College basketball is often referred to as a guard’s game, and the big men tend to get all of the hype and love because they put up big numbers. But now more than ever, wings are essential in college hoops. To see that, you only have to look at the team that won the national championship last season. Connecticut had the deepest group of wings in the country, with Jordan Hawkins and Andre Jackson Jr. getting drafted and Alex Karaban playing a critical role in the starting lineup. They also had Joey Calcaterra as a smaller floor-spacing wing, Nahiem Alleyne as maybe the best fifth wing in the country, and even guard Tristen Newton had wing size at 6-foot-5.
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Wings are the glue that hold lineups together in the modern basketball environment. They’re the ones who give lineups versatile options to beat offenses and defenses. They can be floor-spacers or mismatch shot-creators. They can be big bruisers or skilled finesse guys. Then on defense, they can provide switchability across the positional spectrum, or legitimate help-side rim protection. They come in all different shapes and sizes, and because of that they let coaches adjust to the kinds of lineups their opposition is presenting.
Unsurprisingly, given that we’re still dealing with free COVID-19 years in college hoops, 17 of the 20 wings listed here are at least in their third year or later. Many of them are even in their fifth year. Age matters in college basketball as much as ever simply because of how old some of the players are still. This year, I’ve also decided not to rank any freshmen in the top 20, essentially making these returners lists. Instead, I’ve listed five freshman wings below that I’m excited to watch, and who I think could emerge into top-20 status by the end of the year. You’ll also get five non-freshmen from whom I’m expecting breakouts.
(Quick note: If you don’t see somebody that you expect to see on this ranking but who could also be reasonably classified as a guard or a big, don’t get preemptively angry. The odds are that I ranked them in one of the other lists. The guards list can be found here, and the bigs list can be found here.)
1. Bryce Hopkins | 6-7 forward | junior | Providence
Hopkins posted a superb first season in Providence, earning All-Big East honors under former coach Ed Cooley and becoming the go-to guy for a team that earned an NCAA Tournament berth. He averaged 16 points and nearly nine rebounds per game and is the exact kind of mismatch nightmare college coaches look for on the wing. He’s 6-7, but he’s a bruiser as a driver who can go around slower players when he’s guarded by bigs, or go through smaller players when defended by guards and wings. He’s physical enough to play on the block out of post-ups, but skilled enough with his handle to drive and finish in straight lines. It also helps that Hopkins has terrific touch around the rim on these attacks. The other leap Hopkins made throughout his sophomore season was as a shooter. He ended up hitting 36 percent of his 3s. Teams were definitely a bit more comfortable letting him shoot last year, but if Hopkins can showcase even more willingness to fire and hurt teams that leave him open, he would become even more unstoppable.
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Hopkins is the perfect safety blanket for new coach Kim English and should be a terrific leader for the Friars along with fellow returning potential All-Big East player Devin Carter. Throw them into the mix with George Mason transfer and two-time All-Atlantic-10 forward Josh Oduro and a potentially elite recruit in Garwey Dual, and English won’t lack for talent in Year 1 of his tenure. This should be an NCAA Tournament team again with top-five seed upside if things break right.
2. Tristan da Silva | 6-9 forward | senior | Colorado
This is the most underrated player in college basketball. I think da Silva makes an All-America team this season and leads Colorado back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021. Simply put, there just isn’t anything da Silva struggles with on the court. You could theoretically rank him among the bigs, but I chose to put him with the wings because he just has way more to his game and fits here better. He can certainly post against mismatched players, but what I love most about da Silva is his ability to drive and attack from the perimeter. The German forward is a legitimate shot creator and ballhandler at 6-9, and he can knock down shots off some off-ball movement. That allows him to attack closeouts as well, using his ability to drive well. Sometimes it’s for a one-dribble pull-up, other times it’s getting all the way to the rim. Then on defense, he can grab and go on the break, and create shots that way, too. He’s just very balanced and fluid, capable of using his length to cover ground quickly.
He was an All-Pac-12 selection last season after averaging about 16 points per game. You’d love to see him rebound it a bit better, and I think there is some room in his game to become a better passer. But with Eddie Lampkin Jr. coming in, I would expect da Silva to play mostly at the four and slot in well next to incoming five-star freshman Cody Williams as well as another All-Pac-12-level guard in K.J. Simpson. If you’re looking for a Pac-12 sleeper that could crash the party and get into the top-three of that league instead of Arizona, USC or UCLA, Colorado is a good bet. This is a really good basketball team, and da Silva will stir the drink.
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3. Terrence Shannon Jr. | 6-6 wing | senior | Illinois
Shannon looked like he would be leaving college basketball quickly last season with how he started the year at Illinois after transferring in from Texas Tech. The uber-athletic forward seemed to have finally harnessed some of his gifts into a skill package that made sense. In his first nine games, Shannon averaged 19.2 points and shot 47 percent from the field, 38 percent from 3 on real volume, and dished out three assists per game. It seemed like he was on the precipice of All-America status as he hit shots, constantly pressured defenders, and found his way into defensive cracks with his explosiveness. But then, things cooled off a bit, and he settled into being merely a terrific, All-Big Ten player. He went through a 15-game run where he shot just 28 percent from 3 and had an even assist-to-turnover ratio. Now back for a fifth year in college hoops, Shannon will look to lead a fascinatingly-structured Illinois team back to the NCAA Tournament. He’ll likely end up playing a solid amount on the ball like he did last season, as the Illini don’t have a ton of depth on-ball. If the shooting becomes more consistent, Shannon has all of the tools to be an All-American and a potential first-round pick in 2024. But he needs to just bring that consistency as a shooter night after night, so that opposing teams have to close out on him and respect his jumper, thus opening more driving lanes for him.
4. Justin Moore | 6-4 guard/wing | senior | Villanova
Moore easily could have been ranked with the guards, especially after moonlighting as the team’s point guard at times late last season after his return from a torn Achilles suffered in the previous season. I’ve slotted him here with the wings, though, largely just for ease on my end. Moore enters his fifth year as a candidate for the Big East Player of the Year award if things break right for him and he can improve upon the efficiency that has often plagued him at Villanova. Last season’s 13-game supporting role was the first time he posted a true-shooting percentage above 55 percent, as Moore’s pull-up jumper has never quite turned into the lethally consistent weapon that one would hope it could be. Moore’s clearly a good shooter, but as he’s turned into more of a primary option over the last three years, he’s only made 33.9 percent of his six 3-point attempts per game. He’s been lights out in catch-and-shoot opportunities the last two years, making about 39.5 percent of those. But he just isn’t quite the pull-up shooter you’d hope.
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For Moore to reach the next level, one of two things has to happen. Either Mark Armstrong needs to prove himself as a reliable Big East starting point guard so and create more of those catch-and-shoot 3s for Moore, or Moore has to can those pull-ups to keep defenders honest. Both have a real chance of happening, so ranking Moore this highly is a bet on one of those two improvements. My bet is that Moore leads the way for a much-improved Wildcats team, and he’s not the only Wildcats wing to feature on this list.
5. Baylor Scheierman | 6-6 wing | senior | Creighton
Scheierman had a terrific season for the Bluejays last year after transferring up from South Dakota State, averaging nearly 13 points, eight rebounds and three assists. This season, scouts who have been through to Omaha have noted that Scheierman looks like he’s taken another step after his adjustment season in the Big East. Simply put, he’s just extremely well-rounded.
Scheierman can knock down 3s off of heavy movement actions. He can dribble and pass, too, typically making high-level reads with ease and creating open opportunities for his teammates. He’s not going to pressure the rim all that much off the bounce, but he can be a sharp off-ball mover and cutter. But more than that, I actually think Scheierman is underrated on defense because of the value he brings on the glass. Scheierman is a killer defensive rebounder, and generally does a good job of being in the right place at the right time. With Steven Ashworth essentially replacing Ryan Nembhard, I think the Bluejays are actually quite well-positioned for success this year, as Greg McDermott is one of the more creative offensive minds in the game. With shooters like Ashworth and Scheierman, he should be able to run some really difficult-to-guard actions while opening up space for everyone else on the court.
It’s worth noting that Creighton is the only team to have a guard, a wing and a big each in the top five of my rankings this year. I’m high on the Bluejays heading into the season given that talent level, but do have some worries about their depth. They need to find an answer at the four spot, and need to find a few more depth options. But I have them as a top-10 team.
unanimous.
Weber State’s Dillon Jones is our first-ever unanimous Preseason Men’s Basketball MVP 🙌#ExperienceElevated pic.twitter.com/VeMhlHkjbc
— Big Sky Conference (@BigSkyConf) October 19, 2023
6. Dillon Jones | 6-6 forward/guard | senior | Weber State
Jones rarely plays as a “true” wing. He’s somewhere between a big and a point guard a lot of the time, but wing is probably the easiest place to slot him on a list like this. The Weber State product was the best player in the Big Sky last season, averaging nearly 17 points and 11 rebounds while also dishing out almost four assists per game. Oftentimes, Jones guards one of the forwards and then will initiate the offense either as the primary guy who brings the ball up the court or as the trailer waiting for the ball. From there, he was responsible for everything, carrying Weber to a winning season. He then went to the G League Elite Camp as well as the NBA Draft Combine, and showcased enough potential to where he may have been drafted had he decided to stay in the 2023 class. He was one of the best players on the court every time he performed in front of NBA executives this past spring, and he was doing that against guys currently playing at the pro level.
He decided to return to try to work his way into the first round, and it’s reasonable to expect that he’ll dominate his league yet again. Jones should be in the 20-point, 11-rebound, five-assist per game range. If he showcases any real level of improvement as a shooter, those numbers will be entirely plausible.
7. Emanuel Miller | 6-7 forward | senior | TCU
Miller has been one of the most underrated players in the country for three years now. I know that Texas is a football state, but what if I told you there was a guy who averaged 16 points per game as a sophomore in the SEC in 2021 (at Texas A&M), and then last season as a fourth-year player averaged 12 points, nearly seven rebounds, a block and a steal per game, and shot over 50 percent from the field and nearly 40 percent from 3? Plus, he did all of that while being one of the most versatile defensive players in all of college basketball. That’s what Miller is, and it’s wild to me that we’re four years into his career and he hasn’t made an all-conference team. He certainly deserved the honor last season, helping lead TCU to a near-upset in the NCAA Tournament second round against Gonzaga. This season, without Mike Miles Jr. and Damion Baugh around, Miller will be the centerpiece of a team that should be able to compete in the middle tier of the Big 12. He can rise up and dunk on cuts baseline or in the dunker spot. He’ll run the floor hard and always put himself in position for easy buckets. Then, he’ll get the ball in the high post, and either attempt a midrange jumper or drive all the way to the rim. He’s a versatile two-way player who should be in for a career season this year with the Horned Frogs, and maybe could sneak his way into the NBA Draft.
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8. Kevin McCullar Jr. | 6-6 wing | senior | Kansas
McCullar was a surprising late return to college hoops last season, deciding to go back to Kansas after going through the pre-draft process. McCullar has long been one of the best defensive wings in the country, a legitimate shadow for opposing players across the positional spectrum from the one all the way down to the four. Between him and DaJuan Harris Jr., the Jayhawks should have two elite defenders in the backcourt that allow them to pressure and pester opposing lead ballhandlers into tough spots. I know that Harris won the Defensive Player of the Year award in the league last year, but I would actually rate McCullar ahead of Harris on that end of the court, personally.
Where McCullar needs to keep making strides is on offense. He’s effective already as a cutter, driver and passer. He’s always moving and trying to find open areas off the ball, then on the ball he can get downhill with his strength to get to the rim, and even make real passing reads on the move from his time playing point guard when he was younger. He still averaged 11 points, seven rebounds and 2.4 assists last year. Ultimately though, McCullar’s value and future as a professional is tied to his jumper. He needs to be able to make open 3s for the Kansas offense to reach its fullest potential, especially with Hunter Dickinson on the interior this season. McCullar is a career 29.8 percent 3-point shooter. If he could improve that, it would force teams to close out harder on him, and open more driving lanes for him to be even more impactful. Without the shooting, McCullar figures to be maybe the most important glue guy in the country given his defensive ability. With it though, he would blossom into clearly one of the five best wings in college basketball.
9. Kam Jones | 6-5 wing | junior | Marquette
Jones is just an extremely reliable floor-spacer and scorer. The 6-foot-5 guard averaged 15.1 points per game last season while getting up nearly eight 3-point attempts per game. The thing you can count on more than anything else is that Jones is going to find open 3s. He takes them directly off the hop, and if you give him even a sliver of space, you can count on that thing getting fired toward the rim with a real shot of going in. Everything he does just has this aesthetically beautiful rhythm to it. He moves exceptionally well off the ball and can get the shot up from any angle or footwork if you give him a window. He was second-team All-Big East and certainly is in the mix to take that next leap to first-team in 2023-24. It’s very likely he’ll be the leading scorer on a top-10 team in the country this season, and he’s gotten better in each of his first two seasons.
10. Anton Watson | 6-8 forward/wing | senior | Gonzaga
Watson is just one of those guys who does every single little thing that your team needs to win games. He’s been Gonzaga’s best defender outside of Chet Holmgren for the last three years, a versatile on-ball guy who can manage threes and fours well in addition to consistently being in the right position rotationally at all times. Last season, he took a leap on offense into the double-figure zone, averaging over 11 points per game while shooting over 60 percent from the field and picking his spots incredibly well. His jumper has never totally come around, but he doesn’t need it in order to be great because he’s just so solid and reliable across every part of the game outside of it. He makes every extra pass, consistently cuts into open parts of the court, and then rebounds well on both ends of the court.
If the jumper comes around with Ryan Nembhard coming in as a more traditional lead guard than what the team had last year, Watson could be a surprise 15-point-per-game player who’s also among the best defensive players in the WCC. That’s a pretty ridiculous combination to imagine. Watson is more than just a role player for Gonzaga, and I’m glad he’ll get a chance to prove it this season as the team needs some of its experienced players to step into bigger opportunities.
11. Tucker DeVries | 6-7 wing | junior | Drake
Last season’s Missouri Valley Player of the Year, DeVries has a real case as the best shooter in the country. The way he flies off of screening actions and sets cultivated by his father, Drake head coach Darian DeVries, creates an immense amount of pressure on defenses. The numbers look merely above average at 37 percent from 3 on about seven attempts per game, but don’t get it twisted: DeVries has elite range out to about 30 feet, and has to face defensive identities built entirely around stopping him.
But there’s more to DeVries than merely the shooting. He uses the threat of his jumper well to attack off of the bounce, where he’s capable and smart. He can pass and make plays for his teammates, then also is at least positionally smart defensively. DeVries is just one of those guys who has always displayed exceptionally high-level feel for the game, which allows him to create plays even if he’s not the most athletic guy in the world. Look for him to get up over 20 points per game this year, and he should be the clear favorite for the MVC Player of the Year award again.
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12. Riley Kugel | 6-5 guard | sophomore | Florida
Kugel is one of the higher upside swings in this college basketball season. On one hand, he has all of the tools to be among the best scorers in the country. He’s a powerful, fluid athlete at 6-5, 200 pounds. When you watch him, you say to yourself that he just moves like an NBA scoring guard moves, with the grace blended with real force and explosiveness. Those tools came together nicely after Colin Castleton got injured to finish last season, as Kugel averaged 17.3 points on 49.6 percent from the field and 39.6 percent from the 3-point line over his final 10 games.
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The problem is that Florida lost seven of those 10, and Kugel often did things a bit more on his terms as opposed to the team’s at times. That was a necessity; the team needed someone to step up and be a legitimate scorer. But it also raised some questions about how exactly it’ll look on a Florida team that seems primed to take a big step forward in Todd Golden’s second season. Kugel will be paired with Walter Clayton Jr. (whom the buzz is palpable about in Gainesville right now) and Zyon Pullin, in addition to a deep frontcourt and talented wing Will Richard. Can Kugel get better at playing within himself when the time calls for it, as well as just making the right reads consistently in terms of passing and creating for others? That’s the key to Florida’s season. If Kugel takes a leap in terms of his feel for the game and the way he reads the court, this has potential to be a legitimate top-25 team. If he doesn’t, things could get a bit clunky on offense. I’m betting on the talent here by ranking Kugel this high. I’m betting he averages over 15 points per game and makes at least second-team All-SEC.
13. Blake Hinson | 6-6 wing/forward | senior | Pittsburgh
Hinson had to be the least talked-about awesome player in college hoops last year, leading Pittsburgh to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Going back to his days at Ole Miss, Hinson has always been a real mismatch nightmare, a physical 6-7 bowling ball who is a bit too quick to be guarded by bigs, but too strong for guards when they get switched onto him. He averaged 15.3 points and six rebounds on his way to All-ACC status a season ago, and figures to have an even bigger role in 2023-24 following the departures of Nelly Cummings, Jamarius Burton and Greg Elliott. Pitt’s season will probably come down to how ready Carlton Carrington is to lead the offense and run the show in the backcourt for the Panthers. However, with Hinson around, the team should at least have a primary wing creator to rely on nightly.
14. Antonio Reeves | 6-5 wing | senior | Kentucky
Reeves started hot for Kentucky after transferring in from Illinois State, but as the schedule really heated up in December, he struggled a bit. Be it the adjustment to the rigors of Kentucky or just a shooting slump, Reeves had a 12-game stretch from mid-December to the end of January where he shot just 40 percent from the field and 30 percent from 3. A big game against Ole Miss on January 31 got him going again, though. From that point onward, Reeves averaged 17 points while shooting 41.5 percent from 3, and looked like every bit the floor-spacing weapon the Wildcats needed to get going late in the year. And the threat of his jumper got the rest of his game going, too, with a 37-point masterpiece against Arkansas late showcasing a well-rounded attack game — he made 10 2-point shots in addition to 11 free throws. In Year 2 in Lexington, look for Reeves to truly blossom into an All-SEC player, scoring in that 17-point-per-game ballpark as Kentucky looks to embrace a more modern offense that actually involves a well-spaced floor.
15. Kobe Johnson | 6-6 wing | junior | USC
One of the best two-way wings in the country. Straight up. The brother of Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson, Kobe is a good athlete who excels first and foremost on the defensive end. His anticipation is absolutely outstanding, leading to over two steals per game. But it’s more than that. He’s always in the right position. He’s an excellent on-ball defender with length and speed to be able to slide and cut off the opposition. Then offensively, Johnson has a well-rounded game that allows him to play both on and off the ball. He hit 38.4 percent of his catch-and-shoot 3s last year, per Synergy. That number will become even more important this year with the addition of Isaiah Collier, a downhill force who can create kickouts. Then, he can also act as a secondary ballhandler who can grab and go and start the break with his speed, then make strong passing reads himself, dishing out nearly three assists per game last season. It’s hard to find players this well-rounded. Kobe is going to join Jalen in the NBA at some point, and I think there is a real shot it’s at the end of this season after he earns All-Pac-12 honors.
16. Alex Karaban | 6-7 wing | sophomore | Connecticut
Karaban was the unassuming hero of Connecticut’s NCAA championship run. Consistently in the right spot. Always available to make the right play. Active and aggressive on defense. It’s hard to ask for more from a fifth starter on a great team. So now, what can Karaban do for a follow-up act? The 6-foot-8 wing/forward knocked down 40.2 percent of his 3s last season, living on a heavy diet of catch-and-shoot opportunities. Whereas some of his teammates were flying off of actions and getting loose, Karaban was mostly spotting up in the corner or on the wing, with some flare movement occasionally.
I’d expect to see Karaban live off of a similar shot diet this year, and probably get more freedom to attack closeouts and make the right reads and kickouts. He’s a sharp passer and consistently unselfish, making good decisions with the ball. On top of that, he’s long and capable of guarding two through four on defense, which gives Connecticut some real wiggle room with its coverages. I’m expecting something like 13 points on close to 50 percent from the field, and 40 percent from 3 with six rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. That feels like a good step forward, and when put together with his well-rounded game, that’d make him an All-Big East guy.
17. Mark Mitchell | 6-8 forward/wing | sophomore | Duke
Mitchell is probably more of a breakout candidate, but I’m expecting big things from the versatile 6-8 forward this season at Duke. The sophomore averaged nine points and nearly five rebounds, but he played a particularly critical role throughout the season for the Blue Devils on the defensive end, taking on tough assignments and consistently being their best non-big on the court. At the college level at least, Mitchell has the potential to guard all five positions effectively with his foot speed and strength. But where the real growth could come is on offense. Mitchell has the ability to drive in a straight line and get his way all the way to the rim, and at the high school level displayed some really interesting passing and playmaking for his teammates. The swing skill here is his shooting. Mitchell hit 35 percent of his limited 3-point attempts, and the jumper looks cleaner. My bet is that Duke lines him up across the positional spectrum at the three and the four, allowing Jon Scheyer to be able to run out different alignments depending on what is needed for the matchup.
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18. Johnell Davis | 6-4 guard/wing | junior | Florida Atlantic
The best player last season on what turned into the Cinderella story of the Final Four, Davis decided to return to Florida Atlantic despite the potential to turn pro as well as to transfer. Despite those options, he’ll be back along with most of the Owls’ immensely successful team from a season ago. Entering his fourth year, Davis is a terrific slasher who led the team in scoring last year despite coming off of the bench more often than not. He has all sorts of length, which allows him to be a good finisher at the rim. But even more than that, he’s a crafty driver who plays with patience and knows how to get his defender off-balance and on his back before extending and finishing at the rim. Davis also opens up driving angles by knocking down shots from distance, having made 36 percent of his nearly four 3-point attempts per game. With Alijah Martin, Vladislav Goldin, and Nick Boyd back, among others, the Owls are in a great spot to enter the AAC and be just as effective there as they were in the perennially underrated Conference USA.
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19. T.J. Bamba | 6-5 wing | senior | Villanova
Bamba is a guy whom I’ve heard really positive feedback on from scouts and sources that have been to Villanova. Bamba averaged 16 points per game on a solid Washington State team last year, and was somehow egregiously left off the All-Pac-12 teams. Following the season, the New York native decided he wanted to get a bit closer to home and move back East. I love his step-back game that lets him get into open shots; it also helps that his power driving game is already pretty reminiscent of what Villanova looks for in its guards. He plays off of two feet as a finisher when loading into his attempts, and generally plays on-balance. He also does most of his work still on the ground when separating as opposed to leaping to get to the rim. On a team that went big in the transfer portal this year, Bamba is the one whom I’m expecting to have the biggest impact ahead of Hakim Hart and Tyler Burton. He has a real shot at making All-Big East as long as the jumper continues along the improvement trajectory it was on last season.
20. Jalen Bridges | 6-8 forward/wing | senior | Baylor
Bridges had a lot of options on the table this offseason, from returning to school, going to the NBA Draft, or even going to Australia. Ultimately, he decided to return to Baylor, and the Bears should be thankful because of how well-rounded and versatile he is. At 6-8 with a 7-foot wingspan, Bridges can switch defensively and is useful as a help-side shot-blocker when necessary. Then on offense, he’s athletic, can run the floor, and can also space into the corners and knock down 3s. A former Big 12 All-Freshman pick at West Virginia, Bridges has never quite developed his ball skills enough to take that next step toward stardom, but he’s a big defender who is long, athletic and can shoot. Any improvement in his handle would lead to an All-Big 12 season.
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Wooga Poplar | 6-5 wing | junior | Miami (Fla.)
I’m high on Poplar’s upside as a potential All-ACC player. Last season, Poplar helped get the Hurricanes to a Final Four as more of a 3-and-D guy who defended at a high level on the ball and then drilled 37.5 percent of his 3-pointers. He’d run in transition and fill the lanes for guys like Nijel Pack and Isaiah Wong, creating uptempo chances. Poplar is one of the more athletic players in college basketball, an explosive leaper who can really sprint and get off the ground. The key is improving his ball skills to a necessary level. The signs there are good so far, as Poplar looked much better in the Canes’ overseas trip. My bet is that we see him take that next step, going from about eight points per game up to around 15, and he becomes the next developmental success story for Miami and Jim Larrañaga.
R.J. Luis | 6-7 wing | sophomore | St. John’s
A transfer from UMass, Luis was a shoo-in for this list before hurting his hand and setting himself up to miss the first few games of the season. But over the last 12 games, he averaged 15 points and six rebounds while shooting over 50 percent from the field and drawing a ton of fouls. He’s an effective driver with a nose for the basket. His handle can be shifty (albeit a bit loose and wild), which allows him to break down defenders with creativity. He’s also an effective midrange scorer, using a bevy of pull-ups and little push floaters from the paint to get buckets. Now at St. John’s, Luis is, in my opinion, the highest-upside player long-term on their roster with his size, touch, and feel for how to get buckets. Between Luis and transfer guard Jordan Dingle, the Red Storm should have perimeter scoring covered. And with Joel Soriano back, the interior should be strong as new coach Rick Pitino looks to rebuild the Johnnies on the fly and make the NCAA Tournament in Year 1.
Simas Lukosius | 6-6 wing | junior | Cincinnati
Lukosius has plied his trade in relatively anonymity at Butler the last two years and now moves to the Big 12 with Cincinnati. Lukosius is a guy I’ve just loved over the last couple of years. He’s just an extremely underrated offensive weapon. He’s a consistent shooter at about 38 percent from 3. But it’s more the crafty footwork and way that he gets into the paint. He has a bevy of spins, pump fakes, and deceleration moves that put defenders on the back foot. From there, he has great touch around the rim and knows how to use his body to shield the ball away from the defender. Don’t sleep on Lukosius as a passer, either. He’s extremely creative in how he sees the floor. Cincinnati is currently in the middle of an appeal to get big man Aziz Bandaogo eligible, but without him, the Bearcats will be extremely reliant on Lukosius and his ability to create. If I had to pick a surprise potential All-Big-12 performer, Lukosius would be up there.
Desmond Claude | 6-5 guard/wing | sophomore | Xavier
Claude is a bit more guard than wing, but with Dayvion McKnight and Quincy Olivari in the backcourt, Claude will likely be the third-biggest player on the court for Xavier most of the time that he’s out there. Claude will likely shift his way into the role vacated by Colby Jones, where he plays a bit on and a bit off the ball. With McKnight and Olivari coming in to be the scoring punch in the backcourt vacated by Souley Boum and Adam Kunkel, Claude’s role will be just as important. He struggled early in the season with inefficiency and turnovers, but was quite good by the end of the year. Over his final 12 games, he averaged seven points on 49 percent from the field and 36 percent from 3. And similarly to Jones, he has real on-ball skills with passing acumen, which should allow him to grab and go on the break as well as create opportunities on drive-and-kicks. I don’t think it’s unreasonable for Claude to average something like 12 points, five rebounds and four assists this year. That’s probably not quite good enough to be All-Big East in a loaded conference this season, but he’ll be extremely valuable and has upside for more.
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Ryan Dunn | 6-8 wing/forward | sophomore | Virginia
With a bigger, more athletic team, Virginia figures to be a much better defensive team in 2023-24 than it has been the last three years, where it played a bit smaller and less athletic than in previous years under Tony Bennett. Dunn will be a big part of that improvement. The long 6-8 athlete is superb on that end, a shutdown on-ball defender who can also fly around in help and cut off large swaths of the court with his length. Legitimately, Dunn has a case as the most switchable defender in the country, a guy who can guard all the way from the one to the five. He’s next in line for the Hoos in the long line of wings that have gone onto the NBA, from Joe Harris and Justin Anderson to De’Andre Hunter and Trey Murphy. The big question: what does he do offensively? My guess is that he probably averages around 10 to 12 points per game just by slashing toward the rim, back cutting, crashing the glass hard, getting out on the break, and making the occasional spot 3. When you combine that with how versatile and valuable he is on defense, that’s an exceptionally valuable player.
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Five Freshman to Watch
Justin Edwards | 6-7 wing | freshman | Kentucky
Edwards would pretty easily slot into the top 20 if I were choosing freshmen within that group. There just isn’t anything that he particularly struggles with at this stage. I love how well-rounded his game is for such a young player. Edwards can play both the three and the four, and gives real effort and energy on defense. He crashes the glass. He can drive and attack off the bounce, particularly in straight lines. I don’t know that I’d call him a great shooter yet, but he’s certainly capable and confident in taking them, enough to keep a defense honest. He’s comfortable from all three levels, with the ability to pull-up in the midrange or use his size and length to get all the way to the rim. Then he’ll also make the right passing reads. There’s a reason why Edwards is seen as a potential lottery pick in 2024.
Stephon Castle | 6-7 wing/guard | freshman | Connecticut
Another projected one-and-done, Castle could have slotted with either the guards or the wings. I went with the wings largely because I’m assuming that we see Castle enter more of an Andre Jackson-style role as opposed to a primary role. Both Tristen Newton and Cam Spencer are very capable on the ball, and are established, fifth-year college players. The odds are, they’re going to be handling the ball more often in the big moments for the Huskies. However, Castle is good enough to earn reps himself. He’s an excellent player in ball screens, with tremendous feel as a passer and playmaker. He is constantly probing, reading the back line of the defense and trying to figure out if he can make cross-court kickouts or find lobs off of a live dribble. The key for Castle to get the keys to the castle, though? He needs to find a way to score and keep defenses honest at the college level. With Donovan Clingan on the interior, it’s going to be hard for Castle to get all the way to the rim, and he’s not quite there yet as a consistent shooter. Still, his feel for the game and ability to be a long on-ball defender should earn him real minutes throughout the season. My bet is that by the end of the year, he’s a critical cog for a team that could end up back in the Final Four.
DeShawn Harris-Smith | 6-5 wing | freshman | Maryland
Harris-Smith is a guy whom I’ve gotten really strong feedback on from folks who have seen Maryland. A powerful bowling ball of a driver, Harris-Smith wants to get downhill to put pressure on the defense whenever he can. He’s a physical straight-line driver who is constantly in attack mode. His motor runs hot and never stops, and it allows him to just manufacture production. He’s going to be physical and try to get into your body on drives, either drawing a foul or finishing. Then, he’s going to crash the glass and try to create put-backs or second-chances for his teammates. On defense, he’s going to aggressively get into his opponents space on the ball and make his life miserable. He’ll crash the glass on that side, too, and then will try to push the pace on his own, starting the whole process all over again in terms of getting to the rim. Harris-Smith has every chance to be the Big Ten’s Freshman of the Year, and average something like 12 points and seven rebounds while setting the tone for the Terps alongside senior guard Jahmir Young, standout big Julian Reese, and another terrific frosh in Jamie Kaiser.
Ja’Kobe Walter | 6-5 wing | freshman | Baylor
Walter comes from Link Academy, where he was the best player on the best high school team in the country. Link won the GEICO national championship in 2023, and Walter averaged over 21 points per game throughout the event to lead the way. Playing next to UNC’s Elliot Cadeau, he was a terrific scoring guard who showcased the ability to create his own shot when he needs to. He’s not the bounciest player in the world, and he’s not the quickest. But he plays at a good tempo and knows how the change speeds. Walter’s not wildly shifty; he just knows how to find his areas and has terrific mechanics and balance getting into his pull-up game, especially from the midrange. As long as Walter knocks down his catch-and-shoot 3s, which he should playing next to RayJ Dennis, he should be in a great position to thrive. Throw in that he’s a conscientious defender who works on that end, and Walter is the kind of freshman who has a real shot to be a one-and-done as well as a make an All-Big-12 team.
Mackenzie Mgbako | 6-8 wing/forward | freshman | Indiana
As long as Mgbako can stay away from the local Bloomington Taco Bell, he should be poised for an enormous season. Prior to that arrest for a criminal trespassing misdemeanor, scouts had been telling me that Mgbako looked terrific early for the Hoosiers, like a real potential difference-maker with his size, shooting ability and defensive versatility at the four. The five-star prospect was originally committed to Duke, but decided to open up his recruitment after Kyle Filipowski returned to school, as the Blue Devils figured to have a number of different options at Mgbako’s best spot. Instead, he decided to play for Mike Woodson on what has a chance to be a really good team if things break right. With Malik Reneau and Kel’el Ware, the Hoosiers have a couple of high-upside frontcourt players. Then in the backcourt, Xavier Johnson returns as an older guard who should be able to steady the ship. This team has enough talent to get the Hoosiers back to the NCAA Tournament. And for his part, Mgbako should be in the 13-point, six-rebound per game range while knocking down shots.
(Illustration: Samuel Richardson / The Athletic; Photos of Terrence Shannon Jr., Bryce Hopkins and Tristan da Silva: Ron Chenoy, Eric Canha and Ron Johnson / USA Today)