8. Reed Sheppard (Kentucky)
Sheppard’s father not only starred at Kentucky but was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 1998 NCAA Tournament. The younger Sheppard is a fantastic player in his own right and was a Top 40 prospect that made the easy choice to play in Lexington under John Calipari. Sheppard’s contributions as a freshman have been important and he, like teammate Dillingham, has developed into a great role coming off the bench.
Sheppard averages 12.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.5 steals per game all while shooting a devastating 53% from long range. These are just monster numbers for a true freshman, with Sheppard leading the SEC in both steals and true shooting percentage this season. In recent weeks he scored 32 points against Mississippi State and dropped 27 in a road win over Tennessee. He doesn’t necessarily have to repeat what his dad did, but he’s a scary weapon that can turn games on their side for Kentucky.
7. Oso Ighodaro (Marquette)
Ighodaro is a 6’9 forward from Arizona that Shaka Smart actually inherited, as he arrived at Marquette and played very sparingly as a freshman in 2020. Fast forward to his fourth collegiate season and Ighodaro has developed into a nightmare frontcourt weapon for the Golden Eagles with largely improved numbers in his senior season.
An All-Big East player for a second year in a row, Ighodaro averaged 14.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game on the season. He’s been an important piece of the puzzle for Marquette, scoring 21 points in an early season win over Kansas. He’s taken a slight step back after dealing with an illness in recent weeks but when he’s on his game he’ll be one of the most impressive frontcourt weapons in the Tournament field, hoping to leave his mark on a talented Marquette squad.