College basketball's most underrated stars

Becoming a star in the 2018-2019 NCAA basketball season has been rather tough. If you watch just certain sports outlets, you would think the only true stars reside in Durham, North Carolina. Duke's freshmen have been getting a lot of publicity, which has put many of the other "stars" in the shadows.

There are plenty of players who are having noteworthy seasons and are succeeding in the background. Some are unsung players on top-ranked teams, while others play off the power conference map and don't get the kind of press that others receive. All are great players who will make a big impact as the season moves into conference play.

Here are 10 players who are underrated.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Virginia Tech

Alexander-Walker has been a do-everything guy for the surprising Hokies this season, leading the team in scoring, second in assists and fourth in rebounding. Diligent film study has risen his game, as he's a better defender and shows more court awareness than he did as a freshman last year. All of that has made the natural scorer that much more dangerous on the floor and has the cousin of former Kentucky player and current Los Angeles Clipper Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the path to the NBA Draft after the Virginia Tech season — whenever that ends.

Ignas Brazdeikis, Michigan

Born in Lithuania, he then immigrated to Canada, and Brazdeikis has been one of the most pleasant surprises in college basketball this season. He burst on the scene from the start and gained recognition after his 24-point outing against North Carolina in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. He is right-handed but shoots left and is skilled as a combo forward who can attack the basket with the drive, in the post or with a jumper. He is fluid on the floor and has a great feel for how to be effective. It is amazing that a true freshman has been able to become the instant leader Brazdeikis is, especially for a team that played in the national championship game last April.

Jordan Caroline, Nevada

Much of the publicity around the Wolf Pack centers around the Martin twins, Caleb and Cody, as well as their coach, Eric Musselman, but Caroline continues to be a dominant presence in the paint. He's averaging 18 points and nine rebounds for Nevada and is on National Player of the Year watch lists. The son of former NFL star Simeon Rice, Carolina has been steady over the last three seasons as one of the top rebounders in the Mountain West while adding a better three-point shot to his game. The trio of Caroline and the Martin twins is hoping to get Nevada to their first Final Four.

Chris Clemons, Campbell

Every year we get that mid-major player who is putting up wild scoring numbers, and this year that player is the Camels' Chris Clemons. He's averaging almost 30 points per game this season while grabbing nearly six boards and dishing off three assists. He is the classic do-everything guard at the mid-major level who is the team's primary ball-handler as well as, obviously, its go-to scorer. He is just 5-foot-9 yet fills up an arena with nifty moves, acrobatic shots and the showmanship of a guy who likes to have the crowd engaged. Campbell doesn't get on national television much, but if you are trying to find an entertaining team to watch, try to catch Clemons and the Camels.

Jarrett Culver, Texas Tech

Texas Tech has had a great start to the season, and Culver has been a major part of that. He was one of two starters who returned from last year's Elite Eight squad, yet has the Red Raiders back in the thick of the Big 12 race. He is a great defensive player who is a big-time scorer (he put up 25 against Duke) despite not being the most athletic player on the floor. He simply delivers virtually every game for the Red Raiders

Mike Daum, South Dakota State

This is how good Daum is: Despite being an underrated star for about four seasons now, he's averaging around 24 points and 10 rebounds for the third straight season and is on pace to win his third straight Summit League Player of the Year award. He's had more struggles this season than usual (he put up just five points against Nevada and four at South Dakota), as opponents have focused on stopping him and letting his teammates beat them. He is the Summit League's all-time leading scorer and has led the Jackrabbits to three NCAA Tournaments.

Markus Howard, Marquette

Howard is in the top five nationally in scoring, averaging over 25 points per game, and he had a 53-point showing against Creighton a few games ago. Howard has a relentless motor and with his 5-foot-11 frame, he is like a whirling dervish on the court. He has already put up 45 against Kansas State and another 45 against Buffalo. Even though he is a prolific scorer (he was 10-of-14 from three in that Creighton game), he also is a good passer...doling out about 4.5 assists per game. He's in the mix of a competitive race for Big East Player of the Year and has the Golden Eagles back as an NCAA Tournament threat.

De'Andre Hunter, Virginia

There are a few reasons why Hunter gets slept on: The hype of Duke's freshmen drowns everyone else in the ACC, he isn't a flashy player and ...well ...Virginia is boring to watch. Sorry, Wahoo fans, but the rest of the nation isn't enamored with watching the Cavaliers' suffocating pack-line defense frustrate teams while their deliberate offense slowly breaks opponents down. People also forget about Hunter because he missed Virginia's historic tournament loss to UMBC due to a broken wrist. He was the ACC's Sixth Man of the Year as a freshman and is on the Wooden Award midseason watch list as a sophomore. He is a defensive beast who has great instincts to go with his athleticism. As an offensive player, he is a slasher who also cleans up on the glass. He is shooting 44 percent from three this year and has been more assertive on the offensive end.

Ja Morant, Murray State

Murray State has had a nice run of explosive scoring guards of late (Isaiah Canaan, Cameron Payne), and Morant could be the best of the bunch. He has gone from getting snubbed by the big-name programs into a likely lottery pick if he decides to leave after this, his sophomore season. He is averaging 23 points, 10 assists (the nation's leader) and six rebounds, and he's playing nearly 36 minutes a game. He is quick and a tremendous leaper but doesn't garner the kind of hype that surrounds Zion Williamson. Still, you may hear Morant's name not too long after hearing Williamson's on draft night.

James Palmer Jr., Nebraska

The Miami transfer has found a new life since arriving in Lincoln last season. After averaging just 3.5 points in two years with the Hurricanes, Palmer put up 17 points a night as a junior and is now averaging nearly 20 ppg for the Cornhuskers. As Big Ten play has gotten into full swing, his game has stepped up...improving his scoring, rebounding and assists numbers. He's a volume shooter but has become the go-to guy for a Nebraska program that is looking to get just its second NCAA Tournament bid in the last 20 years.