NCAA Basketball: 7 players vital for their teams in 2018-19

CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 18: Sterling Manley #21 of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts against the Texas A&M Aggies during the second round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 18, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /

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AUBURN, AL – FEBRUARY 14: Chuma Okeke #4 of the Auburn Tigers battles for a rebound against Kevin Knox #5 of the Kentucky Wildcats in the first half of a game at Auburn Arena on February 14, 2018 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Chuma Okeke – Auburn

The Auburn Tigers were a bit of a surprise in the SEC, winning the regular season title and earning a No.4 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers had four players score in double figures, and two of them guards Jared Harper and Bryce Brown return. One guy who could step up and fill an offensive void is sophomore forward Chuma Okeke.

The 6-8 230lb. native of Atlanta was a consensus top-75 prospect in the country coming out of Westlake High School. As a senior, he put up ridiculous numbers. He averaged 24.4 points, 15 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.1 steals, and a block in an astonishing 11.7 minutes per game.

When he arrived on campus he got acclimated quickly, as he was the only Tiger to average a double-double on the team’s preseason tour of Italy. He ended the tour with a bang, pulling down 20 rebounds in a win over Italy All-Stars.

Once the regular season began, Okeke found himself in a significant reserve role for the Tigers averaging 21 minutes per game. He ended the season with a stat line of 7.5/5.8/1.1 while shooting 46% from the field and 39% from beyond the arc. He dropped in a career-high 16 points to go along with 10 rebounds in a late-season loss to Florida. The double-double was part of a four-game stretch in February that saw the young forward averaged 11 points and 9.7 rebounds.

The Tigers lose two key pieces but return plenty of options to and the talented sophomore forward is likely to be a key piece for head coach Bruce Pearl this season.

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