best college basketball players of the 2010s

2026; 2025; 2024 . 84. Its possible college basketball hasnt seen an interior scorer this gifted since Shaq. His triple-double and emotion in Marylands win over North Carolina showed he has the leadership and courage to never back down. He is long armed, athletic, and has excellent timing, which are all attributes of a great shot blocker. Valentines senior year numbers at Michigan State 19.2 points, 7.8 assists, 7.5 rebounds per game have never been equaled since sports-reference started tracking data for the 1992-1993 season. VanVleet and Wichita running mate Ron Baker survive as the decades most iconic mid-major superstar duo. Jermaine Dixon, Pittsburgh: 8.4ppg-2.6rpg-2.0apg-1.4spg-0.7bpg-24.6mpg If Pittman could play at least 25 minutes a game, he would be one of the most dominant centers in the country. Team Success: Five NCAA wins. Comment: He is the brother of former Gonzaga standout Derek Raivio, and he possesses an even greater scoring ability. At his best, Colson was something like Draymond Light, an undersized big man whose incredible rebounding and defensive chops mixed with crafty scoring ability made him a unique weapon for Mike Brey. Top 150 January 16th [] Kaminsky was only considered the No. 72. Comment: White took advantage of several Ole Miss injuries and took over the lead role in many games. 144. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. Bryan Davis, Texas A&M: 10.8ppg-6.5rpg-1.0apg-0.7spg-1.4bpg-26.7mpg I'm not going to lie, I completely forgot about Casey Jacobsen until I. Patrick Christopher, California: 14.5ppg-3.8rpg-2.1apg-0.8spg-0.2bpg-33.3mpg As a junior, he turned into a legend. Comment: Lee is a bit undersized for the power forward position, but he makes up for it with his ability to take it to the hole and score down low. 86. 123. Joe Harden, UC Davis: 14.8ppg-7.2rpg-1.8apg-0.9spg-0.3bpg-32.8mpg 101. A 6-foot-9 force in the paint and known dunker, Brittney Griner shined for Baylor from the get-go. Oladipo entered Indiana as a three-star recruit outside the top-100 of prospect rankings before blossoming into an explosive two-way guard during his three seasons at Indiana. . Comment: Hayward can drive, shoot, and handle the ball well for a forward. Stats:17.2 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 2.8 APG, 2.7 BPG. In addition to being the preeminent pure point guard in the country, Morris was also a double-figure scorer every season after his freshman year. Comment: The Badgers are losing a lot of talent, and Hughes will most likely be the go to guy for Wisconsin. He will go into next season as the top returning rebounder in the nation in terms of rebounds per game this past season. 10. 73. Comment: Crocker has been known as more of a role player for the Sooners, but in the upcoming season he will have the chance to step in to a lead role. Comment: Was slowed by an injury near the end of the season, which could affect his draft status, which could ultimately decide his decision to stay or go. Comment: In my opinion Downey is the most electrifying player in the nation. He has the skill set to become one of best big men in the nation if he works hard in the offseason. D.J. Lets rank the NFL teams still standing in the divisional round. 128. He will take over point this year for UConn, and has the chance to be a star. College basketball has seen plenty of freshman phenoms, but it has never seen one quite like Zion. Jordan Eglseder, Northern Iowa: 10.2ppg-6.4rpg-0.6apg-0.1spg-1.3bpg-19.3mpg Brunson spent three seasons at Villanova becoming the most accomplished college player of the decade. 33. 105. Perhaps we should have known Mason would turn into a legend when he got his own theme song shortly after arriving at Kansas. Valentine felt like he was in complete control of every game he played for the last two years, orchestrating the offense, draining better than 40 percent of his threes, and making an impact on the glass. 115. He has amazing quickness, a great shooting touch, and quick hands on defense. 140. Jahlil Okafor was a man born in the wrong decade for the NBA, but his incredible post-scoring touch still worked to devastating effect during his one college season at Duke. Elliot Williams, Duke: 4.2ppg-2.3rpg-0.7apg-0.6spg-0bpg-16.6mpg Seven different men's programs won a national. Jodie Meeks, Kentucky: 23.7ppg-3.4rpg-1.8apg-1.3spg-0.1bpg-34.4mpg Comment: Nicholson had a great freshman season playing in the A-10, and he should get even better next season. The Shockers fell victim to a tough draw against Julius Randle and Kentucky in the round of 32, but FVV would take them back to the Sweet 16 the next year and win another tournament game as a senior. 53. Marqus Blakely, Vermont: 16.1ppg-9.0rpg-2.5apg-2.0spg-2.7bpg-32.7 Williams was an ace defender and rebounder who doubled as a smart passer and primary scoring option. 146. He was named the SEC freshman of the year. 137. Zach Edey, Purdue. 38. No one else on this list has two titles and a Wooden Award. Kyle Singler, Duke: 16.5ppg-7.7rpg-2.4apg-1.5spg-1.0bpg-32.2mpg He is a solid rebounder, but he does lack a little toughness down low at times. 4. Comment: One of the NCAAs leading scorers, Stefon Jackson, has graduated, meaning Culpepper will be given the chance to be a star. 131. 19. Comment: Young is a slashing wing that can get the dirty work done, and carry a team on his play to victory. 143. Lazar Hayward, Marquette: 16.3ppg-8.6rpg-1.1apg-1.0spg-0.3bpg-31.7mpg Michael Washington, Arkansas: 15.5ppg-9.8rpg-0.9apg-1.0spg-1.3bpg-30.0mpg Comment: Guards in John Caliparis system almost always flourish, and that is exactly what Tyreke Evans did. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. 106. A ranking of the 2010 Best NFL Basketball Players in Texas. Big men this accomplished with such high-level skill and smarts dont come around often. The Bears had been ranked for 365 consecutive polls before falling out Monday after losing twice last week. He was, in all regards, the greatest college running back of his generation. These are the players that defined college basketball in the 2010s. DeShawn Sims, Michigan: 15.4ppg-6.8rpg-0.7apg-1.1spg-0.8bpg-30.7mpg Teams; CBS Sports; CBS SPORTS HQ; SportsLine; MaxPreps; Shop; . He was a lock to be an All-American and contender for the Wooden Award as a senior before the injury. Comment: Singletary has immense talent, as shown by his 43 point game in the Big 12 tournament against Texas A&M. DeJuan Blair, Pitt Gregory Shamus / Getty Images Blair was a king of the boards. 102. He is nothing short of dominant, posting 16 double-doubles, including a 42 point, 14 rebound game against Cole Aldrich and Kansas. By his junior year, he was regularly carrying the scoring load for the top-ranked Hoosiers and stunning crowds with his above-the-rim acrobatics. He is a good scorer and defender in the low post, making him one of the best undersized forwards in the country. Where could Tom Brady land next, and does anybody want him? As we reflect back on college hoops in the 2010s, we wanted to put together a list of the best players the sport has seen over the last 10 years with an emphasis on two things: individual dominance and impact on winning. Comment: Evans was named the freshman of the year in the Patriot League, and showed great leadership skills, especially from a freshman. 1:00. Comment: Buford had a solid freshman season after coming out of high school as one of the top recruits in the nation, and he will only improve this upcoming season. Valentines breakout junior year helped Michigan State reach the Final Four, setting the foundation for final season that nearly saw him steal the national player of the year award from Buddy Hield. Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports The 2010s decade comes to a close on Tuesday, ending a memorable 10-year span in college basketball. 133. He broke out in the NCAA tournament, scoring 35 points the opening round and finishing the tourney 16-24 from downtown. Comment: The reigning Pac-10 freshman of the year will look to take advantage of what looks like will be an off year for the conference. A great upside is still there, and there arent too many centers that can shoot and handle the ball as well as he can. Julius Randle (2013-14) Julius Randle was Kentucky's best player during the 2014 season, when he was named a Third Team All-American by the AP and NABC. College basketball had never seen a scorer like Trae Young before his arrival in Norman, Oklahoma. 126. She also broke the women's single-season NCAA scoring record with 1,109 points during her senior season en route to being tabbed AP player of the year. Doneal Mack, Memphis: 8.7ppg-2.1rpg-1.2apg-0.7spg-0.5bpg-25.1mpg In the age of the one-and-done, Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky was a rare case of a four-year letter winner whose star burned brighter each season he stepped onto the court. She finished her career with 3,527 total points, more than any other player besides LSU's Pete Maravich, who left college in 1970. His numbers were still excellent 14.2 points and 10.4 rebounds per game on 65 percent true shooting -- but his impact was even greater. Comment: Aminu surprised many after declining to follow teammate James Johnson to the NBA Draft, where he would have most likely been a lottery selection. By the end of her senior year, Griner had won a national championship and finished her other college seasons with Sweet 16, Elite Eight, and Final Four appearances. It is hard to find a groove in Tubbys offense, but Sampson has had a year of experience and should be an impact player next season. 117. Testudo Times Podcast: Where does Maryland mens basketball stand? Comment: Higgins was pretty much the only bright spot for a dismal Colorado team, but he has continued to improve and should help the Buffaloes make a case for themselves next season. Comment: Johnson is raw, but he has excellent athletic ability which means great upside. Devan Downey, South Carolina: 19.8ppg-2.8rpg-4.5apg-2.9spg-0.1bpg-32.9mpg Comment: Dyson was injured for a good part of last season, but he will now be the Huskies main scorer, which he is fully capable of. Caleb Swanigan, PF, Purdue "Biggie" entered Purdue with sky-high expectations as the program's. He is the leading returning scorer for the Tigers, and he will have to continue to improve his scoring for next season. 110. There is no fiercer competitor than him in the nation. He will enter next season with the second most steals per game from last season among returning players. 145. He will continue to become more known nationally along with the Bulls. A player might have better stats than another player, but he also might have played more minutes per game, which impacted the rankings. In his tenure with Kansas, Mason made four NCAA tournaments and back-to-back Elite Eight appearances in his junior and senior seasons. A consensus first team All-American, Parker left Duke after a 2013-14 season in which he helped lead the team to a 26-9 record. 130. I expect him to return to Kentucky after declaring for the draft without hiring an agent. He should only improve next season. Comment: Smith transferred from Iowa to Tennessee and has since been the go to guy for the Vols, making 1st Team All-SEC this past season. I have based my rankings on their performance on this past season, but also on their upside and potential and how I think they will perform in the upcoming year. He exited after two years with a Big Ten Player of the Year award and an All-American nod to his name. Comment: Tavernari is a versatile all around forward, who can post up down low or shoot the outside shot. 1 - Kentucky Wildcats Ryan McKee/ NCAA Photos via Getty. New coach Anthony Grant will help him improve in all areas of his game. He is am aggressive rebounder and inside scorer, and has recently developed an outside game, showing he is more than capable of hitting the three when needed. Howard has a motor that never stops, and is a great inspiration to his teammates. He entered the program as a McDonalds All-American and quickly established himself as a freshman starter on the 2016 team that went on a wild run to the national championship, capped by Kris Jenkins buzzer-beater shot. Alex Franklin, Siena: 13.6ppg-7.5rpg-0.9apg-1.3spg-0.7bpg-32.2mpg Whats incredible is that Davis was only No. It is not that he is not a good defender, but it often seems he could care less and lacks aggressiveness. 108. The Razorbacks slumped after that, and it will partially be up to Fortson to help Arkansas rebound. Behind Okafor, Duke outlasted Wisconsin to win the national title with 60 of the teams 68 points coming from four freshmen. Triple-Double and emotion in Marylands win over North Carolina showed he has skill! ] Kaminsky was only considered the No and smarts dont come around often his numbers were still excellent 14.2 and... The get-go was named the SEC freshman of the year: 10.2ppg-6.4rpg-0.6apg-0.1spg-1.3bpg-19.3mpg Brunson three... The teams 68 points coming from four freshmen North Carolina showed he has skill! Junior and senior seasons armed, athletic, and it will partially be up to Fortson to help Arkansas.. 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