There’s always thrill and excitement in world of college basketball, even in the quiet moments. Any gym around the country will feature some basketball player honing their craft, hoping to make themselves known to the world. We remember the buzzer beaters and the major upsets and the teams that go on crazy runs, but most players don’t get that level of recognition in this sport.
Today, we’re proceeding with the latest edition in this long-running series that has studied and identified each conference’s best players of the last ten seasons. Obviously, there are numerous players who stand out every seasons, either All-Americans or great performers or those who make waves in the NCAA Tournament. Many of these players star in the power conferences and our focus today is not on one of those leagues.
While we do have a few players that became more nationally known from the Sun Belt, it’s indeed another mid-major conference full of teams without extended success in their history. The league has also undergone various changes over the years. Programs like Georgia State, Little Rock, and Louisiana have each had moments in the sun in the last decade, but over a dozen other schools have played in this conference. There’s a wide variety of players represented today, all of whom did marvelous work in Sun Belt Basketball.
Before we begin, please remember that this is only looking at the last decade. Players from before 2013 are not included. Players whose careers began more than a decade ago will certainly be considered, but solely based on their performances in these last ten years. The same is true about those players who spent time at other schools in different conferences. The Sun Belt has had a plethora of exciting young athletes; let’s start running through these names.
25. Corey Allen
Allen is a 6’1 guard from Ypsilanti, Michigan who began his collegiate career at nearby Detroit Mercy, spending a pair of seasons in the Horizon League. The league’s Rookie of the Year in 2017, he’d depart the Titans and transfer to Georgia State, spending three seasons with the Panthers, coinciding with Rob Lanier’s three years as head coach.
After sitting out a year, Allen was back in action in the pandemic-shortened season, averaging 13.5 points per game as a starting guard for the Panthers. He would average right around 15 points a game in his final two seasons at Georgia State, though the Panthers fell short after winning their division title in his senior year. In his fifth and final collegiate season, Allen helped lead the program to the NCAA Tournament, scoring 29 points in both the semifinals and finals of the 2022 Sun Belt Tournament, pacing Georgia State’s end of season success.
Allen was one of the best long-range shooters in the Sun Belt, was a solid scorer, and earned All-Sun Belt honors in those final two seasons. Most impressively, he was named Sun Belt Tournament MVP for those great performances to finish off his career, leading the Panthers to the Big Dance. Allen played great ball for the Panthers after starting his career in eastern Michigan, and was certainly a major part of the Panthers’ continued success.
24. Andrew Taylor
Taylor is a 6’3 guard from Corbin, Kentucky who has demonstrated his talent on the basketball court. His college career began back in 2019 at Marshall where he’d spend the next four seasons. Taylor was an important backcourt presence with the Thundering Herd, but the program only just joined the Sun Belt in 2022. We’re only considering Taylor’s senior season with today’s inclusion, but he did more than enough to justify our focus.
Emerging as a great piece earlier in his career, Taylor was an outstanding point guard for Marshall in a great season for the program. In their first year in the new conference, the Thundering Herd won 24 games and finished in 2nd place in the Sun Belt. Taylor averaged 20.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists, putting up considerable improved numbers and being a major leader for the program, including a career-high 33 points against Coastal Carolina.
Named First Team All-Sun Belt, Taylor certainly made a great first impression in Marshall’s new league, continuing his charge as a leader for this program. He finished 2nd in the league in scoring, 3rd in assists per game and led the conference in steals. Few point guards in the nation put up those kinds of numbers for any program, especially one that made a 12-win improvement. Taking advantage of his bonus year from the pandemic, Taylor will finish his career next year at Mississippi State in the SEC.
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.
22. Majok Deng
Originally from Adelaide, Australia, Deng is a 6’9 forward who found his initial collegiate home at Indian Hills Community College. After two really solid years at the junior college level, he signed with Louisiana-Monroe in 2014 and would spend his final two seasons in the Sun Belt. He’d grow into a major role in the Warhawks’s frontcourt over those two years.
In that first season, Deng averaged 10.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, starting all but one game in a season where the Warhawks advanced to the title game of the CBI, winning 24 games. His senior season ended with another 2nd place finish in the Sun Belt, though Deng himself put up impressive numbers. He was now averaging 18.4 points and 7.0 rebounds and took the Warhawks to the CIT to finish the year. He had a pair of 33-point outbursts, including against Troy during conference play.
After claiming Third Team All-Sun Belt honors in that first season as a D1 athlete, Deng was named First Team All-Sun Belt as a senior. He punctuated an intriguing and impressive college career, emerging as a to-level scorer, rebounder, and shot blocker in this conference. Deng would continue his career back in Australia for several years, but was a certain standout during that brief time at Louisiana-Monroe.
21. Ronshad Shabazz
Although his teams would finish under .500 in every year of his college career, Shabazz made significant strides during his time in the Sun Belt. A 6’5 guard from Raleigh, North Carolina, Shabazz made his way to Appalachian State in 2015, just a year after the Mountaineers had transitioned into the Sun Belt. Things weren’t the best for the time, but his numbers were certainly impressive.
After averaging 11.9 points a game in his freshman year, Shabazz would become an even greater scorer, putting up 16.7 points per game as a sophomore and greater than 18 in each of his upperclassman seasons. He had a number of 30-point efforts (though the Mountaineers would lose all of them), and peaked with a 47-point outburst against Louisiana-Monroe as a senior. Shabazz also shot greater than 35% from long-range for his career and had decent assists numbers, spending some time as the program’s point guard.
Shabazz was named All-Sun Belt in each of his final three seasons and finished his career with 2067 career points, one of the highest marks of the decade. While he didn’t play on a winning team and certainly didn’t have postseason success, he was an experienced and talented scorer who did all he could while at Appalachian State. It’s hard to argue with his raw numbers, it’s just a shame there wasn’t more talent around him.
20. Reger Dowell
A 6’1 guard from Duncanville, Texas, Dowell actually spent a majority of his playing career in the Big 12. His career got started way back in 2009 where he’d spend much of his three seasons at Oklahoma State as a reserve with the Cowboys. He decided to transfer for his senior season, sitting out the next year before arriving at UT Arlington with just a single season of eligibility left.
Suffice to say, Dowell would not waste that final year, becoming a very impactful backcourt piece for the Mavericks. He averaged 20.3 points per game, significantly better numbers than his time with the Cowboys. Though UT Arlington would finish the season below .500, Dowell had a number of great performances, including a career-high 37-point game late in the year against Western Kentucky during his final home game.
The leading scorer in the conference, Dowell was named First Team All-Sun Belt and even got a spot on the All-Tournament team, highlighting his great last few weeks with the Mavericks. He was among the national leaders with his 96 3-pointers on the year and was a welcomed addition at UT Arlington. While this Mavericks squad clearly wasn’t as talented as his teams at Oklahoma State, this was the year where Dowell showed his talent and it was certainly on display.
19. Mason Harrell
Harrell is a 5’9 combo guard from Midwest City, Oklahoma who spent the last half decade at Texas State. He became an impactful piece of the rotation for the Bobcats after being mostly a bench piece in his freshman. Harrell took advantage of the bonus year from the pandemic and helped Texas State win a bunch of games these last few seasons.
A starter by his sophomore season, he helped lead Texas State to a 2nd place finish in the Sun Belt, though the conference tournament was stopped by the pandemic. He’d averaged 13.9 points a game as a junior, leading the program to the Sun Belt West title, including a career-high 27 points against Louisiana. Harrell’s strong play helped get the Bobcats to the NIT in his senior season. Though the team struggled in his final year, he had his best individual season, putting up 15.9 points per game.
Harrell was a solid shooter from all over the court and earned All-Sun Belt honors in each of his final three seasons, including the First Team nod in year three. Texas State won 100 games in his five seasons, and he was a major part of the sustained success, especially in the middle of his career. The Bobcats had some great seasons and got nice contributions from Harrell, especially on the offensive end.
18. Anthony Livingston
Livingston was briefly out of basketball before finding a spot at San Jacinto College back in 2013. This 6’8 forward from Washington DC would latch on at Arkansas State a year later and spend two pretty solid years with the Wolves in John Brady’s final seasons leading the program.
In his sophomore season, his first at the D1 level, Livingston averaged 15.9 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, averaging a double-double. The Wolves only won 11 games in each of his seasons in the program, but Livingston’s numbers were dynamic. He neared a double-double average again as a junior. He actually had a 20-point, 20-rebound effort in a win over Marshall as a sophomore but would drop a career-high 22 rebounds on Little Rock in that second season.
Perhaps due to Arkansas State’s struggles as a team, Livingston was named just Second Team All-Sun Belt in those two seasons, though he put up ridiculous numbers. He finished 7th in scoring and 2nd in rebounding in both seasons, with decent shot blocking and shooting figures as well. Livingston parlayed that success into a senior year at Texas Tech, though his best success certainly came while with the Wolves.
17. Erick Neal
A 5’11 point guard from Dallas, Neal moved to nearby Arlington, spending his entire four-year career at UT Arlington. He joined the Mavericks back in 2014 and would become the starting point guard by his sophomore season. The program would win a considerable amount of games during those seasons and Neal put up impressive numbers for a Sun Belt point guard.
After modest gains as a freshman, Neal would average 12.7 points and 6.2 assists a game in year two, a season where the Mavericks won 24 games. Boasting similar numbers as a junior, he’d lead UT Arlington to a 26-win campaign and a regular season title, though the Mavericks settled for an NIT run that included a pair of victories. As a senior, Neal had at least 10 assists in his first six games and would average 16.7 points and 6.7 assists in by far his best season. Unfortunately, the Mavericks would fall short of the Big Dance again, though they had a third-straight 20-win season.
Not only was Neal the Sun Belt’s leader in assists for those three straight seasons, but he was among the national leaders as well. He’d also lead the Sun Belt in steals as a senior and earn three straight All-Sun Belt honors. At the same time, UT Arlington was clearly winning a ton of games even if they fell short a few times in the conference tournament. The bottom line is that Neal was a great point guard and a major contributor to the Mavericks’ most recent run of success.
16. Bryce Washington
Washington is a 6’6 forward from New Orleans who stayed relatively close to home, landing at Louisiana-Lafayette back in 2014. Before his four-year career was over, Washington became a major frontcourt weapon for the Ragin’ Cajuns and also helped lead them to one of their finest seasons in 2018.
He’d join the starting lineup midway through his freshman year, with decent numbers as an underclassman. Washington took a major step forward as a junior, putting up 13.5 points and 11.2 rebounds a game for the Ragin’ Cajuns, including a 21-rebound effort against Louisiana-Monroe. In his final year he had even more electric performances, averaged a double-double again, and led Louisiana to a regular season Sun Belt title. The Ragin’ Cajuns won 27 games but fell short in the conference tournament and settled for the NIT.
Washington was named Second Team All-Sun Belt as a junior before claiming First Team All-Sun Belt for that final campaign. He was the league’s top rebounder in those two seasons and actually ranked among the nation’s best as well. Washington helped lead the Ragin’ Cajuns to a program-best 27 wins in that phenomenal senior year, helping maintain their standing in the Sun Belt. It also doesn’t hurt to average a double-double in your final two collegiate seasons.
15. Ruot Monyyong
A talented frontcourt weapon, Monyyong had the long route to D1 basketball success. A 6’10 center from Nashville, he spent one year apiece at Eastern Florida State and Shelton State CC before landing at Little Rock in 2019. Monyyong would spend his final two seasons of eligibility developing into a major threat for the Trojans at the back end of their offense and defense.
In his junior year, he averaged 11.9 points and 9.8 rebounds, wasting very little time settling in while at Little Rock. The Trojans won the Sun Belt regular season crown, though the pandemic cancelled the postseason. While the team itself was not quite as successful, Monyyong had a marvelous senior season, putting up 11.9 points and 11.0 rebounds a game. Among the highlights was a career-high 23-point effort against UT Arlington, followed a few weeks later with a 19-rebound game against those same Mavericks.
During that first season, which ended in regular season glory, Monyyong was named First Team All-Sun Belt and the league’s Defensive Player of the Year. He was the conference’s top shot blocker as a junior and led the way in rebounding in both seasons. Monyyong also led the Sun Belt in interior field goal percentage and truly blossomed right away at the D1 level. His overall numbers were pretty great in the Sun Belt and he did average a double-double as a senior, an impressive feat.
14. Jakeenan Gant
A Top 50 recruit from the Class of 2014, Gant is a 6’8 forward from Springfield, Georgia who was actually recruited to Missouri. He was mostly a reserve in two seasons with the Tigers before deciding to transfer to be closer to an ailing family member. After sitting out a season, he’d be back on the court with Louisiana-Lafayette in 2017, showcasing his talent in his final two seasons in the Sun Belt.
Gant averaged 13.7 points and 5.8 rebounds in his redshirt junior year, helping lead the Ragin’ Cajuns to a 27-win campaign and regular season title in the league. He was a welcomed addition to the program, becoming the second-leading scorer and rebounder, though Louisiana would settle for the NIT. He was even more dynamic as a senior, averaging 20.5 points and 8.7 rebounds a game. He had a particularly impressive stretch in early January, featuring a 45-pointgame against Little Rock followed up by a 36-point performance at Georgia State a few days later.
He was named First Team All-Sun Belt as a senior but was Defensive Player of the Year in both seasons in the conference. Gant was the league’s top shot blocker, was a top-level scorer inside, and turned into the league’s leading rebounder in his senior season. It was an impressive final chapter to his collegiate career, being part of a historic season for the team while putting up some pretty incredible numbers to lead that frontcourt.
13. Jordon Varnado
While Troy would have varying levels of success in the late 2010’s, they had a pretty consistent frontcourt weapon throughout that time. A 6’6 forward from Brownsville, Tennessee, Varnado started most of the 114 games he played for the Trojans between 2015 and 2019, becoming one of the best scorers in the Sun Belt by the end of his career.
He was already averaging 13.2 points a game as a freshman while his second year was the most prosperous for the Trojan. Despite finishing 6th in the league, Varnado helped lead Troy to the 2017 Sun Belt Tournament title, earning him a trip to the Big Dance. His numbers would continue to increase as an upperclassman, capping out at 21.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per game as a senior. He’d also have four games of at least 32 points, albeit during just a 12-win season for the program.
Varnado was named First Team All-Sun Belt as a sophomore and likely would have received more honors had he not missed a few games in his final two seasons. He finished at 1917 career points and remains one of the Trojans’ all-time leaders in scoring, rebounding, and shot blocking. He finished 3rd in field goal percentage in three straight seasons and clearly played a major role in Troy’s offensive attack during his career. Most importantly, he did help get the Trojans to their most recent NCAA Tournament appearance.
12. Jordan Brown
Considered a 5-star recruit and a Top 20 national prospect, Brown landed at Nevada back in 2018. A 6’11 center from Roseville, California, he was recruited heavily by Eric Musselman and transferred to Arizona after his freshman season. Our focus today on Brown starts in 2021 when he landed at Louisiana, leaving the Wildcats after a head coaching change. These last two seasons saw him become a major talent with the Ragin’ Cajuns.
In that first season in the Sun Belt, Brown averaged 15.3 points and 8.6 rebounds a game, with decent shooting numbers in a mediocre season for the program. His senior year was far more impressive, as he’d help lead Louisiana to the NCAA Tournament. In a season where he’d average 19.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, Brown had multiple double-doubles in their Sun Belt Tournament run, helping the program to a 26-win season and their first trip to the Big Dance in nine years.
Brown was First Team All-Sun Belt in that senior season, helping to spearhead Louisiana’s return to prominence. He actually led the Sun Belt in field goal percentage, was one of the top rebounders, and was named Sun Belt Tournament MVP. Brown’s contributions in those two years far exceeded his previous work, but his career hasn’t ended yet. He’ll utilize his fifth and final year of eligibility next season at Memphis, though clearly his Sun Belt chapter has come to a close.
11. Ryan Harrow
Harrow was considered a 5-star prospect and among the top recruits in the Class of 2010. This 6’2 point guard from Marietta, Georgia landed at NC State before transferring to Kentucky. The Wildcats won the title during his redshirt year, with Harrow putting up decent numbers the following season. In 2013, he’d transfer again, this time to Georgia State, where he’d spend his final two years of eligibility in the Sun Belt.
As a redshirt junior, Harrow averaged 17.8 points and 4.2 assists per game, settling into an important role for the Panthers. He had several great performances earlier in the year, but saved his best for the end with a 37-point effort in a Sun Belt Tournament loss to Louisiana-Lafayette. Though the end of his senior year was altered by a hamstring injury, Harrow would put up 18.3 points per game, make 39% of his 3-pointers, and help lead Georgia State to the NCAA Tournament, though he didn’t play in their Tourney upset win over Baylor.
Harrow played an important role in those final years at Georgia State and was named First Team All-Sun Belt in each season. He was one of the top scorers in the Sun Belt and helped the Panthers to a pair of 25-win campaigns. It was unfortunate that he was forced to miss a really special ending of that senior season, though Harrow’s basketball career has continued overseas and he certainly made his mark in this league.
10. DeVante’ Jones
Jones is a 6’1 point guard from New Orleans who began his collegiate career at Coastal Carolina, arriving back in 2018. He was a starter for the Chanticleers for nearly all of his three seasons in the Sun Belt, becoming an impactful scorer and ball distributor before transferring to Michigan for his fourth and final college season.
While Coastal Carolina would finish at or around .500 in his first two seasons, Jones wasted no time becoming an impactful player, already averaging 14.0 points a game as a freshman. He even scored 32 points at West Virginia during the CBI, then a career-high. Jones put up 17.4 points and 5.7 assists in his second season. Year three saw the Chanticleers finish 2nd in the Sun Belt East in the first season during the pandemic, with Jones now averaging nearly 20 points per game.
After earning Second Team All-Sun Belt honors as a sophomore, Jones was named Sun Belt Player of the Year in his third and final seasons with the Chanticleers. He helped turn the program from .500 to an 18-8 finish while finishing 4th in the nation in steals and as one of the league’s top scorers. Jones’ numbers across the board were impressive at Coastal Carolina and it’s not a surprise that the Wolverines were interested in his services.
9. Taevion Kinsey
A 6’5 point guard from Columbus, Ohio, Kinsey played his entire 5-year career at Marshall, though only played briefly in the Sun Belt. Kinsey was a major scorer for the Thundering Herd for these last five seasons, but Marshall just left Conference USA in 2022. We included Kinsey in the CUSA article several weeks back, but that lone season to end his career was more than enough to get him here as well.
Kinsey averaged 22.1 points, 5.4 assists, and 4.9 rebounds per game in an impressive super-senior season. He led Marshall to a 24-win season in year one in the Sun Belt, which was actually a 12-win improvement over their previous season. He had a career-high 37 points in a road win over Georgia State and had all kinds of on-court success in that final year with the Thundering Herd, showing no issues playing in a new league.
As a result, Kinsey was named Sun Belt Player of the Year. He was the conference’s scoring leader, finished 2nd in assists, and did everything necessary to lead a turnaround for the Thundering Herd. You could easily argue that he’d be higher on this list had more than one season come in the Sun Belt, but it was certainly his most prosperous season. Kinsey had over 2600 points across those five years, though his best shooting and scoring came in the Sun Belt.
8. Nijal Pearson
A 6’5 wing from Beaumont, Texas, Pearson spent his entire collegiate career under Danny Kaspar at Texas State. He actually started all 133 games he played for the Bobcats, starting in 2016 and ending with the start of the pandemic four years later. Texas State had a few nice seasons during that run and got some great performances from Pearson along the way.
The Bobcats won 22 games in his freshman season, a campaign where he was already averaging 13.3 points and 5.7 rebounds a game. Pearson put up decent production throughout his career and helped lead Texas State back to relevance as an upperclassman. The Bobcats would finish 2nd in the Sun Belt in both seasons while Pearson averaged 16.4 and 19.4 points per game respectively in those final two years. He scored a career-high 33 points at Portland as a junior, though he couldn’t quite get Texas State into the Big Dance, settling for a pair of CIT trips.
While the pandemic put a damper on the end of his collegiate career, Pearson was named Sun Belt Player of the Year in 2020, earning First Team All-Sun Belt honors for a second straight season. He was the conference’s top scorer and had decent steals numbers throughout those four seasons. Pearson was a major threat on both sides of the ball during his entire career at Texas State and his contributions are sorely missed, though certainly not forgotten.
7. Kevin Hervey
Hervey is a 6’7 forward from Arlington, Texas who stayed right at home, playing four seasons at UT Arlington starting back in 2014. He became a reliable weapon for Scott Cross’s program and helped lead the Mavericks to considerable success while developing into a very talented ballplayer.
He put up decent numbers early on, but his sophomore season is where things started coming together. Though an injury would knock him out in mid-January, Hervey averaged 18.1 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, a major step forward that would continue as an upperclassman. With similar numbers, he’d help lead UT Arlington to a regular season title in the Sun Belt the following year. For his senior season, Hervey was good for 20.5 points and 8.5 rebounds a game, including a 30-point, 16-rebound effort against UTRGV early in the season.
Due both to his and the program’s success in 2017, Hervey was named Sun Belt Player of the Year as a junior. He was given First Team All-Sun Belt honors in both of his final two seasons, emerging as one of the league’s best scorers and rebounders. While the Mavericks fell short of the NCAA Tournament, they won at least 20 games in those final three seasons and Hervey really showed his talents all over the court. As a result, he was draft late in the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft and has continued his career playing overseas.
6. D’Marcus Simonds
Georgia State has had prosperous seasons in this last decade and Simonds was definitely a part of that success. A 6’3 combo guard from Gainesville, Georgia, he was with the Panthers between 2016 and 2019, becoming a major scoring threat during his three seasons in the Sun Belt under Ron Hunter.
Nearly a full-time starter as a freshman, he put up 13.4 points a game in a 20-win season for the Panthers. By his sophomore season, Simonds had developed into an elite scorer, averaging 21.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game while leading Georgia State to the 2018 NCAA Tournament. He’d even score 24 against Cincinnati in their loss in the Big Dance. As a junior, the numbers were still great and he’d lead the Panthers to both a regular season and tournament title in the Sun Belt, finishing his career in the NCAA Tournament again.
Simonds was Sun Belt Rookie of the Year as a freshman, Player of the Year as a sophomore, and First Team All-Sun Belt in each of those last two seasons. Additionally, he was the league’s top scorer and Tournament MVP in a masterful sophomore season, one where he also was 2nd in steals and among the most accurate shooters. Simonds declared for the Draft after those three seasons and has continued his career internationally, but certainly had quite the career at Georgia State.
5. Elfrid Payton
A 6’3 point guard from Gretna, Louisiana, Payton had himself quite the rider in Lafayette playing ball for Louisiana. He originally joined the Ragin’ Cajuns way back in 2011, meaning we aren’t really looking at his underclassman seasons in today’s piece. Luckily, Payton’s junior season was a legendary effort both for his own profile and for the Ragin’ Cajuns.
Payton averaged 19.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 2.3 steals per game, leading Louisiana to a 23-win campaign. Perhaps his finest effort came in early January as he dropped 34 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists on Louisiana-Monroe for the only triple-double of his career. Not only was he a great scorer and ball distributor but he led the Ragin’ Cajuns to the Sun Belt Tournament title, scoring 19 in the title game win over Georgia State in overtime. His career would end in the 2014 NCAA Tournament with 24 points against Creighton.
For that junior season, Payton was named Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year while leading the league in points, assists, steals, and free throws. He clearly played a major role on both sides of the ball and helped Louisiana to a breakout postseason performance. Payton wouldn’t stick around for his senior season with the Ragin’ Cajuns and was drafted 10 overall in the 2014 NBA Draft.
4. Tookie Brown
A significant leader during his four collegiate seasons, Brown is a 5’11 point guard from Madison, Georgia who arrived at Georgia Southern back in 2015. During his time in Statesboro, the Eagles had some pretty solid seasons, though his ranking is more about Brown’s consistency and excellent performance.
As a freshman, he averaged 17.8 points per game with great shooting numbers and was already a massive threat in the Sun Belt. In fact, Brown would average at least 17 points and 4 assists per game in his final three seasons at Georgia Southern. The Eagles would finish Top 3 in the Sun Belt in each of those last three years, while Brown had a number of 30-point effort as well. He averaged a career-best 18.9 points a game as a junior before leading the program to a 2nd place finish as a senior.
We mentioned consistency and Brown spent his entire career as a premiere threat in the league, earning First Team All-Sun Belt honors for four straight years. He was Rookie of the Year as a freshman, Player of the Year as a senior, and was among the leaders in steals and assists every season. His career ended without postseason success, but Brown accumulated 2290 career points and was a major factor in a pair of 21-win seasons at the back end of his career.
3. Norchad Omier
A 6’7 big man from Nicaragua, Omier got his college career started with a pair of great seasons at Arkansas State. At this point, he’s certainly most known for appearing in the Final Four last year at Miami, but his time in the Sun Belt was pretty exceptional as well, starring for two years with the Red Wolves.
He’d put up sensational numbers already as a freshman, averaging 12.6 points and 12.3 rebounds for Arkansas State. Though those Red Wolves didn’t win a ton of games in his two seasons, his contributions were off the chart in the Sun Belt. For his second season, he was at 17.9 points and 12.2 rebounds a game, playing an even larger role on offense. He had a 23-point, 26-rebound performance against Louisiana-Monroe and would later drop a career-high 35 points on them in the Sun Belt Tournament.
One of the nation’s best rebounders, Omier was named Sun Belt Rookie of the Year as a freshman but earned both Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year billing in his second and final season at Arkansas State. He was one of just a handful of players to average a double-double in both seasons, was the league’s best interior scorer, and showcased his ability in those years in the Sun Belt. He was off to Miami in 2022 and did play in the Final Four; he’ll be back as a senior this upcoming season.
2. Shawn Long
A 6’9 forward from Morgan City, Louisiana, Long had himself a very prosperous collegiate career in the Sun Belt. He began that career back in 2012 at Louisiana-Lafayette, becoming a major factor across the next four seasons with the Ragin’ Cajuns. We’ll begin our focus in his sophomore season, though he was already a major player and the league’s Rookie of the Year as a freshman.
What’s important to know is that Long averaged a double-double in all four of his collegiate seasons. As a sophomore, not only did he put up 18.6 points a game but he helped lead Louisiana to a Sun Belt Tournament title and a trip to the 2014 NCAA Tournament. The Ragin’ Cajuns didn’t return to the Big Dance, but Long had two more dominant seasons. He had a 29-point, 20-rebound effort against Troy in a senior season where he’d average 18.9 points and 12.1 rebounds a night.
Long was First Team All-Sun Belt for three straight years and was named Player of the Year as a senior. He left Lafayette as a legend in the program, scoring 2342 career points and leading the Sun Belt in total rebounds in all four of his season. Long was one of the best defensive rebounders in college basketball since the turn of the century and was a great shot blocker as well. He put up monster numbers in all four seasons and even got a taste of March Madness.
1. R. J. Hunter
Brought to Georgia State in 2012 by his father Ron, Hunter is a 6’6 combo guard from Indianapolis who had quite a legendary run with the Panthers. Georgia State still played in the CAA during his freshman season, but he helped them make a flawless transition into the Sun Belt starting in 2013.
For his sophomore season, Hunter was averaging 18.3 points per game while making nearly 40% of his long-range attempts. He actually led the Panthers to regular season titles in each of their first two years in the new conference, but junior year was the real headline. Hunter averaged 19.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game and led Georgia State to the Sun Belt Tournament title. He had a slew of 30-point efforts late in the year but is most remembered for his game-winning last-second shot over Baylor in the 2015 NCAA Tournament, causing his father to fall off his stool on the sidelines.
In both seasons in the league, Hunter was named Sun Belt Player of the Year, establishing himself as an incredible gifted and talented basketball player in his father’s program. He was among the very best in the league in scoring, steals, and free throw shooting and clearly had a marvelous impact at Georgia State, getting the Panthers just their second Tournament win in program history. He left school after his junior year and was a late first round draft pick by the Boston Celtics.