NCAA Basketball: Top 25 breakout junior players for 2020-21 season

LUBBOCK, TEXAS - MARCH 07: Guard Kyler Edwards #0 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders handles the ball during the second half of the college basketball game against the Kansas Jayhawks on March 07, 2020 at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /

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COLLEGE PARK, MD – MARCH 08: Gabe Kalscheur #22 of the Minnesota Golden Gophers (Photo by G Fiume/Maryland Terrapins/Getty Images) /

Honorable mentions

Gavin Baxter – BYU Cougars

2019-20 stats: 1.3 ppg and 1.6 rpg (7 games)

The former top-50 recruit was supposed to have a breakout sophomore campaign but a shoulder injury limited him to just a few games this past season. The power forward is now healthy and still has the elite athleticism and versatility needed to help replace star Yoeli Childs. With Utah Valley transfer Wyatt Lowell now out with a torn labrum, the time is now for the junior Cougar to have a big impact.

Quade Green – Washington Huskies

2019-20 stats: 11.6 ppg and 5.3 apg

The former Kentucky point guard was putting up good numbers for the Huskies before an academic issue took him out for Pac-12 play. Washington disintegrated after he was gone, showing his value. But with both Jaden McDaniels and Isaiah Stewart now gone, look for Green to have an even bigger role on the offense and put up all-conference type numbers.

Jabari Rice – New Mexico State Aggies

2019-20 stats: 12.8 ppg and 5.1 rpg

The 6’4 guard had an impressive jump of nearly 10 points between his first two seasons and was a consistent clog on an Aggie team that had a number of injuries to deal with. With leading scorer Trevelin Queen among a number of senior departures, look for Rice to be the heavy favorite for WAC Player of the Year and a mid-major star many will know about soon.

Gabe Kalscheur – Minnesota Gophers

2019-20 stats: 11.6 ppg and 2.7 rpg

While fellow sophomores Daniel Oturu and Marcus Carr are still in the NBA Draft process, the 6’4 guard is definitely coming back, with an even bigger role for him. Kalscheur made 34% of his three-pointers on over seven attempts a game and had a 34-point effort in a win over Oklahoma State on 7/9 shooting from deep. Even with the transfers coming in, look for this guard to continue being a double-digit producer with the ball coming to him for big shots.

Jayden Gardner – East Carolina Pirates

2019-20 stats: 19.7 ppg and 9.2 rpg

It doesn’t matter how much statistically the dynamic forward can do, Gardner won’t be a nationally known player if the Pirates can’t win more than 11 total games in a season. But with he and the bulk of the rotation set to come back for next season, there’s a shot they can finish over .500 and be competitive in the AAC. That will help Gardner “break out” into a more known commodity.

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