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NCAA Basketball: Most important player on each top-25 team for 2022-23 season

By Tristan Freeman

Nov 5, 2021; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Caleb Love (2) on the court in the first half at Dean Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 5, 2021; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Caleb Love (2) on the court in the first half at Dean Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Saint Louis Billikens guard Javonte Perkins Harrison Barden-USA TODAY Sports
Saint Louis Billikens guard Javonte Perkins Harrison Barden-USA TODAY Sports /

24. Saint Louis Billikens – Javonte Perkins

The Billikens won 23 games last season despite not having their returning leading scorer Perkins, who missed all of last season with an injury. He averaged 17.1 ppg and shot 47% from the field and 38% from three-point range. He’s a talented scoring wing that only raises the ceiling of the team for the upcoming season.

Perkins also is the biggest question mark as well. He’s already been cleared to play and looked good in the team’s preseason exhibition tour so his health isn’t the issue. But how will he play in the backcourt alongside Gibson Jimmerson, Saint Louis’ breakout performer in Perkins’ absence? These two will have the nation’s leading passer back in Yuri Collins to run the offense but sometimes more scoring doesn’t always help. How Perkins look in a potentially new role will decide the A-10 team’s fate.

23. Illinois Fighting Illini – Skyy Clark

Illinois made several splashy moves this offseason in the portal, landing Terrence Shannon from Texas Tech and Matthew Mayer from Baylor. Another addition that happened early on was Skyy Clark, a former Kentucky and five-star point guard prospect. The team didn’t land a veteran ball-handler so it’s going to be him and fellow freshman Jayden Epps that will be running the offense this upcoming season.

It’s not easy for true point guards to be the lead guards and with so many newcomers, there could easily be growing pains for both Clark and the team overall. Will he be a 15 ppg and 5.0 apg type of performer? And does the Illini need that from him to be a contender in the Big Ten? It’ll be fascinating to see his impact.

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