NCAA Basketball: 10 best players from state of Florida of last decade

5. Jason Preston – Ohio

Completely under the radar just a few years ago, Preston was a 6’4 guard who arrived at Ohio in 2018 as an unheralded prospect. Highlight videos got him on the radar, but it was his play in three seasons with the Bobcats that really showed the world how great of a basketball player he could be.

As a freshman, he worked his way into the starting lineup, but played a minimal role in the offense. For his final two seasons, his head coach was Jeff Boals, and Preston carved a much bigger role on the Bobcats. As a sophomore, he averaged 16.8 points, 7.4 assists, and 6.4 rebounds per game, playing all over the court. His junior year numbers were just as impressive, while also having a pair of triple-doubles in his career. His 31-point performance in a near upset of Illinois put him on the map, while an 11-point, 13-rebound affair was critical in the Bobcats’ upset win over Virginia in the NCAA Tournament.

Preston was named All-MAC in each of those final two seasons, including First Team honors as a junior, and was named the MAC Tournament MVP as well, helping get his Bobcats back to the Big Dance, let alone pulling that upset over the former national champions. It’s hard to find a player who rose his stock more than Preston did with his collegiate play, as the guard skipped his senior season and was drafted in the second round by the Los Angeles Clippers.