Big West Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade (2013-23)

8. Jaquori McLaughlin

A 6’4 combo guard from Tacoma, Washington, McLaughlin was a Top 100 recruit from the class of 2016. He opted for Oregon State, becoming a solid piece for the Beavers early in his career. Unfortunately, he was forced to miss most of his sophomore season, dealing with the after-effects of PTSD and eventually decided to transfer. McLaughlin’s final three seasons came at UC Santa Barbara, becoming a rare ranked prospect in the Big West.

UC Santa Barbara won at least 21 games in each of McLaughlin’s three seasons, and his impact in the backcourt played a significant role. He was already averaging in double figures in his first season in the Big West, and his offensive game would only improve. He hit at least 40% from outside the arc in his two upperclassman seasons, and would average 16.0 points and 5.2 assists in that final season. He also put on a show in the Big West Tournament in 2021 and led the Gauchos to the Big Dance, ending his career with a tight loss to Creighton.

McLaughlin was doing it all by the end of his college days and was named Big West Player of the Year and Tournament MVP for that phenomenal campaign. He was one of the top scorers and shooters in the league and was the top assists man as well. McLaughlin was undoubtedly the most talented offensive player in the conference and he had decent metrics on the defensive side too. His time at Oregon State showed flashes of brilliance, but he really shined in the Big West, especially in the final weeks of his career.