Top 10 College Basketball Player Rankings 2023-2024 | NBA Draft Prospects 2024

Updating the Top 10 Men’s College Basketball Player Rankings for the 2023-2024 NCAA Season as Zach Edey wins the Naismith and Wooden Awards

By admin | April 24, 2024

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The thrills, chills, and disappointments of the 2023-2024 Men’s College Basketball season are in the past as the season wrapped up with another stellar March Madness. A season that delivered many great performances both as team performances including the UConn Huskies who capped off back-to-back National Championships to individual player performances all season long. One of those stellar player performances all season long was the Purdue Boilermakers senior center Zach Edey who lands atop the Top 10 Men’s College Basketball Player Rankings 2023-2024 list.

Edey was as dynamic of a player as any player in the Men’s College Basketball season all year while helping the Boilermakers hover around the Top 5 on the AP Top 25 Rankings for most of the season.

The senior center finished the regular season leading the country in scoring while averaging 25.2 points per game en route to taking home his second National Player of the Year Award.

As Edey highlighted one of just many of the top stars in the game, he is joined on the list of the best college basketball players by Terrence Shannon Jr of the Illinois Fighting Illini, Dalton Knecht of the Tennessee Volunteers, Mark Sears of the Alabama Crimson Tide, and David Jones of the Memphis Tigers.

Here is a look at the Top 10 Men’s College Basketball Player Rankings 2024:

Honorable Mention

PJ Haggerty

School: Tulsa Golden Hurricane

Position: Guard

Just missing the Top 10 Men’s College Basketball Player Rankings 2023-2024 list is the Tulsa Golden Hurricane redshirt freshman PJ Haggerty.

Haggerty, who is also one of the top overall freshmen in the country, put together a stellar full season while finishing ranked 13th in the country in scoring after averaging 21.2 points per game.

The six-foot three-inch guard was also active on both ends of the floor as well as on the glass while posting 5.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. In addition, Haggerty was a plus defender who was aggressive forcing 1.9 steals per game and limiting scoring opportunities against opposing players.

Jahmir Young

School: Maryland Terps

Position: Guard

It was not a momentous year for a Maryland Terps team that was expected to perform at a much higher level within the Big Ten.

Nonetheless it is hard to take anything away from the Terps senior guard Jahmir Young who did a little bit of everything while averaging a career high in scoring posting 20.4 points per game.

The Terps senior guard shot 40.4 percent from the field and 32.4 percent from behind the three-point line.

The production does not stop there for the Upper Marlboro, Maryland native who also posted 4.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game while playing a key role in the success the Terps did various times across the 2023-2024 Men’s Basketball schedule.

Top 10 College Basketball Player Rankings

10. Tyler Kolek

School: Marquette Golden Eagles

Position: Guard

Sliding in at number 10 on the Top 10 Men’s College Basketball Player Rankings 2023-2024 is the Marquette Golden Eagles senior guard Tyler Kolek. While Kolek’s overall numbers did not stack up against some of the other top players it is hard to look past the senior’s ability to run the team’s offense while playing unselfish basketball this past season.

Kolek was a floor general for the Golden Eagles playing a prototypical style of point guard while looking for open teammates versus taking his own shot.

The six-foot three-inch guard finished the season leading the country in assists while posting 7.7 per game to go along with 15.3 points and 4.9 rebounds. Overall Kolek had 10 different games with at least 10 assists while the team posted a 10-0 record in those contests.

9. Armando Bacot

School: North Carolina Tar Heels

Position: Forward

The North Carolina Tar Heels senior had the opportunity to dart to the NBA Draft last season but elected to return in hopes of leading the Tar Heels to a National Championship.

Despite getting knocked out by the Alabama Crimson Tide during March Madness, it is hard to not like what Armando Bacot brought to the team all seasons including veteran leadership and a player who can attack the glass on any shot.

Bacot capped off his third straight season averaging at least 14 point per game and at least 10 rebounds per game. When the final whistle ended the Tar Heels season Bacot who is expected to be a potential lottery draft pick during the 2024 NBA Draft finished the season averaging a double double posting 14.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per game to go along with 19 double double performances.

8. Hunter Dickinson

Team: Kansas Jayhawks

Position: Center

Another talented big man who had the talent and skills to jump to the NBA after last season was Hunter Dickinson. Ultimately Hunter Dickinson elected to enter the transfer and land on with the Kansas Jayhawks in pursuit of a National Championship.

The move did not pay off in the end, but Dickinson continued to play at an elevated level all season despite joining a roster loaded with top tier talent.

The former Michigan Wolverines center posted his first double digit rebounding total of his career finishing averaging 10.9 rebounds per game over 33 games played. Dickinson also added 1.4 blocked shots and nearly one steal per game (.9) to go along with 17.9 points scored per game and 2.3 assists.

7. Antonio Reeves

School: Kentucky Wildcats

Position: Guard

A new generation is set to kick in with the Kentucky Wildcats as the team moves away from John Calipari. However, it is hard to look past the loaded talent Calipari pulled in each season with Antonio Reeves being one of the few stars the team landed through the transfer portal.

In his second season with the Wildcats, Reeves jumped back to his previous season performance while posting 20.2 points per game and 4.2 rebounds per game.

The six-foot six guard shot well from the floor as well as behind the three-point line all season posting a 51.2 percent mark from the field and 44.7 percent mark from behind the three-point line.

6. RJ Davis

Team: North Carolina Tar Heels

Position: Guard

As March Madness approaches each season the hunt for the best guards begins as many of the top performing teams each season revolve around great guard play.

One of those talented guards this postseason as well as all season long was the North Carolina Tar Heels guard RJ Davis who was in contention for the National Player of the Year Award as well as taking home the Jerry West Award while also being selected for the John R. Wooden All-American team.

Davis finished the season ranked 11th in the country in scoring posting 21.2 points per game while also adding 1.2 steals, 3.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.

5. Mark Sears

School: Alabama Crimson Tide

Position: Guard

Rounding out the Top 5 on the Top 10 Men’s College Basketball Player Rankings 2023-2024 list is the Alabama Crimson Tide Mark Sears. Entering the season the expectations for the Crimson Tide were mixed after losing talented freshman Brandon Miller to the NBA.

Luckily for the team Mark Sears was there to step up in a huge way while posting a career high 21.5 points per game while helping to lead the Crimson Tide to the Final Four before losing to the UConn Huskies.

Down the stretch it was hard to find a guard playing at a higher level as Sears posted four 23 plus scoring performances over five NCAA Tournament games as well as scoring at least 20 points in 17 of the teams final 20 games of the season.

4. David Jones

Team: Memphis Tigers

Position: Forward

After spending time with both the DePaul Blue Demons and St. John’s Red Storm over his first three collegiate seasons, David Jones settled in strong for the Memphis Tigers and head coach Penny Hardaway.

Jones elevated his play all season long posting an extensive list of career highs including a career high 10 double double performances, a career high 7.6 rebounds and a career high 21.8 points per game.

Jones finished the season ranked seventh in the country in scoring. The Dominican Republic native led the Tigers in scoring, rebounds and steals per game (2.2) over 32 games played this season.

3. Dalton Knecht

Team: Tennessee Volunteers

Position: Guard

When it comes to the three Men’s College Basketball players each are well deserving of a mention as all three put together strong seasons.

One of those three players is the Tennessee Volunteers forward Dalton Knecht who finished the season averaging 21.7 points per game en route to winning the Julius Erving Award handed out to the best small forward in Men’s College Basketball.

The Volunteers senior was as good as any shooter in the country shooting 39.7 percent from behind the three-point line and 45.8 percent from the floor.

Knechts strong play down the stretch guided the Volunteers to the Elite Eight before coming up short against the Purdue Boilermakers despite Knecht scoring 37 points.

2. Terrence Shannon Jr.

Team: Illinois Fighting Illini

Position: Guard

One name to continue monitoring is Terrence Shannon Jr of the Illinois Fighting Illini who elevated his all-around game all season while increasing his draft status potential come the 2024 NBA Draft.

The six-foot six-inch guard is a terrific all-around player who can do a little bit of everything but most importantly carry the team when needed in most situations. The Fightin Illini senior guard finished the season ranked third in the country in scoring while averaging 23 points per game.

To go along with that production Shannon posted three straight scoring performances of 28 plus points to help the Fightin Illini win the Big Ten Tournament including averaging 34 points per game over that stretch. Look for the talented guard to be one of the top guards selected during the 2024 NBA Draft.

1. Zach Edey

Team: Purdue Boilermakers

Position: Center

In at number one on the Top 10 Men’s College Basketball Player Rankings 2023-2024 list is the Purdue Boilermakers senior center Zach Edey.

Edey, who elected to return for his senior season, looked to win a National Championship ultimately coming up just short, helping the Boilermakers to the National Championship Game before falling to the UConn Huskies.

The talented seven-foot four-inch center from Toronto, Canada was the dominant scorer in the country finishing the season ranked first in scoring while averaging 25.2 points per game.

Meanwhile Edey also added 12.2 rebounds per game, 2.2 blocked shots and was one of only two players to average at least 20 points and at least 10 rebounds per game. The senior’s powerful performance earned Edey his second straight John R. Wooden Award and Naismith Award as the Nation’s best college basketball player.

How would you rank these college basketball teams for the NCAA 2023-2024 season? Rank below to be added in the NCAA Basketball Power Rankings.