Ivy League Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade (2013-23)

9. Paul Atkinson

Atkinson is a 6’10 center from West Palm Beach, Florida who got his college career started at Yale. He’d spend three years doing a ton of great stuff for the Bulldogs, with an especially successful campaign as a junior. Atkinson would then transfer to Notre Dame for his senior year after the pandemic, though we’re not too worried about his time in the ACC.

Atkinson was a starter as a freshman, but also relished a role off the bench as a sophomore, averaging 9 points per game in both seasons. He also played in the NCAA Tournament in that second year. He took a major step forward as a junior, averaging 17.6 points and 7.5 rebounds per game and helping Yale earn another regular season title in the Ivy League. He had a slew of strong performances, but unfortunately, the pandemic cut off the season early.

A solid contributor late in his career at Yale, Atkinson was named Co-Player of the Year, becoming one of the league’s top scorers and rebounders in that junior season. He shot 63% from the field, the 7th best mark in the entire nation. Throughout his entire career, Atkinson was an accurate scorer and important presence for the Bulldogs, playing in the Big Dance once and leading Yale to a number of wins before moving on to a power conference school.