The 25 men's college basketball players to watch in 2023-24

Since the start of the 2020-21 season, no active college basketball player has averaged more points than Abmas' 23.0 per game. All of that came at Oral Roberts. For this season, he's taken his act to Austin, where the competition and pressure will be much more pronounced. Still, it will be interesting to see how this goes for Abmas, who has made 420 3-pointers and shoots nearly 39 percent from beyond the arc. Paired with the explosive Tyrese Hunter, that should be a fun backcourt to watch for the Longhorns.

The 6-foot-11 Bacot is one of the greats to suit up for the Tar Heels. Obviously, that's saying quite a bit. He's returning for his fifth season and with redemption top of mind after North Carolina failed to make the NCAA Tournament last season after opening a preseason No. 1. Bacot is already the program's all-time leader with 1,335 rebounds and 68 double-doubles and, barring injury, will top the 2,000-point mark. His numbers were down in 2022-23, but Bacot is averaging 13.7 points and 10.1 rebounds during his 132-game college — joining Sean May as the only two Tar Heels in the last 50 seasons to do that.

Beginning with the aforementioned Armando Bacot, this could be the season of the big man in college basketball — perhaps even more so than in recent seasons. Add the 7-foot, 260-pound Ballo to the list of bigs to watch in 2023-24. Following an uneventful one season at Gonzaga, Ballo was a star reserve for the Wildcats, averaging 14.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.3 blocks and not starting a single game last season. Now, with Ąžuolas Tubelis in the NBA, the paint should belong to Ball, who has the potential to thoroughly dominate inside.

One of the elite post defenders currently playing the college game. The 6-10 Bona was tabbed Pac-12 Freshman of the Year last season and a member of the league's all-defensive team. Active in the paint, Bona averaged just 7.7 points but made 67.5 percent of his field-goal attempts. He also averaged 5.3 rebounds and blocked 57 shots. It will be interesting to see how Bona progresses during his sophomore season, especially on the offensive end of the floor, where the Bruins need some bodies to step up.

At least from the onset, there isn't much expected of the Tigers this season. However, Auburn does possess one of the SEC's best big men in Broome. Coming over from Morehead State, the 6-10 Broome led the 2022-23 squad at 14.2 points per game while shooting 52.7 percent and 8.4 rebounds. He also ranked among the nation's top 10 while averaging 2.4 blocks. Broome might have a more talented and deeper supporting cast than last season, which should take some pressure off his cause. However, he could be ready for bigger and better things in 2023-24. 

Buie was a notable name throughout Big Ten land even before his strong 2023-23 campaign that helped lead Northwestern to its second NCAA Tournament appearance in his fourth season at the school. Buie set career highs for points (17.3 ppg), assists (4.5 apg), rebounds (3.4 rpg) and steals (1.1). Though he's recovering from summer hand surgery, Buie is still expected to lead the Wildcats. While last season marked the first time he shot at least 40 percent from the field, Buie brings plenty of intangibles needed by a successful team.

The Aztecs' Final Four hero, Butler is not a pure scorer, but he's proved to be a big-time performer. He averaged just 8.8 points during the regular season but 10.5 while making 25-of-50 shots during the NCAA Tournament and San Diego State's run to the national championship game. What we like about Butler is his grit. Butler is the guy when a big shot or important defensive stop is needed. It doesn't have to be high-flying or explosive, but Butler's blue-collar persona is worthy of a spot on this list. 

After winning the national championship in 2023, UConn eyes a repeat with one of the best freshman prospects in the country. A McDonald's All-American, the 6-6, 215-pound Castle averaged 20.1 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 3.0 steals, and 2.0 blocks as a senior for Newton High School in Covington, Ga. Castle also helped Team USA win the gold medal at the FIBA U18 Americas Championship. And if that wasn't enough, he averaged a team-high 16.7 points while shooting 60 percent overall and 42.9 percent from 3-point range during the Huskies' three-game summer foreign tour.

The 7-2 Clingan played in all 39 games during UConn's national championship run in 2022-23. And though he didn't start any of them, he proved to be a key contributor, averaging 6.9 points and 5.6 rebounds while recording a team-high 70 blocks for his hometown school. With Adama Sanogo getting his shot in the NBA, expect Clingan to have an even more significant role this season for the Huskies, especially when it comes to patrolling the paint as potentially one of the best big men in the Big East — and perhaps the country. 

Collier is another true freshman to highlight and probably not even the most famous rookie on the Trojans roster. There will be plenty of hype surrounding Bronny James' presence at USC, but Collier could be the best player in the Pac-12. Ranked No. 1 or 2 among incoming recruits (depending on who is talking), the 6-5 210-pound Collier is a do-it-all player who can pass the ball and score it. Collier won three state championships at Wheeler High School in Marietta, Ga., where he  averaged 19.6 points, 6.8 assists, and 5.5 rebounds as a senior.

Staying in the state of Texas, Cryer moves from Baylor to Houston with the hopes of raising his personal stock while trying to help the Cougars make another deep NCAA Tournament run. After averaging 13.5 points during a breakout sophomore season for the Bears, Cryer scored a personal best scoring 15 per game in 2022-23. However, Cryer has shown his worth in making big shots from a distance. He's shooting 43.4 percent from beyond the 3-point arc and should fit in nicely with a group of high-octane athletes. 

Talk about a get for the Jayhawks. The 7-2 Dickinson was the prize of this season's transfer market, and Kansas struck gold. The addition of Dickinson is a major reason Kansas opens the season No. 1 in The Associated Press Poll. In three seasons with Michigan, Dickinson was one of the game's best big men while averaging 17.2 points, including more than 18 in each of the last two, and 8.4 rebounds. He also shot 42.1 percent from 3-point range last season. It will be interesting to see if Dickinson can handle the pressure that comes with playing for a college basketball blue blood. 

Dickinson is a star, but when it comes to the college game's most dominant big man at the moment, the 7-4 Edey is still king. He took his time on the decision to return to the Boilermakers after averaging 22.3 points (on 60.7 percent shooting), 12.9 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks last season to sweep every major national player of the year award. With Edey back in the mix, Purdue is ranked No. 3 in the preseason AP Poll after becoming the second No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 16 — in Fairleigh Dickinson — at the 2023 NCAA Tournament. After playing with the Canadian national team during the offseason, there's also a chance Edey could be even better in 2023-24. 

Ellis is the best of the lot when it comes to established college talent at USC. He's expected to be one of the top players in the nation after setting career-high averages of 17.7 points, 3.4 boards, and 3.1 assists in 2022-23. A 37.2-percent career 3-point shooter, Ellis teams with the aforementioned Isaiah Collier to make up what could end up being the most potent backcourt in the country. In his fifth college season, Ellis' experience should not go unnoticed, especially when it comes to guiding USC's bevy of young talent. 

Perhaps a stretch here, considering Ohio State is not expected to be a contender for the Big Ten title. However, when the Buckeyes made noise during last season's conference tournament, Gayle scored 15 points in the semifinal win over Michigan State and 20 in the title-game loss to Purdue. That's an impressive potential springboard to greater things as a sophomore for the Niagara Falls, N.Y. product. Gayle averaged just 4.6 points as a freshman but did go 21-of-49 from 3-point range and was a 44 percent shooter overall.

Following a stellar freshman season for the Blue Devils, the 7-foot Filipowski enters 2023-24 as ACC Preseason Player of the Year. Also a first-team preseason All-American by the AP, Filipowski seems poised to better the 15.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.3 steals he averaged last season. Now, that could be tough since he's likely to be the focal of the opposition, even though Duke has another special freshman class in tow. Still, expect Filipowski and the aforementioned Armando Bacot to rise above the rest in the ACC.

Things didn't work out for the highly sought-after Hopkins at Kentucky, but it appears he has found a home at Providence. In his first season with the Friars from 2022-23, the 6-7 swingman led the team in scoring (15.8 ppg), on 45.2 percent shooting from the field and 36.4 percent from beyond the arc, and rebounding (8.5 rpg). Hopkins also averaged 2.3 assists. It will be interesting to see if Hopkins will be even better in those comfortable surroundings this season but with a new coach in former Missouri standout and George Mason boss Kim English.

Another elite post performer to brag about. The 7-1 Kalkbrenner is the undisputed star at Creighton, which enters the season a school-best No. 8 in the preseason AP Poll. He's started all 68 games played the past two seasons and opted to return for a fourth campaign after setting career highs with 15.9 average points (while shooting 69.5 percent), plus 6.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks, in 2022-23. He might also be the best defensive paint presence in the nation and could be even better this season, considering his experience and confidence level.

The reigning Big East Player of the Year, Kolek obviously does a lot of things really well. He averaged a solid 12.9 points as a junior last season for the Golden Eagles and shot 47.1 percent from the field, 39.8 from 3-point range, and is a career 80-percent free-throw shooter. In addition, Kolek set career-high averages for assists (7.5), which ranked third in the nation, rebounds (4.1) and steals (1.8). When it comes to being a complete player, there are not many better in the country than Kolek, and it might not be all that close.

Kugel started the final 14 games he played as a freshman for Florida last season and made quite the impression. In those contests, Kugel averaged 14.6 points on 47.4 percent shooting and went 36.7 percent from 3-point range. This season, Kugel could be in line to break out as his role expands, and he looks to help the Gators find a way to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021. Will he be ready for that step up in his game? We'll see, but the upside seems to be there for one of the more intriguing players in the SEC.

Yes, Moore is still playing college basketball. He's also an easy guy to root for, considering what he's been through. The 23-year-old Moore was limited to just 13 games last season following knee surgery. When Moore returned, he averaged 13.5 points and better than 3.0 assists and rebounds for the Wildcats. All signs point to Moore being ready for a full season in 2023-24, and the Wildcats need him to be a leader both on and off the court to bounce back after their string of nine-straight NCAA Tournament appearances ended in 2023.

Proctor's numbers (9.4 ppg, 3.3 apg, 3.1 rpg) as a freshman didn't show the immense skill and promise that this prized prospect possesses. Still, it was sort of a surprise that he returned to Duke for his sophomore season because he still has a game built for the NBA. That said, Proctor is expected to run the show for the Blue Devils, even though he's not your textbook definition of a point guard. Proctor is, however, a dynamic player who can effectively distribute the ball to people like Kyle Filipowski and still score it confidently.

One of the bigger offseason surprises in college basketball was Shannon's decision to return for a fifth season. In his first season with the Illini in 2022-23, Shannon averaged career highs with 17.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.3 steals while earning First-Team All-Big Ten honors. Shannon's return, along with the versatile Coleman Hawkins, elevate the Illini to the serious Big Ten contender this season. Another college season could also help Shannon's stock for the pro ranks. 

Talk about making a leap and name for oneself. Perhaps no player did so more than Taylor. In his first season with the Aggies in 2021-22, Taylor averaged 8.2 points, 2.2 assists, and 1.8 rebounds while starting less than half of the 40 games. Not bad. But last season, Taylor blossomed into an All-SEC first-teamer while scoring 16.3 points per contest (shooting 35.6 percent from distance), 5.5 assists, 3.8 boards, and 1.7 steals. All good enough to earn Taylor SEC Preseason Player of the Year accolades. 

There might not be a more clutch player in the country than Walker. Notably for the way he can shoot the basketball. Following a middling transition season with the Spartans in 2021-22, Walker blossomed into one of the Big Ten's best in 2022-23. He averaged 14.8 points and shot a career-high 45.9 percent from the field — and 41.5 percent from distance. Walker should have a more reliable supporting cast than last season, even when the 21-13 Spartans reached the Sweet 16. So, we're eager to see how much better Walker and Michigan State can be.