Busting Brackets
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AAC Basketball: 25 best players from last decade (2013-23)

By Joey Loose

Mar 5, 2020; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; Houston Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson talks to guard Quentin Grimes (24) and guard Marcus Sasser (0) after a play against the Connecticut Huskies in the second half at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. UConn defeated Houston 77-71. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 5, 2020; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; Houston Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson talks to guard Quentin Grimes (24) and guard Marcus Sasser (0) after a play against the Connecticut Huskies in the second half at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. UConn defeated Houston 77-71. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /
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South Florida Bulls guard Jamir Chaplin (24) attempts to guard the ball from Cincinnati Bearcats guard Landers Nolley II South Florida Bulls At Cincinnati Bearcats Ncaa Basketball Feb 11
South Florida Bulls guard Jamir Chaplin (24) attempts to guard the ball from Cincinnati Bearcats guard Landers Nolley II South Florida Bulls At Cincinnati Bearcats Ncaa Basketball Feb 11 /

20. Landers Nolley

It’s been quite a journey for Nolley, a 6’7 guard from Fairburn, Georgia. He was a Top 75 prospect who was recruited to Virginia Tech but was forced to sit out his first season due to academic eligibility issues. Nolley made his way into the AAC in 2020 when he transferred to Memphis, but his pair of seasons with the Tigers was just the beginning. This past year, Nolley was the focal point at Cincinnati, making him a unique player who’s played for two different AAC schools.

We’re not paying attention to what was a very great redshirt freshman season at Virginia Tech, instead looking at his contributions in those two seasons at Memphis. Nolley averaged 13.1 points and 4.1 rebounds as a sophomore but was less productive in his junior season, though he did score 12 points against Boise State during his only trip to the Big Dance. Nolley then became Cincinnati’s leading scorer this last season, averaging 16.8 points and 5.8 rebounds for a Bearcats team that won 23 games and took a step forward under second-year head coach Wes Miller.

A feat that very few have ever accomplished, Nolley was named First Team in the AAC as a sophomore at Memphis and as a senior at Cincinnati. He actually led the conference in 3-point shooting during that lone season in Cincinnati and scored over 1200 points in those three seasons in the AAC. Nolley was an effective weapon in the backcourt for Memphis and became a catalyst for a positive season for the Bearcats. Someone who could do great things for multiple schools in this league certainly belongs on the list.