NCAA Basketball: Early breakout stars to watch for 2022-23 season
By Shea Irish
Every year there are unknown players that emerge to become breakout stars and impact the landscape of NCAA Basketball, especially during March Madness.
Past players like Steph Curry, Ja Morant, and C.J. McCollum are just a few recent names that come to mind. They all captivated the college basketball world by leading their teams to tournament upsets and becoming immortal mid-major stars.
Just this past year, how many people outside of Jersey City had ever heard of Doug Edert before the 2022 NCAA Tournament began? Fast forward less than two weeks later, he was a national sensation signing NIL deals as a key contributor on Saint Peter’s improbable Elite Eight run.
Even at the power conference level, players come out of nowhere to improve and lead their team in scoring or to become the next conference player of the year.
Johnny Davis and Keegan Murray, for example, went from role players off the bench of their respective Big Ten teams to Consensus 1st-Team All-Americans in just one season.
Whether you’re looking for the next breakout star or wondering which players could help lead their teams to the 2023 NCAA Tournament, here are a few candidates that might fit that search.