We have been fortunate to see so many amazing players and coaches come through the sport of college basketball. Incredible athletes show off their talents on a yearly basis in this sport, with the best of the best taking home awards, making unforgettable shots, and cutting down the nets at the end of their journey. Even without all of those fancy accolades or moments, thousands of other players make their impact on this sport.
Today, we’re continuing to look at many of these players with the next piece in a long-running series. We’ve been looking closely at each conference’s best players from the last ten years. Some conferences feature numerous legends of the game from recent years, while a few other leagues fly under the radar, with the average college basketball fan only knowing a few names from those conferences. Our focus today is not on one of those leagues.
Instead, we turn our attention towards the SEC, the final power conference in this series. It’s already clear to college fans that the SEC is full of impressive programs with outstanding history in many sports and basketball is no different. Kentucky is the Blue Blood, Florida has the titles this century, and a few others have competed for supremacy in recent years. These past few seasons have seen Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, and a number of other programs really take a step forward and they are all represented today.
Before we begin, it’s important to remember that this is simply a look at the best players since 2013 who played in SEC Basketball. Seasons greater than ten seasons ago won’t be included, though players whose careers began before then will still be considered and included in this piece. The same logic holds true for years where a player played somewhere else before transferring in or out of the SEC. Obviously, with some of the nation’s best programs in this conference, the SEC has some very impressive players, so let’s look at the best 25.
25. Bryce Brown
Brown landed at Auburn back in 2015 and was part of Bruce Pearl’s first recruiting class with the program. A 6’3 guard from Stone Mountain, Georgia, he’d develop into an impressive piece of the Tigers’ backcourt during his next four seasons. Not only would he become a big piece on offense at Auburn, but he was part of significant history for the program.
A part-time starter as an underclassman, he actually averaged 10.1 points per game as a freshman, though the Tigers as a team struggled mightily. Both Auburn and Brown took a major step forward during his junior year, as he’d average 15.9 points per game to lead the Tigers to a SEC regular season crown and a trip to the Big Dance. With nearly identical numbers as a senior, Brown led Auburn on a fantastic finish, winning the SEC Tournament and advancing to the program’s first Final Four in 2019. This run included a 25-point performance against Kansas and a 24-point game against Kentucky.
Brown was named First Team All-SEC just as a junior, though that senior season certainly catches the attention. He was the SEC Tournament MVP weeks before leading Auburn on that historic run into the Final Four. Brown led the conference in 3-pointers in each of those last two seasons, making 41% of his long-range shots as a senior. Without a doubt, he was an important offensive piece in Auburn’s amazing run in 2019.
24. Mason Jones
Though he rose to stardom in the SEC, Jones actually began his collegiate career at Connors State, a junior college in Oklahoma. After a single season, he caught the eye of D1 coaches and transferred to Arkansas. Jones would play a year apiece under head coaches Mike Anderson and Eric Musselman before moving to the professional level in 2020.
His sophomore season, that first year with the Razorbacks, saw Jones fit nicely into the system, averaging 13.6 points per game while making nearly 37% of his 3-pointers. Arkansas didn’t have the greatest season. Under Eric Musselman, he’d drop 32 points on opening night against Rice and would later have a 41-point outing in a win over Tulsa. In what would become a 20-win season for Arkansas, Jones would average 22.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in a breakout campaign.
Jones was the nation’s leader in free throws made in that final season, earning First Team All-SEC honors after leading that conference in scoring. He took major steps forward in his collegiate career once he arrived at Arkansas. He wasn’t still around the following years when the Razorbacks had those deep runs, and his junior season was shortened by the pandemic, but Jones still made a certain impact during his time in the SEC.
23. Santiago Vescovi
A 6’3 combo guard originally from Uruguay, Vescovi has adhered himself to the Volunteers faithful in recent years, arriving in Knoxville back in 2019 and starring at Tennessee ever since. He’s been an important piece throughout his collegiate career for a Volunteers program that has won a ton of games in the SEC, and this journey hasn’t quite hit its ending.
Already a double-digit scorer as a freshman, Vescovi has contributed on both sides of the ball while at Tennessee, helping the Volunteers become one of the best defensive programs in the country. He played in the NCAA Tournament each of the last three years. As a junior, he averaged 13.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.2 assists, leading Tennessee to a 2nd place finish and tournament title in the SEC. He’s put up solid steals numbers and helped lead the Volunteers to the Sweet Sixteen this past year.
Vescovi earned First Team All-SEC honors in each of these last two seasons and has seen the attention on him increase recently. He’s been a major threat for the Volunteers, finishing among the SEC’s best 3-point shooters these last two seasons. The numbers are impressive all-around and he’s helped put Tennessee in an enviable position. Additionally, he’ll be back in Knoxville next season for year five, hoping to go out on a high note with this team.
22. Jamal Murray
A Top 75 recruit from the Class of 2015, Murray watched Kentucky march to the Final Four with an unbeaten record and joined the Wildcats a few months later. A 6’5 wing from Ontario, Murray wouldn’t quite lead Kentucky to those same heights as 2015, but would have himself a pretty productive freshman season, the only year he’d spend playing college ball.
During that freshman campaign, he averaged 20.0 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, playing what was clearly a major role on offense for a Wildcats squad replacing a lot of talent from the year prior. He made 41% of his 3-pointers and was a great free throw shooter as well. Murray had a few 30-point outings and dropped 35 points against Florida during conference play. He’d lead Kentucky to another SEC Tournament title, though their season and his career would end in the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament.
A fantastic player right off the bat, Murray was honored as First Team All-SEC. He was 2nd in the SEC in scoring and was the top 3-point shooter, truly blossoming on offense for the Wildcats during a 27-win season. It’s unfortunate that the Wildcats won just a single Tournament game, but Murray certainly showed his abilities when he could. He became the 7th pick of the 2016 NBA Draft and just won an NBA title a few months ago with the Denver Nuggets.
21. Stefan Moody
Over a decade ago, Moody actually began his collegiate career at Florida Atlantic, well before that program would earn its spotlight of today. This 5’10 point guard from Kissimmee, Florida had a fantastic freshman season with the Owls before deciding to transfer. Moody would sit out a year before arriving at Mississippi, becoming a key part of Andy Kennedy’s program for two years.
After a season off the court, Moody showed few signs of rust by averaging 16.6 points per game for the Rebels, who finished 3rd in the SEC and won their First Four game in the Big Dance, with Moody scoring 26 points. He’d emerge as an elite scorer as a junior, putting up 23.6 points and 4.3 assists while making 38% of his 3-point attempts. Ole Miss had another 20-win season and Moody scored a career-high 43 points in his final home game against rival Mississippi State before ending his career with 39 points in an SEC Tournament loss to Alabama.
Moody emerged as a major offensive presence and was named First Team All-SEC in each of his seasons in the conference. He was the league’s top scorer as a senior, finishing 10th in the nation with his 731 total points, and was also an elite free throw shooter. He had an all-around impressive pair of years in the SEC and has been playing professional ball ever since.
20. Tremont Waters
Waters joined LSU in 2017 the same time Will Wade was hired as head coach. A 5’11 point guard from New Haven, Connecticut, Waters was a Top 50 recruit who developed into a major star with the Tigers. He’d spent two years developing into an intriguing threat on both sides of the ball.
As a freshman, Waters averaged 15.9 points and 6.0 assists per game, wasting no time becoming a top-level point guard in the SEC. He had a 39-point outing against Marquette very early in his career and would lead the Tigers to the NIT to finish off the year. His sophomore season was far more successful, as he’d helm LSU to an SEC regular season title and a trip to the Sweet Sixteen. He had a 36-point game late in the year at Texas A&M and had 23 points in the final game of his career, a loss to Michigan State.
Not only was Waters a top-level assists guy, he also led the SEC in steals in both collegiate seasons. As a sophomore, he earned First Team All-SEC honors and was named the league’s co-Defensive Player of the Year. Not only was he an impressive ball distributor and contender on defense, Waters also helped manufacture that quick turnaround for the Tigers program. After that second collegiate season, he was drafted late in the 2019 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics.
19. Scotty Pippen Jr.
A 6’3 point guard from Los Angeles, Pippen chose Vanderbilt and was recruited by Bryce Drew, though he’d play his entire career under Jerry Stackhouse after Drew’s firing in 2019. The son of an NBA Hall of Famer, Pippen would certainly show his value on the basketball court and become Vanderbilt’s key player across the next three seasons.
During his freshman season, he showed potential with 12.0 points and 3.6 assists per game, but Pippen took a major step forward for year two. Though the Commodores finished in last place in the SEC for a third straight year, Pippen would average 20.8 points and 4.9 assists as a sophomore, including a career-high 36 points against Cincinnati. Vanderbilt would fare better in his junior season, as he’d average 20 points again and lead the Commodores to 19 wins and a trip to the NIT quarterfinals.
Pippen’s fantastic scoring years saw him named First Team All-SEC as both a sophomore and junior. He was the scoring leader in the conference in that third and final collegiate season and helped Stackhouse engineer a long-awaited turnaround for the program. Pippen didn’t just ride his last name; he had significant success as the go-to guy with the Commodores. He then turned pro after that junior season.
18. Immanuel Quickley
Quickley is a 5-star recruit who joined Kentucky back in 2018 but wasn’t quite a one-and-done. This 6’3 wing from Havre De Grace, Maryland was an important part of the Wildcats’ backcourt for two seasons in Lexington before moving onto the professional level during the pandemic.
In actuality, Quickley didn’t get much run in his freshman season, starting just a few games and averaging just over 5 points a game on offense for the Wildcats. He’d play in the Elite Eight that year, though it was his second collegiate year where he jumped into the spotlight. He’d average 16.1 points and 4.2 rebounds across that sophomore year, including a 30-point effort at Texas A&M late in the year. He took Kentucky to an SEC regular season title, but the pandemic cancelled the postseason.
For that special sophomore season that was unfortunately shortened, Quickley was named SEC Player of the Year. He emerged into a major name with the Wildcats and was a great player on both sides of the ball. He was one of the nation’s top free throw shooters and had an impactful presence on the court while at Kentucky. He was then taken late in the first round of the 2020 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
17. Walker Kessler
A 5-star recruit, Kessler began his collegiate career at North Carolina in 2020. This 7’1 center from Newnan, Georgia would spend just a year with the Tar Heels, transferring out of the program after Roy Williams’ retirement. Kessler would land at Auburn and star under Bruce Pearl, becoming an elite frontcourt piece during his sophomore season in the SEC.
After serving as a bench piece at North Carolina, Kessler had a different role with the Tigers, being Auburn’s starting center for the entire season. He’d average 11.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, and an astounding 4.6 blocks per game that year. He had multiple triple-doubles in SEC play and nearly had a third in the opening round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament, blocking 155 shots across an impressive year. Unfortunately, the Tigers were upended in the second round of the Big Dance.
He’d depart for the pros after that sophomore year, but it was a pretty good season. As a sophomore, Kessler was named First Team All-SEC and the league’s Defensive Player of the Year; he was also named NABC Defensive Player of the Year. He lead the nation in blocks, had an efficient season with solid rebounding numbers, and was a major part in Auburn’s frontcourt of another successful year. He’d be drafted in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies.
16. Robert Williams
A 6’9 center from Vivian, Louisiana, Williams was a 4-star prospect who took his talents to Texas A&M back in 2016. He’d joined an Aggies program fresh under a Sweet Sixteen run and would help manufacture another impressive Tourney run just a few seasons later. Williams was in College Station for just two seasons, but he had quite the impact in the SEC, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
During his freshman year, he averaged 11.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game, making his interior presence known on both sides of the ball. His second season was even better, highlighted by a career-high 21-point effort early in the season against Penn State. Putting up very similar numbers as in his freshman season, Williams would lead Texas A&M to a far better season, as the program advanced to the Sweet Sixteen of the 2018 NCAA Tournament as a 7-seed, upsetting defending champion North Carolina in the second round, with 13 rebounds from Williams.
A dynamic rebounder and shot blocker, Williams was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year in both of his collegiate seasons, though he shared the honors as a sophomore. He accumulated 155 blocks and numerous rebounds across those two seasons and was very impactful during Texas A&M’s impressive run back in 2018. He was a contributor on offense, but it was certainly his elite defensive play that got him drafted late in the first round by the Boston Celtics.
15. Scottie Wilbekin
Wilbekin is a 6’2 guard from Gainesville, Florida who certainly saved his best for last in his collegiate career. He actually stayed in his hometown, spending his college days at Florida, starting back in 2010. He was a bench piece with a limited impact early in his career, though he would be a starter as an upperclassman. Today, we’re only looking at his senior season beginning in 2013 and it truly was the best for him and the Gators.
During that senior year, Wilbekin averaged 13.1 points and 3.6 assists per game, having by far his most productive season of college ball. He made 39% of his 3-pointers and averaged 1.6 steals per game all while contributing on a great Gators squad. Florida went on an enormous winning streak in the tail end of the season, sweeping the SEC regular season play and Tournament and advancing to the Final Four. Wilbekin scored 21 points against Pittsburgh in the second round and dropped 23 in the Elite Eight win over Dayton.
Wilbekin helmed Florida to their most successful season in recent memory. He was named SEC Player of the Year, Tournament MVP, and secured a spot on the league’s All-Defense team. He did a bit of everything all season long as the Gators just kept winning games, finishing the season 36-3, with two of those losses to national champion Connecticut. Clearly, he ended his collegiate career on a significant high note after being irrelevant earlier on.
14. Collin Sexton
The best player and recruit that Avery Johnson had during his head coaching stint at Alabama, Sexton was a major talent for the Crimson Tide. A 6’3 point guard from Mableton, Georgia, he was a Top 10 recruit in the 2017 class and would have quite the freshman season at Alabama before moving on to the NBA.
Across that lone collegiate season, Sexton would average 19.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game for the Crimson Tide. He had a 40-point performance early in the season in a wild game against Minnesota. He’d average 26 points during three games in the SEC Tournament and led the Crimson Tide to the 2018 NCAA Tournament, dropping 25 points on Virginia Tech in a first-round win. Certainly, he was the star on Alabama’s best season during Johnson’s tenure.
Sexton was named both SEC Rookie of the Year and First Team All-SEC. His dynamic role at Alabama was clear for all to see, emerging as a top-level scorer and all-around contributor for a Crimson Tide team that looked far better at times than a 9th place squad in the league. That was all about Sexton’s elite play, and it got him drafted early in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft.
13. Julius Randle
The brightest piece of an all-time recruiting class, Randle was one of the top-ranked recruits in the Class of 2013 and chose Kentucky, joining John Calipari’s program that was jam-packed with talent. A 6’9 center from Dallas, Randle would inevitably live up to his top billing, playing a major role in Kentucky’s frontcourt during a season that wouldn’t end until early April.
In his lone collegiate season, he’d average 15.0 points and 10.4 rebounds per game, becoming the top scorer and rebounder for the Wildcats. He began his career with seven straight double-doubles and had a career-high 29 points against Belmont, but it was the late-season play that mattered the most. Though Kentucky earned an 8-seed in the 2014 NCAA Tournament, Randle would play a major role in the Wildcats advancing all the way to the national title game, scoring at least 15 points in all but two of those games.
Randle was named SEC Rookie of the Year and earned First Team All-SEC honors as well. He was nominated for several national awards and clearly was a major presence for a Kentucky team that truly clicked at the right time. He was one of the nation’s most productive rebounders, scored nearly 600 points on the season, and proved his talent as a top-level frontcourt weapon. The Los Angeles Lakers then spent the 7th pick of the 2014 NBA Draft to secure his services.
12. Willie Cauley-Stein
A 7’0 center from Olathe, Kansas, Cauley-Stein was a Top 40 prospect back in 2012 who spent his collegiate playing days at Kentucky. He watched the Wildcats cut down the nets before arriving on campus a few months later, spending the next three seasons contributing to all sorts of history for this Blue Blood program, though our focus begins in his sophomore season.
Still not a full-time starter in the frontcourt, Cauley-Stein averaged 6.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks. He had developed into a major player by the end of the year, but was injured in the Sweet Sixteen, and missed much of Kentucky’s run to the national title game. Back in Lexington as a junior, Cauley-Stein averaged 8.9 points and developed into one of the nation’s best defensive players, playing a key role as Kentucky would start the year 38-0 before falling in the Final Four.
In that junior year, he was a First Team All-American, SEC Defensive Player of the Year, First Team All-SEC, and a finalist for several national awards. Cauley-Stein’s offensive numbers don’t stand out, but his performance on the defensive end made him an elite prospect. He was clearly making a significant impact during Kentucky’s legendary performance and would months later be the 6th pick of the 2015 NBA Draft, certainly showing his ability in those three collegiate seasons.
11. Jabari Smith
One of the nation’s top prospects in the Class of 2021, Smith is a 6’10 forward from Fayetteville, Georgia who joined Bruce Pearl’s program and had a wild ride. He would spend just his freshman season in the SEC at Auburn but showed plenty of talent and potential during those nearly three dozen games with the Tigers.
In his lone collegiate season, Smith averaged 16.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game while making 42% of his 3-pointers. He was part of perhaps the nation’s best frontcourt and helped lead Auburn to a regular season SEC title. He scored a career-high 31 points late in the year against Vanderbilt and had a pair of double-doubles in the Big Dance, though the Tigers were upended in the second round of that 2022 NCAA Tournament by Miami.
Regardless of how the season ended, Smith proved to be a significant frontcourt weapon while at Auburn. He was named a Second Team All-American, the SEC Rookie of the Year, and won several other Freshman of the Year awards at the national level. Smith was a potent shooter, rebounder, and shot blocker, playing an impactful role with the Tigers. Leaving college after that season, he was taken 3rd overall in the 2022 NBA Draft.
10. Herb Jones
A 6’8 wing from Greensboro, Alabama, Jones found his path to success with the Crimson Tide. He originally arrived at Alabama in 2017 and would play two seasons apiece for both Avery Johnson and Nate Oats. Unsurprisingly, his best years were his final ones, helping Oats shape the Crimson Tide into a national power late in this career.
Early in his collegiate career, Jones was a decent player but wasn’t exactly the featured piece for the Crimson Tide. He started a few games as a freshman and started to blossom as a sophomore, finishing the season with an 18-point performance in the NIT. He took another step forward during Oats’ first season but really shined in his senior year. During that season, he’d average 11.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists, leading the Crimson Tide to SEC regular season and Tournament titles. Jones dropped 20 points in both the Tournament semifinals against Tennessee and in the Big Dance against Iona, leading Alabama to the Sweet Sixteen.
In that final season, Jones not only helped Alabama break out in the SEC, but he was named Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in the conference. He had his best offensive season while leading the league in steals and being an incredible threat on the defensive side of the ball. Truly developing into a fantastic basketball player in those final years, Jones was drafted early in the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft.
9. Bobby Portis
A 6’11 forward from Little Rock, Arkansas, Portis found collegiate success right there in his home state. This 5-star prospect was recruited to Arkansas by Mike Anderson and did fantastic work for the Razorbacks beginning in 2013.
Already shining as a freshman, he averaged 12.3 points and 6.8 rebounds during a 22-win campaign for the Razorbacks, an improvement over the previous year. Portis had a 35-point outburst in a win over Alabama and led Arkansas to the NIT. He wouldn’t settle in his sophomore season, putting up 17.5 points and 8.9 rebounds a game while leading the Razorbacks to the Big Dance. He had a number of fine performances, including an 18-point, 14-rebound performance in the second round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament; a loss to North Carolina.
That second year allowed his true potential to be seen as he led Arkansas back into national relevance. Portis was a Second Team All-American and was named SEC Player of the Year. He was one of the best scorers and rebounders in the league, with decent blocking numbers and impressive shooting numbers from all over the court. After that breakout campaign, Portis became a first round pick in the 2015 NBA Draft and continues to star in the NBA several years later.
8. Malik Monk
Nationally considered a Top 10 recruit from 2016, Monk is a 6’3 combo guard who opted for John Calipari’s Kentucky program. Like many stars of Kentucky in recent years, Monk would spend just his freshman season in Lexington, but it was quite the season at that, even if it didn’t end in a major Tournament run.
Monk averaged 19.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game in his freshman season, also shooting just under 40% from beyond the arc. He led Kentucky to an SEC regular season title and starred with 47 points in a regular season win over North Carolina. Monk had several other impressive performances, helping lead the Wildcats to another SEC Tournament title. However, his season was ended in the Elite Eight by that same North Carolina team, two days after dropping 21 on UCLA in the Sweet Sixteen.
For that remarkable season, Monk was named Second Team All-American, brought home the Jerry West Award as the nation’s top shooting guard, and was both SEC Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year. Considered a phenomenal prospect, he showed that full potential while at Kentucky and set himself up well for the future. He was drafted with the 11th pick of the 2017 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets a few months later.
7. Sindarius Thornwell
Every Cinderella story seems to have a hero and Thornwell played that role well, even at a power conference school. Considered a Top 40 recruit from 2013, he’d land at South Carolina, becoming the major addition of Frank Martin’s first recruiting class with the Gamecocks. A 6’5 guard from Lancaster, South Carolina, Thornwell was a fantastic player for South Carolina throughout his four-year career but there’s no doubt that senior year took the cake.
In his first three seasons, Thornwell was a double-digit scorer who helped to build success back in Columbia. In his junior season, South Carolina finished 3rd in the SEC and won 25 games, but the following year would blow that out of the water. Thornwell averaged 21.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, shooting 39% from outside the arc in a fantastic season. Most importantly, he led South Carolina not only to their first NCAA Tournament in a decade, but took the 7-seed Gamecocks to the Final Four, scoring at least 24 points in all four of their wins.
He was named co-SEC Player of the Year in that senior year, but clearly, his work in the postseason was the highlight. All-Defense in both upperclassman seasons, Thornwell emerged as one of the SEC’s leaders in points and steals and had perhaps the best March that any player in this conference had in the last decade. What Thornwell did in taking South Carolina to the Final Four was a legendary effort, especially since the program has yet to return to the Big Dance. It also earned him selection late in the 2017 NBA Draft.
6. Karl-Anthony Towns
Quite possibly the best piece of Kentucky’s unforgettable 2015 team, Towns was a Top 5 recruit from the Class of 2014 who joined John Calipari’s program. That recruiting class was another legendary effort from Calipari and his staff, as Towns in particular would develop into a massive star across his freshman season with the Wildcats.
On the court, he’d average 10.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game for Kentucky, but he was more than just these specific numbers. This 6’11 center from Piscataway, New Jersey was a monster down low for a Wildcats team that blitzed the rest of the basketball world. Kentucky started the season 38-0, with Towns providing plenty of that success. His career-high effort actually came in the Elite Eight, scoring 25 points against Notre Dame before the Wildcats would be upset by Wisconsin one week later.
Towns was a complete package in the frontcourt and was both a Second Team All-American and the SEC Rookie of the Year. Those individual stats don’t really scream out as much as some of the other players we’ve identified, but Towns did impressive work on both ends for a Wildcats team that was quite likely the best of this past decade. With that talent on full display, Towns was the 1st overall pick of the 2015 NBA Draft.
5. Tyler Ulis
A 5’9 point guard from Lima, Ohio, Ulis was considered a 5-star recruit and one of the top players back in 2014. Along with many other elite recruits, he joined Kentucky and was pretty incredible during his time in Lexington. Ulis would spend a pair of seasons with the Wildcats, really standing out in his sophomore season.
During his freshman season, Kentucky dominated the sport, starting the year 38-0 before falling in the Final Four. Ulis came off the bench all season long, averaging 5.6 points and 3.6 assists per game as a decent backcourt piece. He’d achieve stardom as a sophomore, now as a full-time starter for the Wildcats. He’d average 17.3 points and 7.0 assists per game, leading Kentucky to another SEC Tournament title and regular season crown. His career-high 30-point effort came in the SEC title game against Texas A&M before the Wildcats were sent packing in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Ulis was a First Team All-American, SEC Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Tournament MVP, and also claimed the Bob Cousy Award as the nation’s best point guard. He was one of the SEC’s top scorers and finished 5th in the nation in assists. Not only was Ulis playing his role well on that legendary Kentucky team, but he developed into a star when it was his time to shine as a sophomore. The Phoenix Suns took him early in the second round of the 2016 NBA Draft.
4. Ben Simmons
Back in 2015, Simmons was the #1 prospect in college basketball and he surprised several people when he chose LSU over the Blue Blood programs. A 6’10 forward from Melbourne, Australia, Simmons would prove to be a fantastic addition for the Tigers and had an elite freshman campaign in Baton Rouge. Unfortunately, LSU didn’t have the greatest season despite Simmons’ incredible play.
As their star freshman, he’d average 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. It was a season full of notable performances, such as his 21-point, 20-rebound affair against Marquette early on or a 43-point outburst against North Florida a few weeks later. Despite Simmons continuing to be a massive talent during conference play, the Tigers were not invited to the NCAA Tournament, even after a 3rd place finish in regular season play.
Simmons was a First Team All-American, SEC Rookie of the Year, and earned a few other national accolades for that freshman season. He was one of the nation’s top rebounders and was among the SEC’s leaders in points, steals, and assists. LSU’s failure to reach the Big Dance was more about the talent around him because Simmons was special. A few months later, he was the 1st pick of the 2016 NBA Draft, ending the brief career of LSU’s most special player in recent memory.
3. Brandon Miller
A 6’9 forward from Antioch, Tennessee, Miller is a 5-star recruit from last season who committed to Alabama and Nate Oats. He’d need only his freshman season to prove that he was an elite prospect, having a truly impressive year with the Crimson Tide in the process.
Miller averaged 18.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, with pretty solid shooting numbers from both 3-point (38%) and the free throw line (86%). He had a number of great outings, including 36 points against Gonzaga and a 41-point outburst at South Carolina. He’d also lead the Crimson Tide to a 31-win season that included SEC regular season and tournament titles, with their season ending in the Sweet Sixteen at the hands of San Diego State.
The SEC’s top scorer and one of its best rebounders, Miller was a Second Team All-American, SEC Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and Tournament MVP. His contributions were felt all around this program, getting the Crimson Tide in an incredible position as the 2023 NCAA Tournament’s overall top seed. After standing out as the top shooter in the SEC, Miller was taken with the 2nd overall pick of the most recent NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets.
2. Grant Williams
There have been many important faces and figures in Tennessee’s recent rise to prominence but Williams is certainly the one with the most accolades and prominence during Rick Barnes’ tenure. A 6’7 forward from Charlotte, North Carolina, he arrived at Tennessee back in 2016 and would star on the national level with the Volunteers across the next three seasons.
While the program was still reloading during his freshman year, his 12.6 points a game certainly wasn’t a shabby effort. Williams would then average 15.2 points and 6.0 rebounds in a sophomore season where he led Tennessee to the SEC regular season crown. His two best games of his career both came at rival Vanderbilt, including a 43-point effort as a junior. With better shooting numbers, he put up 18.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in that third and final collegiate season leading the Volunteers to the Sweet Sixteen.
For his efforts, Williams was named SEC Player of the Year as both a sophomore and junior. He was a First Team All-American and a finalist for the major awards in that final season, spearheading the Volunteers rise into prominent in the SEC and in the postseason. Williams was the SEC’s leading scorer as a junior, had decent rebounding and shooting numbers, and set himself up well for the following years. After forgoing his senior season, Williams was taken in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft.
1. Oscar Tshiebwe
A 6’9 center originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tshiebwe had himself quite the collegiate career, and only half of it came in the SEC. He spent his first two seasons in West Virginia’s frontcourt before transferring to Kentucky in 2021. He’d become a dominant player with the Wildcats and his junior year, his first in Lexington, was certainly special to every extent.
In that first year as a Wildcat, Tshiebwe averaged 17.4 points and 15.1 rebounds, becoming the nation’s most explosive big man and playing a major role for Kentucky. He had at least 20 rebounds in their first two games and grabbed 28 against Western Kentucky in late December, eventually leading the Wildcats to a 26-win season. Though disappointed by an early exit from the 2022 NCAA Tournament, he’d return as a senior, this time putting up 16.5 points and 13.7 rebounds, numbers that were still very dominant. In a season that included a 37-point, 24-rebound against Georgia, Tshiebwe’s career would end in the second round of the Big Dance.
Tshiebwe was the nation’s leading rebounder in both seasons at Kentucky, with his junior numbers the best since the turn of the century. He was AP Player of the Year, SEC Player of the Year, and also took home the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award and the Naismith and Wooden Awards. While he didn’t claim those same accolades as a senior, he still became a two-time All-American and proved himself as one of the best bigs we’ve seen in recent memory.