Sun Belt Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade (2013-23)
By Joey Loose
23. Markquis Nowell
Certainly known more for his later work at Kansas State, Nowell is a 5’7 point guard from Harlem who actually began his college career at Little Rock. His first three seasons of college ball came in the Sun Belt, years before he’d lead Kansas State to the Elite Eight. While at Little Rock, Nowell was already emerging as a top-level point guard.
As a freshman, he averaged 11.1 points and 4.2 assists per game, albeit in a rough year for the Trojans. Year two was significantly better, as he’d help lead Little Rock to a regular season title in the Sun Belt. The pandemic would cancel that postseason, and he’d leave the team in February of his junior year, but his numbers were still impressive. Nowell put up 17.2 points a game in that breakthrough sophomore season and was good for more than 6 assists a game as a junior.
The future Bob Cousy Award winner was named First Team All-Sun Belt as a sophomore was only just scratching the surface of his talent and potential. He had pretty good assist numbers and was the league’s best free throw shooter in that breakout season. As most people know, he’d transfer to Kansas State in 2021 and became a major breakout star this past season. Still, his numbers and contributions with the Trojans in the Sun Belt were enough to warrant selection today.