NCAA Basketball: Best player from each of the 50 states for 2022-23

South Dakota – AJ Plitzuweit (South Dakota)

The Coyotes bring back a ton of talent this year, but getting Plitzuweit back on the court might be the best news of all. Two seasons ago, he was First Team All-Summit League before suffering a terrible leg injury that knocked him out last year. He averaged 19.0 points a game and made 43% of his 3-pointers; if he can return to that level of production then South Dakota is going to have a marvelous season ahead.

Tennessee – Kendric Davis (Memphis)

After a season at TCU and three at SMU, Davis was one of the best weapons in the transfer portal before landing at Memphis. He’ll take over the point guard duties for the Tigers after winning AAC Player of the Year for the Mustangs last season, averaging 19.4 points and 4.4 assists in the process. Davis becomes a major piece for this year’s Memphis squad and factors in as a creative and explosive piece on offense, both as a scorer and distributor.

Texas – Marcus Sasser (Houston)

Much of the reason the Cougars have been picked as a potential national champion is for Sasser’s return, after missing much of last season due to injury. Sasser is one of the best guards in the nation, averaging 17.7 points per game before his season was cut short. He’s a phenomenal scoring threat who can defend the ball at a high level; don’t be shocked to see Sasser among the favorites for All-American this year.

Utah – Branden Carlson (Utah)

Carlson returns for his senior year, one season after being the Utes’ only reason answer on offense. He averaged 13.6 points and 6.0 rebounds a game, even while dealing with illness and injuries last season. Consistency has been a problem for him and the Utes, but he has the size and ability to be a major force this upcoming season. If he can take his shooting numbers to the next level, he might earn significant honors from the Pac-12 a few months from now.

Vermont – Dylan Penn (Vermont)

Twice an All-A-Sun player and last year’s Tournament MVP, Penn heads to Vermont as a graduate transfer for his final season of collegiate eligibility after four years at Bellarmine. Last season, Penn averaged 16.6 points and 5.0 assists and should transition into a major scoring threat for the Catamounts this season. Not only will Penn lead this offense as the new point guard, but he’s capable of scoring in a plethora of ways and should make Catamounts fans thrilled this year.