College basketball rankings: The Top 100 and 1 best players entering the 2024-25 season

Star power abounds in college basketball this season. We’ve got household names in spades led by vets RJ Davis at North Carolina and Hunter Dickinson at Kansas. We’ve got young talents in Cooper Flagg at Duke and a stellar duo in the Big Ten with Rutgers freshmen Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper. And we’ve got big names in new and big places via the portal — Great Osobor at Washington, Oumar Ballo at Indiana among them — to top them off.

None, though, shine quite as bright as Alabama’s Mark Sears.

Sears is the No. 1 player in our annual Top 100 and 1 player rankings for the 2024-25 season as voted on by our CBS Sports panel of experts. The CBS Sports Preseason Player of the Year is the face of a No. 2-ranked Alabama team that charged to the first Final Four in school history last season. And now he’s earned the respect, as the SEC’s leading returning scorer to be voted as the best player in the sport entering the season.

Is Flagg, the CBS Sports Preseason Freshman of the Year, a better NBA prospect than Sears? Unequivocally, yes. Might RJ Davis or Hunter Dickinson put up better counting stats? It’s possible! But NBA potential or previous accomplishments were not taken into account when compiling our rankings. Our list is based simply on who we think will be the best players in college basketball this upcoming season. 

That’s it.

In recent years, our list has been dominated by big men who have accrued All-American stats but haven’t quite had a surefire path to first-round NBA pick potential. That was evident last year with Purdue’s Zach Edey and four other big men making up the top five in our 2023-24 Top 100 And 1 rankings.

READ: Norlander’s Top 100 And 1 teams for 2024-25

This year, as you’ll see below, the economy has changed. Sears, a diminutive guard listed at 6-foot-1, is representative of a shift in stardom in the sport. Davis — listed at 6-foot — is No. 2. And guards like Braden Smith — also a 6-footer — help make the top 10.

Bigs are ever-present and scattered throughout the rankings. So are forwards. But in a sport increasingly focused around guard play and outside scoring, they make up some of the biggest and best names we foresee serving as the face of college basketball this season and perhaps beyond.

Let’s get to our rankings as voted on by our panel of CBS Sports experts made up of Gary Parrish, Matt Norlander, Kyle Boone, David Cobb, Cameron Salerno, Adam Finkelstein and Isaac Trotter.

1. Mark Sears | Alabama

Position: Guard | Year: Graduate

Sears was terrific pretty much all of last season while averaging 21.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists — but he really took off in the NCAA Tournament and helped Alabama make the Final Four for the first time in school history. In that 68-team event, the 6-1 guard averaged 24.2 points while shooting 45.5% from beyond the arc and emerged as a legitimate NBA prospect, which is among the reasons Sears initially made himself available for the 2024 NBA Draft. 

He eventually withdrew, though, and returned to Alabama, where the Crimson Tide are now the preseason favorites in the SEC and ranked second in the Associated Press Top 25 poll. Sears will be surrounded this season by some new pieces after Aaron Estrada, Rylan Griffen and Nick Pringle left the program. But there’s still plenty of talent in place to make back-to-back trips to the Final Four a reasonable goal for Nate Oats’ program. — Gary Parrish

2. RJ Davis | North Carolina

Position: Guard | Year: Graduate

The only returning CBS Sports First Team All-American, Davis was highly regarded a year ago  — he ranked No. 19 on last year’s list — then proceeded to outshine all expectations by putting up 21.2 points, sinking 39.8% of his 3-point attempts, grabbing 3.6 rebounds and dishing 3.5 assists. He is North Carolina‘s engine and the Tar Heels have Final Four hopes because he opted to come back. Davis has 2,088 points to his name, ranking fifth in North Carolina history. Tyler Hansbrough holds the all-time record at 2,872. 

Davis would need to log 35 games and averaged 22.4 to catch him. He’s got a shot. Davis is also the program’s all-time free-throw percentage leader (85.8%) and is the only player in program history to notch 2,000 points, 500 rebounds, 400 assists, 250 three-pointers and 100 steals. His 113 treys last season set the Tar Heel record. Will he break it in 2025? A quintessentially great college basketball player. Big buckets, big confidence, big program, done it all at one school. Easy to root for. — Matt Norlander

3. Cooper Flagg | Duke

Position: Guard/Forward | Year: Freshman

Any time the consensus top-ranked high school player in the country, who also doubles as the projected No. 1 overall pick in the next NBA Draft, enrolls at Duke, the eyes of the sport will focus on Cameron Indoor Stadium, which is exactly what’s happened this preseason. Will Flagg live up to expectations and become the youngest Wooden Award winner in college basketball history while helping Jon Scheyer advance to his first Final Four as a coach? 

As always, we’ll see. But there’s no doubting that the 6-9 forward from Maine is a generational talent who can and does impact winning in a variety of ways — from scoring to rebounding to passing and guarding. There’s real substance behind the hype. His first high-profile game will be Nov. 12 against Kentucky in the Champions Classic in Atlanta. — GP

4. Ryan Kalkbrenner | Creighton

Position: Center | Year: Senior

We had Big Kalk No. 5 a year ago on our preseason Top 100 And 1 list. I expect him to be in the mix for national player of the year, in part because he’s the most likely player in our top 10 to also be in the mix for national defensive player of the year. The three-time defensive POY in the Big East is the overwhelming favorite to do that again, joining Patrick Ewing as the only guy to ever do it. Kalkbrenner’s offense is said to have taken a jump this offseason, which will be key to Creighton’s chances at keeping on in the top 20 of the rankings. After averaging 17.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.1 blocks, the best big in the Big East (and maybe, ultimately, in the country) is ready for his greatest season in a college uniform. A separator: Kalkbrenner’s defense is so incredible because he is never in foul trouble. Hard to be that good and reliably be on the floor for nearly 35 minutes per night, but that’s exactly what he does. — MN 

5. Hunter Dickinson | Kansas

Position: Center | Year: Graduate

Dickinson has already scored 2,208 points in his college career and has a chance to become just the 22nd player in Division I men’s history to reach 2,800 career points. Yes, if he gets there, it will have been done over the span of five seasons; most players, historically, only get four. But facts are still facts. And it’s a fact that — barring injury, of course 00 Dickinson will likely leave Kansas with more points than all but about 20 or 30 men who have ever played at this level — and he could also leave with a national championship if the Jayhawks live up to their preseason No. 1 ranking in the AP poll. To whatever degree the 7-2 center might be a liability on the defensive end, he offset it last season by averaging 17.9 points and 10.9 rebounds in 32.2 minutes. Similar numbers are expected again this season. — GP 

6. Johni Broome | Auburn

Position: Forward/Center | Year: Senior

We were big on Broome 12 months ago (he was 29th on our 2023 list) and figure he’s a near-lock to wind up as a First-, Second- or Third-Team All-American come March. He began his career at Morehead State and spent the last two seasons adapting well in the SEC. Broome ranked third in KenPom’s player of the year algorithm on an Auburn team that finished No. 4 in that metric despite its first round NCAA loss to Yale. Now Broome (16.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 2.2 bpg) will shoulder a heavy load as the go-to option for Bruce Pearl. Auburn’s teams have been more guard-reliant in recent years. Broome’s increased role as a mid-range and deeper-range shooter should see him at his most dynamic. A 6-10, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he averaged three 3-point attempts per game and shot better than 30% as a result. — MN

7. Alex Karaban | UConn

Position: Forward | Year: Redshirt junior 

Karaban would’ve likely given UConn five selections in the 2024 NBA Draft had he remained in it — but the 6-8 forward ultimately decided to withdraw and return to school, where he’ll play a major role in trying to help the Huskies become the first men’s college basketball team to three-peat since UCLA did it in 1971, 1972 and 1973. While Tristen Newton, Donovan Clingan and Stephon Castle got most of the attention last season at UConn, it was Karaban who was the most efficient rotation player, shooting 49.5% from the field and 88.5% from the free-throw line. Thanks in part to a 14-point, eight-rebound effort in UConn’s 86-72 victory over Alabama in the Final Four, Karaban averaged 13.3 points and 5.1 rebounds in 31.4 minutes as a sophomore. All-America honors could be in his future. — GP

8. Hunter Sallis | Wake Forest

Position: Guard | Year: Senior

Karaban and Sallis are the two highest-ranked players on our 2024 list who did not crack our 2023 rankings. We should have seen it coming with Sallis, who’s the latest Wake Forest transfer to undergo a huge reputation shift thanks to Steve Forbes. Sallis was a five-star prospect who initially committed to Gonzaga. He was maybe the most talented player in college basketball last season who opted to come back instead of staying in the NBA Draft. 

Sallis (18.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.5 apg, 40.5 3-pt%) was a breakout player in 2023-24. In 2024-25, he’s a tempting dark horse to be NPOY due to his insatiable work ethic and unwavering leadership. Sallis’ growth is an inspiring story for former blue-chip recruits who’ve found the college transition harder than expected. The Demon Deacons have a lot of promising pieces around Sallis, but all signs point to him being a stat monster on the first Wake team to make the first round of the NCAA Tournament since 2010. — MN

9. Braden Smith | Purdue

Position: Guard | Year: Junior

Smith is set to become Purdue’s latest All-American and face of the team now that two-time Wooden Award winner Zach Edey is off to the NBA and starting for the Grizzlies. A 6-foot point guard, Smith has been named the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year after averaging 12.0 points, 7.5 assists and 5.8 rebounds in 34 minutes per game last season. He also shot 43.1% from beyond the arc while playing off of Edey and helped the Boilermakers win their second straight Big Ten title and make the Final Four for the first time since 1980. A third straight Big Ten championship could be on tap. If it happens, Smith would enter his senior year with a chance to leave Purdue as one of the winningest players in program history. — GP

10. Kam Jones | Marquette

Position: Guard | Year: Senior

If Marquette’s going to keep its top-15 status, here’s the guy who will be responsible for avoiding any discernible drop-off in Milwaukee. And if you think this ranking is too high, you’re outing yourself as a college hoops casual because Jones is certainly a known quantity and has been a proven bucket-getter for a couple of years now. We had him 40th in 2023, but now he’s climbed high enough to get top-10 respect after a strong junior-year campaign. He led Marquette in scoring (17.2 ppg) and shot 40.6% from beyond the arc on 6.3 attempts per game. 

With Tyler Kolek now in the NBA, Jones’ outlook is spectacular for the season ahead. The 6-5 shooting guard is going to have a green light on most nights. He’s capable as an off-the-ball distributor and isn’t allergic to chasing after a rebound either. It honestly wouldn’t shock me if he had a couple of volcanic outputs this season and flirted with 40 points. — MN

11. Wade Taylor IV | Texas A&M

Position: Guard | Year: Graduate

He’s back for his fourth season at A&M after taking notable steps forward in each of the previous three. Last year Taylor stuffed the stat sheet like few others in college basketball, but wasn’t always efficient doing it. The two-time All-SEC guard gets the ultimate green light from Buzz Williams, but for A&M to improve this year he needs to maintain his production while improving his 36% shooting from the floor and 32% from behind the arc. Of course, surrounding him with more floor-spacing, like CJ Wilcher, could help. But it’s also worth noting that A&M was the best offensive rebounding team in the country last year, so sometimes Taylor’s shots are as good as extra passes. — Finkelstein

12. Caleb Love | Arizona

Position: Guard | Year: Fifth year

Once a former five-star recruit, Love enters 2024-25 as a fifth-year senior and stabilizing force for an Arizona team transitioning from the Pac-12 to the Big 12. He’s coming off an All-American season with the Wildcats where he averaged a career-high 18.0 points and 4.8 rebounds, and should immediately be one of the most prolific producers in the Big 12. With every other top-five scorer aside from him on last year’s roster no longer on this year’s roster, he stands to be one of the highest-usage players in college hoops. — Boone

13. Tamin Lipsey | Iowa State

Position: Guard | Year: Junior

Lipsey has turned into the quintessential Iowa State star as he enters his junior season following a first-team All-Big 12 campaign. The former three-star prospect was an overlooked local high school talent who jumped at the opportunity to stay home and suit up for the Cyclones. He led the Big 12 in steals last season and was tops on the team in assists per game at 4.9. The 6-1 combo guard also established himself as a 3-point threat during his sophomore campaign as he helped guide Iowa State to the Sweet 16. — Cobb

14. Kadary Richmond | St. John’s

Position: Guard | Year: Graduate (Transfer from Seton Hall)

The No. 2-ranked player in the CBS Sports transfer portal rankings departed Seton Hall after three seasons to play for Rick Pitino at St. John’s. Richmond averaged a career-high 15.7 points last season but shot a career-low 27% from the 3-point line on 1.8 attempts per night. Richmond will be the focal point of St. John’s offense and an anchor on defense, as he was Seton Hall’s highest-rated defender per evanmiya.com. Richmond’s addition raises the floor and ceiling of St. John’s roster. — Salerno

15. Great Osobor | Washington

Position: Forward | Year: Senior (Transfer from Utah State)

Danny Sprinkle is bringing Osobor with him again to a new job. This time, with way more fanfare and a whole lot more NIL money. Osobor was one of the best small-ball centers in the portal who puts loads of pressure on the rim and rated eighth nationally with a Zach Edey-like, 77.3 free-throw rate, per KenPom. Osobor was one of the top post-up scorers in the country last year, but his fluid handle and picturesque playmaking is so vital. His rise from Montana State to Utah State to the Big Ten is already incredible, but if he shoots it better from downtown, Osobor’s ceiling is even higher. — Trotter

16. LJ Cryer | Houston

Position: Guard | Year: Graduate

Cryer began his college career at Baylor, where he played a small role on Scott Drew’s national championship-winning team in 2021 before developing into a double-digit scorer the following season. As a junior, he averaged 15.0 points for Baylor and then transferred to Houston and emerged as the leading scorer on a squad that won the Big 12 by two games and secured a No. 1 seed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Now, Cryer is back for a fifth season of college basketball after averaging 15.5 points as a senior. He also shot 38.8% from 3-point range last season. And his return — along with the continuing presence of future Hall of Fame coach Kelvin Sampson, of course — is the main reason Houston is ranked in the top five of the preseason AP Top 25 poll for the third straight October. — GP

17. Dylan Harper | Rutgers

Position: Guard | Year: Freshman

Ron Harper Jr. graduated in 2022 as one of the best players in Rutgers history. His younger brother has a chance to join him at the table in one-fourth the time if all goes well. Dylan Harper will be running point for RU in the most anticipated season of Rutgers basketball … ever? Yeah, let’s go with ever. While Rutgers isn’t expected to be top-five in the Big Ten, it is expected to be good enough to make the NCAA Tournament and to be as watchable as ever. That starts with Harper and extends to Ace Bailey (you won’t have to scroll far to get to him). NBA sources who have seen Harper in the preseason are raving about his physique and immediate adaptability to the college game. Our expectation is he winds up as a top-three freshman in the country. — MN

18. Oumar Ballo | Indiana

Position: Center | Year: Redshirt senior

A two-time All-Pac-12 First Team selection, Ballo was one of the biggest prizes to be had out of the transfer portal last spring. He is essentially a walking double-double, who averaged 13 points and 10 rebounds last year, all while finishing with the highest field goal percentage in Arizona program history. A major physical presence on both ends of the floor, he’s an emphatic finisher offensively who thrives when he can get deep post-ups or roll to the front of the rim. The biggest question at Indiana, is what type of spacing they’ll be able to surround him with alongside Malik Reneau and for a program with a notable history of not taking many threes under Mike Woodson. — AF

19. Collin Murray-Boyles | South Carolina

Position: Forward | Year: Sophomore

From unheralded recruit to SEC All-Freshman performer to household name in no time. Murray-Boyles was a revelation for South Carolina last season where he averaged 10.4 points and 5.7 rebounds. He should be a known commodity now at the top of scouting reports after his unexpected star turn in year one with the Gamecocks. With a powerful body and sweet feet, his scoring inside the paint should help open teammates up around him and make him the centrifugal force around which South Carolina’s offense operates. — KB

20. Robbie Avila | Saint Louis

Position: Center | Year: Senior (Transfer from Indiana State)

Avila became a college basketball cult hero last season while leading Indiana State to a 32-7 record and appearance in the NIT title game. The bespectacled wonder averaged 17.4 points and 6.6 rebounds while stretching the floor with 39.4% 3-point shooting. But the 6-10 junior does most of his damage on the interior as a career 63.4% shooter inside the arc. Now he follows coach Josh Schertz from the Missouri Valley to the Atlantic 10 with hopes of revitalizing a program that finished 13-20 last season. — DC

21. Walter Clayton Jr. | Florida

Position: Guard | Year: Senior

The former Iona standout will play his second season at Florida after averaging a team-high 17.6 ppg last season. Clayton’s most notable performance came in the NCAA Tournament, where he dropped 33 points in a loss to Colorado. With fellow guard Zyon Pullin off to the NBA, he should once again finish as Florida’s leading scorer and challenge for a spot on the All-America team. — CS

22. Eric Dixon | Villanova

Position: Forward | Year: Senior

No 5-man is a better shooter than Dixon. The Villanova staple splashed 55 treys last season at a 35% clip, and he’s a menace in pick-and-pop scenarios. But Dixon is the total package offensively. He’s an elite post-up weapon who also makes his free throws (86% last season). Dixon has scored at least 11 points in 16 games in a row. That streak is going to keep humming for a while. — IT

23. Bryce Hopkins | Providence

Position: Guard/Forward | Year: Senior

Providence was 11-2 when Hopkins suffered a torn ACL last January. Just like that, his season was over. Just like that, the Friars’ season got difficult. They went 10-12 the rest of the way, missed the NCAA Tournament and lost in the first round of the NIT. Hopkins is expected to return to the court this season — but exactly when remains unclear. He still isn’t going full-speed after averaging more than 15 points in each of the past two seasons. Bottom line, Hopkins’ absence will again be felt until he’s healthy enough to play and contribute. But it should be noted that Providence won’t play a ranked team until at least Nov. 28, when the Friars could meet Arizona on the second day of the Battle 4 Atlantis. — GP

24. Ace Bailey | Rutgers

Position: Guard/Forward | Year: Freshman

The highlights already coming out of Piscataway indicate Bailey is everything he’s been hyped up to be from an athleticism standpoint. You can make a case for Bailey (the No. 2 player in the 2024 class) to be better than Harper (No. 3) if everything comes together and he is efficient as a three-level scorer. Either way, the projected top-five pick has helped energize a program that has been sorely lacking on offense. Rutgers was 298 (!) in adjusted offensive efficiency last season. The program hasn’t ranked top-60 at KenPom since 2006. Bailey playing a power wing role is going to make the Scarlet Knights must-watch. — MN 

25. VJ Edgecombe | Baylor

Position: Guard | Year: Freshman

Edgecombe was one of the best high school basketball players in the country this year, and projects as both one of college basketball’s top freshmen and a very likely one-and-done candidate. He is a truly elite athlete who can rise up with explosiveness and power alike. He’s at his best when he can attack downhill, but also a known competitor on the defensive end of the floor. His guard skills are still a bit of a work in progress, but they’ve made steady strides in recent years. He’s also in an ideal situation where he’s surrounded by veterans on all sides who will simplify the games for him. — AF

26. Ryan Nembhard | Gonzaga

Position: Guard | Year: Senior

Nembhard put up career numbers as a creator and scorer last season in his first with Gonzaga. He quarterbacked a top-five offense that propelled the Bulldogs to 27 wins and in the process was top-20 in turnover rate and top-10 in effective field goal percentage. He’ll again be a building block for the Zags as they enter the season as the best team on the west coast and the heavy favorite in the WCC. — KB

27. Coleman Hawkins | Kansas State

Position: Wing | Year: Senior (Transfer from Illinois)

After being cast as a small-ball center during the final two seasons of his four-year run at Illinois, Hawkins is in line to play as a wing for Kansas State in his final season of eligibility. That will give the 6-10 California native an opportunity to flash more versatility on both ends after he earned second-team All-Big Ten honors for the Illini last season. Hawkins upped his 3-point shooting mark to 36.9% in the 2023-24 campaign and will be a pivotal part of Kansas State’s effort to return to the NCAA Tournament. — DC

28. Tyon Grant-Foster | Grand Canyon

Position: Guard | Year: Graduate

Grant-Foster is one of the best mid-major players in the sport. He bypassed the 2024 NBA Draft to return to school and will have an opportunity to raise his draft stock after averaging 20.1 points and 6.1 rebounds in his first season with the Lopes. GCU is seeking its fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in the last five seasons and Grant-Foster’s return to school should bolster those chances. ” — CS

29. Bruce Thornton | Ohio State

Position: Guard | Year: Junior

There’s a world where Thornton is the best guard in the Big Ten this season. The junior point guard is tough, physical, reliable and durable. He flirted with a four-to-one, assist-to-turnover ratio last season while doubling as one of the best midrange shooters in the country. Oh, and he splashed 38% of his 87 catch-and-shoot 3-pointers and converted 65% of his shots at the rim. Jake Diebler’s insistence on playing faster and prioritizing transition should unlock more chances for Thornton to shine. — IT

30. Payton Sandfort | Iowa

Position: Forward | Year: Senior 

Sandfort spent last season playing for a team that only went 10-10 in the Big Ten before failing to advance to the NCAA Tournament. So his breakthrough season was a little off of the radar. But the 6-8 senior did average 16.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists last season while making nearly 38% of the 7.3 3-pointers he attempted per contest. CBS Sports Bracketology Expert Jerry Palm does not currently have Iowa projected to make the 2025 NCAA Tournament. If the Hawkeyes are to prove him wrong, Sandfort will likely need to perform at an All-American level. — GP

31. Jeremy Roach | Baylor

Position: Guard | Year: Fifth year (Transfer from Duke)

Prior to his final season at Duke, we slotted Roach 33rd. He’s now at 31. Is he being underrated? We’re of the belief he has a shot to be one of the 10 best players in the Big 12 and will prove essential to Baylor’s hopes to vie for the league title. Roach was good for 14.0 points, 3.3 assists, 2.5 rebounds and shot 42.9% from 3-point range. All of those marked career-bests. Reports out of Waco, Texas, indicate he can up those numbers in his final tour of college hoops. Scott Drew will need him to consistently demonstrate veteran expertise to keep up in the ultra-difficult Big 12. — MN

32. Dajuan Harris Jr. | Kansas

Position: Guard | Year: Graduate

Harris is a throwback style pure point guard who is now back in Lawrence for his fifth straight season, giving Bill Self one of the most reliable decision makers and floor generals in all of college basketball. He’s not going to wow you with his individual offense, but he regularly hovers around a 3:1 assist-to-turnover ratio and has blossomed into a reliable, albeit selective, spot-up shooter. Along with being one of the premier distributors in the country, Harris is also the tip of the spear on the defensive end with his ability to generate steals and force turnovers, all within the context of executing the scouts report. The bottom line is that he’s arguably the most reliable, team-first point guard in the country. — AF

33. Jaxson Robinson | Kentucky

Position: Guard | Year: Graduate (Transfer from BYU)

Mark Pope brought with him a flamethrower from BYU to Kentucky in his jump from the Cougars to the ‘Cats in Robinson, who last season won Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year after shooting 35.4% from 3-point range and averaging 14.2 points. He steps into a new situation in Lexington where he’ll be called upon as a go-to scoring option in an offensive system that plays to his strengths emphasizing his skills as a shooter and spacer. There will be plenty of co-stars in UK’s system this season given the prioritization of spacing and sharing but he should be the leading candidate to benefit most. — KB

34. AJ Storr | Kansas

Position: Guard | Year: Junior (Transfer from Wisconsin)

Storr blossomed into a productive bucket-getter for Wisconsin in 2023-24, averaging a team-high 16.8 points for the Badgers after spending his freshman season at St. John’s. Now on his third school, the 6-7 wing will likely play a similar role for the Jayhawks, who lost second-round NBA Draft picks Kevin McCullar and Johnny Furphy on the wing. Storr’s size and ball-handling make him a three-level scorer and a potential all-conference performer. — DC 

35. Cliff Omuruyi | Alabama

Position: Center | Year: Graduate (Transfer from Rutgers)

Omoruyi is one of the best-shot blockers in college basketball. After averaging 2.9 blocks last season at Rutgers, he hit the transfer portal and joined an Alabama team with national championship aspirations. Omoruyi should raise the ceiling and floor of Alabama’s defense, which ranked near the bottom among all Division l teams in scoring defense — CS

36. Vlad Goldin | Michigan

Position: Center | Year: Senior (Transfer from FAU)

Dusty May did not get his entire Florida Atlantic band to follow him to Michigan, but he did get maybe the most important one. Goldin can be a double-double machine. He’s a complete monster in the paint who tries to dunk everything in sight, but his improved mobility and touch around the basket has helped him become a much better target in the ball-screen game. Goldin is not some Nikola Jokic-like distributor, but he’s a willing passer. Oh, and he anchored a FAU defense that was elite with him on the floor on its way to the 2022 Final Four. It’s hard to envision Goldin not being highly productive in Ann Arbor. — IT

37. Grant Nelson | Alabama

Position: Forward | Year: Graduate

Nelson is not the CBS Sports Preseason Player of the Year. That’s his teammate, Sears. But if Alabama makes back-to-back Final Fours, or even wins the program’s first national championship, Nelson figures to be a big part of it after averaging 11.9 points and 5.9 rebounds in 25.6 minutes per game. An area of concern for Nelson, especially in Alabama’s offense, is the fact that the 6-11 forward only shot 27.3% from 3-point range last season. That’s not great. But the bet here is that he improves on that this time around. — GP

38. JT Toppin | Texas Tech

Position: Forward | Year: Sophomore (Transfer from New Mexico)

The sophomore wing was a dynamic presence on a New Mexico team that won 26 games for the first time in a decade. Toppin opted to head to the high-major ranks, where he’s expected to be one of the best power wings in the Big 12. He averaged 12.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks as a Lobo. His shot selection inside the arc is often opportunistic. We love his prospects playing for Grant McCasland in Lubbock. — MN

39. Josh Hubbard | Mississippi State

Position: Guard | Year: Sophomore

A former three-star recruit, Hubbard exceeded all expectations for Mississippi State last year as a freshman and led them back to the NCAA Tournament in the process. This year, he’s got a lot more help around him as Chris Jans and his staff welcome eight new players, including five out of the portal – all of whom are expected to make immediate contributions. Hubbard is still expected to be the face of the program though and with lots of talk about opening the floor on the offensive end, this undersized lead guard with a bulldog build and deep shooting range is again expected to be one of the best guards, and players, in the SEC. — AF

40. Matthew Murrell | Ole Miss

Position: Guard | Year: Senior

A rare five-year player who started and will finish his career at the same school, Murrell has made incremental improvements each year at Ole Miss and has blossomed into a star under coach Chris Beard. He’s coming off a career-best season where he averaged 16.2 points and earned All-SEC honors, and he’ll be the reason the Rebels are back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019. Book it. — KB

41. Tyson Degenhart | Boise State

Position: Forward | Year: Senior

Degenhart is the Mountain West’s leading returning scorer after averaging 16.7 points on 50.3% shooting for a Boise State team that reached the NCAA Tournament. The 6-8 forward is a tough matchup for opponents as he’s both physical and perimeter-savvy. He also rated as the team’s top defender last season, per evanmiya.com, and is poised to contend for Mountain West Player of the Year honors. — DC

42. Ace Baldwin | Penn State

Position: Guard | Year: Graduate

The former VCU star is in his second season with the Nittany Lions. Baldwin averaged a career-high 14.2 points and 6.0 assists last season. Penn State has only been to the NCAA Tournament three times this century, and getting back to the Big Dance will be predicated on Baldwin taking another leap. — CS

43. Myles Rice | Indiana

Position: Guard | Year: Sophomore (Transfer from Washington State)

Rice beat cancer and he beats almost every defender off the bounce, too. The Washington State transfer is a jitterbug with the ball in his hands. His explosive first step should be the life raft that Indiana’s pitiful pick-and-roll offense desperately needed. Rice is a walking paint touch who shot over 61% at the rim while bringing it on the defensive end. Rice, simply, refuses to get screened. That’s a skill. Oumar Ballo is ranked higher, but Rice is Indiana’s most important addition. — IT

44. Tyrese Proctor | Duke

Position: Guard | Year: Junior

After landing at No. 14 on this list a year ago, Proctor has fallen into the 40s following a disappointing sophomore season in which he didn’t make the statistical jump most expected. The 6-6 guard ended up averaging 10.5 points while shooting just 35.2% from 3 on 5.2 attempts per contest. And, unfortunately for the Blue Devils, his last performance of the season was his worst — specifically a 0-for-9 effort from the field in Duke’s 76-64 loss to North Carolina State in the Elite Eight. That was rough stuff, especially considering it helped lift an in-state rival to its first Final Four since 1983. But Proctor was wise enough to return to school to further develop, and the hope around the Duke program is that the breakthrough year many predicted last season will merely be one year late. — GP

45. Dawson Garcia | Minnesota

Position: Forward | Year: Senior

Credit to Garcia, who opted to stick with Minnesota even after watching a lot of his teammates hit the portal for big pay days. Now, Garcia is certainly getting some well-deserved NIL benefits, but he’s going to be the main show on a team projected well into the bottom half of the Big Ten. After averaging 17.6 points and 6.7 rebounds a season ago, Garcia should have his most productive year in this his fifth and final season that included previous stops at Marquette and North Carolina. — MN

46. Liam McNeeley | UConn

Position: Forward | Year: Freshman

There are few more naturally talented freshmen in the country. There are even fewer who found a better fit than McNeeley did with the Huskies. A highly skilled, and equally cerebral, big wing, McNeeley is expected to start on the wing and be an offensive focal point from Day 1 for UConn. He’ll follow in the footsteps of Jordan Hawkins and Cam Spencer with his shot-making from long range, but he’s far from one-dimensional and able to be a scoring threat at multiple levels because of his feel for the game. The key will be meeting Dan Hurley’s high standards on the defensive end of the floor. — AF

47. Jamir Watkins | Florida State

Position: Guard | Year: Redshirt senior

Watkins is a late bloomer who began his career at VCU as a rotation piece and developed into a starting star at Florida State last season upon transferring. He’s now in his second year with the Seminoles and no longer an unknown, as he returns as one of the leading returning scorers and rebounders in the ACC from last season. There’s a lot of new pieces around him after Leonard Hamilton rebuilt the roster in the offseason, but he remains in place – and he’s the reason for optimism FSU can rebound after a 17-16 campaign. — KB

48. Kon Knueppel | Duke

Position: Guard/Forward | Year: Freshman

Reports on Knueppel out of Duke’s preseason practice indicate the 6-7 wing is in for a strong freshman campaign; he’s firmly on the radar of NBA scouts. The Wisconsin native was a five-star prospect lauded for his strong offensive game, and his skill should translate quickly. While his outside shooting is the headline attraction, Knueppel’s size, defense and ball-handling ability ensure he won’t be pigeon-holed as a just a shooter. — DC

49. Johnell Davis | Arkansas

Position: Guard | Year: Graduate senior (Transfer from FAU)

The headliner of John Calipari’s transfer portal class was Davis. The former FAU star ranked as the No. 1 player in the CBS Sports rransfer rankings and was the 2023-24 AAC co-Player of the Year. He should provide Calipari’s new-look roster with plenty of scoring after averaging 18.2 points last season. — CS

50. Tucker DeVries | West Virginia

Position: Guard/Forward | Year: Senior (Transfer from Drake)

The DeVries Family Business has relocated from Drake to West Virginia, but the same great service is on tap. DeVries is slated to be one of the best wings in the country. He’s 6-7 with a flamethrower for a jumper. DeVries is an all-around star who passes it well, rebounds at a high level, guards up to the standard and gets to the charity stripe left and right. If West Virginia wins enough games, DeVries could make a run at Big 12 Player of the Year.  — IT

51. Zakai Zeigler | Tennessee

Position: Guard | Year: Senior

Zeigler is the leading returning scorer for a Tennessee program that’s made six straight NCAA Tournaments under Rick Barnes. He averaged 11.8 points and 6.1 assists last season in his first year after recovering from ACL surgery. The 5-9 guard is among the reasons UT isn’t expected to slip much even with the departure of Dalton Knecht to the Lakers. — GP

52. Graham Ike | Gonzaga

We believed in Ike’s impact last season, when we put him 80th. Now he’s truly going to be a focal point for Mark Few’s system as the man in the middle. The 6-9 senior is coming off averages of 17.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 60.9% from the field. When operating at full capacity, he’s a load. This will be his best season as a college player, and it’s why we’ve bumped him up for 2024-25. — MN

53. Jackson Shelstad | Oregon

Shelstad lived up to his billing as one of the top 30 prospects in last year’s freshman class, starting 30 of 32 games for the Ducks and being named to both the Pac-12 All-Freshman and All-Tournament teams. This season, he’s widely expected to take another step forward and be the tip of the spear for an Oregon team that could very well be among the contenders in the new-look Big Ten. What he may lack in sheer size he compensates for with skill, quickness and a competitive edge that resonates to everyone in the gym. — AF

54. Norchad Omier | Baylor

Omier put up big numbers at Miami – after doing the same at Arkansas State previously – and is entering a new situation at Baylor this season. He’s averaged a double-double in scoring and rebounding every year in his college career and will be needed – and expected – to produce similarly after the Bears lost Yves Missi and Jalen Bridges. — KB

55. J’Wan Roberts | Houston

Roberts is a rugged interior player who embodies the toughness which has made Houston an elite program under Kelvin Sampson. The fifth-year forward averaged 9.5 points and 6.8 rebounds last season for the Big 12 champions and will be a tone-setter for a team with national-title aspirations. — DC

56. Mark Mitchell | Missouri

Missouri’s 2023-24 season was a disaster, as the program finished 0-18 in SEC play. Mitchell is the headliner of Missouri’s new-look roster, and the former Duke standout should do a little bit of everything to help the Tigers get back on track. — CS

57. Nijel Pack | Miami

Pack shot a career-worst 35% from 3-point range last year. Think about how absurd that is. Expect a big bounce-back for a much-improved Miami club with Pack leading the charge. The sharpshooting lead guard is going to get back to his 40% neighborhood in a hurry, and you still have to guard him from the moment he shimmies across halfcourt. — IT

58. KJ Adams Jr. | Kansas

Adams is one of four Jayhawks on this list after averaging 12.6 points and 4.6 rebounds in 33.4 minutes last season. He’s not the stretch-4 many coaches prefer these days. But the 6-7 forward has started 68 games over the past two seasons and is a reliable piece that has Kansas among the favorites to win the 2025 NCAA Tournament. — GP

59. Jonas Aidoo | Arkansas

Aidoo spent his first three seasons growing into one of the best paint defenders and rim custodians while at Tennessee. Now Aidoo is likely to be the backbone of Arkansas’ defense in its first year under John Calipari. He averaged 11.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks a season ago. Those numbers, along with his minutes average, should increase with the Razorbacks. — MN 

60. Deivon Smith | St. John’s

St. John’s will be Smith’s fourth school in five years, but hopes are high in the Bronx as Rick Pitino has already compared him to both Terry Rozier and Peyton Siva. He’s an electric lead guard with a ton of pace who was a triple-double threat last year at Utah and should thrive when the Johnnies are able to push the tempo. — AF

61. Chaz Lanier | Tennessee

Tennessee and Rick Barnes struck gold with a mid-major transfer last year in Dalton Knecht, who came from the mid-major ranks at Northern Colorado and was the best player in the SEC in his first and only season with the Vols. Lanier is the next mid-major acquisition for the Vols and a star-in-waiting after finishing second among all ASUN players last season in points. Next to Zakai Zeigler, his job as a shot-maker will be made easier in Knoxville and he should flourish as a potential No. 1 option. — KB

62. Keshon Gilbert | Iowa State

Gilbert led Iowa State in scoring at 13.7 points last season in his first year with the program after transferring in from UNLV. He averaged 16 points, five assists and 3.7 steals while shooting 50% from 3-point range during the Cyclones’ run to the Big 12 Tournament title. The 6-4 combo guard is a two-way terror. — DC

63. Malik Reneau | Indiana

Reneau is Indiana’s returning leading scorer from last season and should once again play a crucial role in the frontcourt for coach Mike Woodson in Bloomington. Reneau averaged 15.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists on 55.8% shooting from the floor. — CS

64. Markus Burton | Notre Dame

Burton was the highest-scoring, true freshman last year in the country for an undermanned Notre Dame club which asked him to do, well, everything. Notre Dame added reinforcements, crushed it with retention and plans to play way faster. Burton’s buckets will still be there, but don’t be surprised if he leads the ACC in assists. — IT

65. Erik Reynolds II | Saint Joseph’s

Maybe the best player in the A-10 this year, Reynolds is a prolific shot-maker and scorer in the backcourt for Billy Lange. Reynolds has seen his supporting cast improve with each passing year in the City of Brotherly Love and teams with sophomore point guard Xzayvier Brown to make arguably the league’s best backcourt this year. — AF

66. Trey Townsend | Arizona

The anchor of an Oakland team that kicked Kentucky to the curb in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Townsend is one of the new and bright faces of an Arizona team remade via the transfer portal by coach Tommy Lloyd this season. The 6-6 combo forward has grown into a star scorer and will be relied upon as a key spacer and outside shooter with the Wildcats. — KB

67. Pop Isaacs | Creighton

Isaacs led Texas Tech in scoring as a sophomore with 15.8 points and should have ample opportunity to serve as a scoring engine for his new program. With skilled perimeter stars Trey Alexander and Baylor Scheierman departed, Isaacs figures to have the ball in his hands often. — DC

68. Julian Reese | Maryland

Reese nearly averaged a double-double (13.7 points and 9.5 rebounds) last season in College Park. With five-star center Derik Queen entering the program, those two should provide a nice 1-2 punch in the frontcourt. — CS

69. Chris Youngblood | Alabama

Once he gets healthy, Youngblood will get back to balling. The South Florida transfer is an utter deadeye from downtown who also owns a silky-smooth pull-up jumper. Youngblood-to-Alabama was one of the best fits in the transfer portal cycle. — IT

70. Xaivian Lee | Princeton

He had such a breakout sophomore year that he played his way onto the NBA Draft radar. Following the season, he not only said no to the draft, but also to the transfer portal. Now, he’s as dynamic a player as there is in the Ivy League, with an exceptionally versatile floor game after putting up 17.1 points, 5.7 boards, and 3.7 assists as a sophomore. — AF

71. Tramon Mark | Texas

Mark began his career at Houston and will end it at Texas after a one-year pit-stop at Arkansas in between. He put up a career-high 16.2 points per game last season with the Razorbacks and comes to Rodney Terry’s Texas team that needs to replace outgoing production lost by Max Abmas and Tyrese Hunter in the backcourt.  — KB

72. Desmond Claude | USC

Claude won the Big East’s Most Improved Player award as a sophomore at Xavier while averaging 16.6 points for the Musketeers. The 6-6 guard plays with unconventional physicality, doing most of his work inside the arc. He’s expected to be one of the offensive hubs for USC as the Trojans reboot under Eric Musselman. — DC

73. Ryan Conwell | Xavier

Conwell averaged 16.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists for Josh Schertz at Indiana State last season. Conwell should have an opportunity to step into a starting role right away at his new school. — CS

74. Aidan Mahaney | UConn

Mahaney shot 38% on his catch-and-shoot 3-pointers as a sophomore and 46% as a freshman. Per Synergy, no high-major team generated a higher percentage of open catch-and-shoot 3-pointers last season than … UConn. So yeah, this transfer portal marriage is probably going to work out really, really well for both sides. — IT

75. Darrion Williams | Texas Tech

The 6-6 forward plays much bigger than his listed size. He’s physically strong, a double-double threat every time he steps on the floor, 46% 3-point shooter, and a high IQ player on both ends of the floor. He may not necessarily be an offensive alpha or dynamic athlete, but he’s a role player extraordinaire. — AF

76. Zach Freemantle | Xavier

A foot injury in March 2023 kept Freemantle – one of the most productive bigs in the Big East – out for all of last season. Now healthy, his presence should lift the Musketeers back into NCAA Tournament quality. He was top 10 among all Big East players in his final season prior to injury in both scoring and rebounding. — KB

77. Samson Johnson | UConn

After biding his time for three seasons in Storrs amid injuries and a logjam of talent around him, Johnson is now poised to shine. The 6-10 senior is a great shot blocker, an efficient scorer around the rim and a veteran leader for a UConn program that is seeking a national title three-peat. — DC

78. Jaland Lowe | Pitt

With Bub Carrington off to the NBA, Lowe will get his chance to run the show as Pitt’s starting point guard. Lowe averaged 9.6 points, 3.3 assists and 2.8 rebounds in 19 starts last season. All of those numbers will go up with him as a full-time starter. — CS

79. Milan Momcilovic | Iowa State

Momcilovic is Iowa State’s best offensive player. He’s armed with a feathery, fadeaway jumper that is automatic from the midrange, and he’s a deadeye shooter both in catch-and-shoots and on the move. The 6-8 sophomore can expand his arsenal even more in Year 2. — IT

80. Emanuel Sharp | Houston

He made a notable jump last year as a sophomore, moving into the starting line-up, and doubling his point production as one of the team’s top 3-point shooters. Without Jamal Shead, he could be asked to take another step on both ends, diversifying his offensive game and being a lead playmaker in Houston’s pressure defense. — AF

81. Donovan Dent | New Mexico

A big name who could’ve transferred up but instead remained loyal at New Mexico, Dent is one of the best players in the Mountain West on a Lobos team that could challenge for the top spot in the league. He averaged a career-best 14.1 points and 5.4 assists as a sophomore last season. — KB

82. Caden Pierce | Princeton

Pierce is the reigning Ivy League Player of the Year after averaging 16.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists for Princeton. Though he’s just 6-7, Pierce operates effectively out of the post while also bringing plenty of perimeter pop to an Ivy League power. — DC

83. Caleb Foster | Duke

Foster has a chance to become a breakout star for Duke. Foster played a key reserve role last season for the Blue Devils and should be in contention alongside Tulane transfer Sion James to start at SG next to Tyrese Proctor. — CS

84. Jalil Bethea | Miami

Miami’s backcourt has major juice if Bethea, arguably one of the top shooters in the  2024 recruiting class, is a big hit. The five-star freshman wants to take a million treys and Miami’s system will let him cook. — IT

85. Elliot Cadeau | North Carolina

While his freshman season didn’t necessarily live up to expectations, North Carolina was a better team when he was on the floor, and his presence undoubtedly made the game easier for RJ Davis. This year, it sounds like Hubert Davis is expecting a significant bounce-back from what was previously one of high school basketball’s best point guards. — AF

86. Kasparas Jakucionis | Illinois

There’s a scenario in which we wind up having this potential NBA Draft lottery pick 50 spots too low. Whispers out of Champaign indicate that Jackucionis may be an instant hit for the Illini in his first season. Brad Underwood and his staff need to replace what they lost on offense in Terrence Shannon Jr. and Marcus Domask, which won’t be easy, but Jackucionis’ ability to create and score could help lessen the blow of their losses. — KB

87. Mackenzie Mgbako | Indiana

Mgbako won Big Ten Rookie of the Year honors after averaging 12.2 points and 4.1 rebounds. The former five-star prospect still has plenty of room to increase his efficiency and could blossom into one of the Big Ten’s top players. — DC

88. Dylan Andrews | UCLA

Andrews finished as UCLA’s leading scorer (12.9 ppg) last season and is back for more. With the Bruins entering a new era as a member of the Big Ten, the program will be relying on another jump from Andrews to stay in contention for a conference title. — CS

89. Max Shulga | VCU

Shulga is the headliner of a VCU backcourt that is way better than plenty of Power Five teams. The 6-5 guard splashed 41% of his 3-pointers last year, and he’ll flirt with triple-doubles. Shulga is a baller. — IT

90. Kylan Boswell | Illinois

Expectations were sky high for Boswell going into last season at Arizona. He delivered a solid sophomore campaign, but not quite what he or the program was expecting. This year, the power guard will have a chance at a fresh start for an Illinois program that needs him to be the best version of himself. — AF

91. Chase Hunter | Clemson

Hunter is a sixth-year senior and returning star of a Clemson team that made just its second-ever Elite Eight trip in program history last season. He averaged a team-high 17.8 points and 5.8 assists per game during March Madness, and was one of the best players in the ACC down the stretch run of the season. — KB

92. Trey Kaufman-Renn | Purdue

No single player can fill the shoes of Zach Edey. But Kaufman-Renn should see a significant uptick in offensive opportunities amid Edey’s departure. The 6-9 junior started all 39 games last season and will slide into a greater role as the Boilermakers begin a new era. — DC

93. Fletcher Loyer | Purdue

Loyer has played (and started) all 74 games in his Purdue career. With Zach Edey off to the NBA, the scoring burden will fall on him and his backcourt teammate Braden Smith. Loyer could be Purdue’s X-Factor in making another deep run in the NCAA Tournament. — CS

94. Jaden Akins | Michigan State

Akins played a secondary role as a 3-and-D threat for the past three seasons, but it’s time for him to become a go-to player. Tom Izzo has raved about Akins’ preparation, mentality and makeup. The explosive lefty’s time is now. — IT

95. Tyrese Hunter | Memphis

Hunter averaged double figures during all three of his seasons in the Big 12, first with Iowa State and then with Texas for the past two years. He’s a tremendous athlete and potential lockdown defender who should be one of the top talents in the AAC. — DC

96. Dedan Thomas | UNLV

Thomas can score from all three levels, but the 6-1 point guard is a dazzling playmaker who completely orchestrates everything and has the ball on a string. Thomas tallied a terrific 2.5-to-1, assist-to-turnover ratio and could flirt with 30-pieces. It won’t surprise anyone if Thomas is the Mountain West Player of the Year. — IT

97. Sean Pedulla | Ole Miss

Pedulla is a transfer from Virginia Tech who averaged 16.4 points, 4.6 assists and 4.3 rebounds last season. The 6-1 guard only shot 32.5% from 3-point range in his final season with the Hokies, which isn’t great. But that number is misleading relative to his career average. — GP

98. Jaden Bradley | Arizona

The final spots on this list are always reserved for each of us to submit our write-in choice. Mine is all too easy; I had Bradley in the top 40 of my rankings. The 2023-24 stat line was pedestrian (7.0 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.0 spg), but I am here to promise you that this Arizona junior guard is going to be one of THE breakout players in the sport. Bradley has only taken 50 3-pointers in his career but is a 40% shooter from deep. He’ll be one of the best on-ball defenders in the nation and complement Caleb Love‘s offensive output beautifully. Arizona is generally fairly stacked again; Bradley is the guy who can be the linchpin to a Final Four push. — MN

99. Ian Schieffelin | Clemson

Schieffelin played a critical role in Clemson’s Elite Eight run, averaging 14.8 points and nine rebounds during the Tigers’ four NCAA Tournament games. Look for the 6-8 senior to play an even bigger role this season amid the departure of star forward PJ Hall. — DC

100. Kobe Johnson | UCLA

On my ballot, I had Johnson ranked in my top 30. Johnson was so good defensively last season at USC and is the exact kind of player every team covets at the college level. Don’t be surprised if Johnson wins Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. — CS

And 1: Zeke Mayo | Kansas

Mayo is one of my flag plants for the 2024-25 season. I think he’ll be one of the best players on a Kansas team that wins the national championship. The Lawrence, Kansas, native has spent the last few seasons dominating the Summit League at South Dakota State, and while he enters the season a relatively unknown commodity in the shadows of star Hunter Dickinson, I suspect his scoring will be what eventually changes the dynamics of KU’s offense. He’s a weapon on offense who in Bill Self’s system could be a load to slow. — KB