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

16. Auburn Tigers – Allen Flanigan

The Tigers starting lineup is pretty much set, with KD Johnson and Wendell Green Jr. in the backcourt, along with Yohan Traore and Johni Broome in the frontcourt. On the wing is more open, with both top-40 freshman Chance Westry looking impressive this offseason and having a chance to start. But the guy to watch is Flanigan, who only averaged 6.3 ppg in 20 starts while recovering from offseason surgery.

But the healthy version of Flanigan the year prior averaged 14.3 ppg and 5.5 rpg on 34% shooting from three-point range as a sophomore. If that player shows up, Auburn could have one of the best lineups in all of NCAA Basketball. But if Flanigan doesn’t return to that form, the hope is that he can be effective off the bench for them.

15. Villanova Wildcats –  Angelo Brizzi

With longtime starting point guard and national champion Collin Gillespie now gone, the Wildcats will finally have to find a new starter. There’s a chance that 5th-year guard Caleb Daniels will run the offense since he has experience doing that when he was at Tulane, but with Justin Moore likely out to start the season after suffering an injury in the NCAA Tournament, Daniels will have to take his place.

One player to watch is Brizzi, a three-star prospect that redshirted last season. He’s someone Villanova is excited about and he’s a true point guard. If he can settle the position down and have an impact, that allows everyone else to play their true roles on offense. If he struggles, it’ll have to be a committee approach in the backcourt.