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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WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 19: David Duke #3 of the Providence Friars (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

12. Brock Miller – Utah State Aggies

2019-20 stats: 8.4 ppg and 2.3 rpg

All-time program star Sam Merrill has graduated from Utah State, along with Abel Porter transferring to Ohio State and Diogo Brito graduating. The good news for the Aggies is that Justin Bean and Neemias Queta are coming back, good to be one of the best starting frontcourts in all of college basketball.

They’ll need some help from the perimeter to remain a threat to win the Mountain West. And Miller, a 6’5 guard with the potential of being a high-volume scorer will now be promoted as the lead guard. If he can become a better facilitator and shooter overall, it won’t be a shock if Miller can become an all-league player in the future himself.

11. David Duke – Providence Friars

2019-20 stats: 12.0 ppg and 3.1 apg

It was an impressive jump for the 6’5 guard, boosting his scoring average by over five points and becoming a much better shooter from three-point range, going from 30 to 40%. There also was the career-high 36 point effort against Creighton, showing Duke’s potential to be a go-to scorer for the Friars in the future.

That’ll have to be the case next season, with All-Big East forward Alpha Diallo now gone, along with the graduations of guards Luwane Pipkins and Maliek White. Fellow rising junior AJ Reeves is also set for a bigger role and possible breakout campaign if last season was an indication, Duke could be a 20 ppg all-conference star for Providence next season and a candidate to go pro early.

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