter allow him to thrive on a very talented team. He is also unbelievably consistent cracking 10 points in 31/34 games this season.
14: DeAndre Hunter SF/PF Virginia
Hunter is a very efficient shooter who moves the ball well for a forward. His ability to guard essentially 1-5 defensively allows UVA to switch frequently and form one of the best defenses in the nation.
13: Caleb Martin SG/SF Nevada
Martin is a big guard at 6’7” who uses his touch and shooting ability to light up opposing teams. After receiving some 1stteam All American looks in the preseason, Martin has had a bit of a disappointing season, but could break out this March.
12: Carsen Edwards PG Purdue
An elite scorer putting up 23 PPG, Edwards carried Purdue to a share of the Big Ten Championship. His percentages have dipped significantly in the later half of the season likely due to being overworked, but he will be locked in for the tourney.
11: Dedric Lawson PF Kansas
With basically all of Kansas’s team getting hurt, leaving the team, or just disappointing, Lawson has come in as one of the scorers in the nation putting up 19.1 PPG and 10.3 RPG. His speed combined with his 6’9” size and ability to score from the post creates a huge mismatch at the college level.
10: Jarrett Culver SG/SF Texas Tech
TTU as a whole doesn’t have a lot of offensive firepower so his impact is massive for their hopes of a deep run. His jumpshot is hit or miss but Culver’s ability to carve up a defense is effortless. Defensively he is among the best in the tourney routinely forcing bad shots and generating turnovers.
9: Rui Hachimura PF Gonzaga
Hachimura scores in a variety of ways and is a nightmare matchup. An elite athlete at 6’8”, he possesses great touch and probably the best faceup game out of the post in the country. He may not have gotten as much national attention at Gonzaga as the rest of the Top 10 players on this list, but his talent is more than up to par.
8: Ja Morant PG Murray State
Morant’s box Scores look like he was playing 2K on Rookie. A No. 8 ranking may seem a bit low as talent wise he is unarguably Top 5, but his lack of a consistent jumpshot combined with a nation leading 5.2 TO per game is a bit of a Red Flag. With that being said, the man averaged 24.6 PPG 10 APG and 5.5 RPG. His game against Markus Howard will be a must watch.
7: Cassius Winston PG Michigan State
Stars Joshua Langford and Nick Ward have both missed significant time this season, however MSU is still and elite team. The reason? The smartest PG in the country. He averages 7.5 APG to a respectable 2.9 TO and can light you up averaging an efficient 19 PPG. There is no true PG I’d rather be riding with heading into March.
6: RJ Barrett SF Duke
Zion’s greatness has blurred people’s perception of Barrett. You could make an argument Barrett is a Top 3 player, but you could also make one that he doesn’t crack the Top 10. His efficiency and defensive motor fluctuate, but his offensive polish is among the best in the nation. He is a nightly 30-10-5 threat with all the talent in the world.
5: Ethan Happ C Wisconsin
Happ the best college post player I have seen since Jahil Okafor. His footwork is phenomenal and his ability to see the play develop and make the right pass is a huge part of what makes Wisconsin such a good team. His defense is just as impressive. He’s always in the right spot and uses his 6’10” frame very well. Free Throws have unfortunately always been his Achilles heel and keep him out of the Top 4.
4: PJ Washington PF Kentucky
Washington has made a case for himself as a 1stTeam All American. His numbers aren’t to the caliber of many of these players, but he took what was a struggling Kentucky team and made them into one of the best in the nation. He’s efficient, a great defender, and he does the little things that make his team better.
3: Markus Howard PG Marquette
24-4-4 on .424/.408/.892 shooting. Wow. Howard is a walking bucket, but more importantly, he’s an efficient walking bucket who wins games. He has cracked 30 points ten times this season including two 45-point games and a 53-point outing against Creighton. No player in this tournament would scare me more offensively than Howard.
2: Grant Williams PF Tennessee
Teams don’t know how to play Grant Williams. Cover him tight? He’ll make a post move to the hoop. Sag off? He has great touch from the Mid-range and will make you pay. Double him? He’s one of the best post passers in the game and will find the open teammate. His defense and ability to generate contact gives him a slight edge over Howard at No. 2.
1: Zion Williamson PF Duke
You can make the hobbled argument that Grant Williams should be the POTY because of injury. You can speculate that RJ or Morant are better NBA prospects. BUT you cannot argue that there is any player in the nation that you would rather roll with going into the tourney that Zion.
