NCAA Basketball: Ranking top 100 returning players entering 2024-25 season
45. Jordan Pope, Texas Longhorns
2023-24 season stats: 17.6 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 3.4 APG
Amongst the flurry of transfer portal pieces added by Rodney Terry, Oregon State transfer Jordan Pope may take the cake as the ultimate portal prize for the Longhorns. Pope, who led the Beavers in scoring during his freshman and sophomore years, will likely play a smaller-volume role thanks to the plethora of scoring options available in Austin, however, the high-scoring point guard will command big-time minutes in Texas’ backcourt.
44. Dajuan Harris, Kansas Jayhawks
2023-24 season stats: 8.5 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 6.5 APG
Dajuan Harris’ scoring stats may not jump off the page but his impact on other facets of the game unquestionably does, making him a top returner in college basketball. The 6-foot-1 veteran point guard is the steady presence -- i.e. the x-factor -- for the Bill Self-led Jayhawks. Harris, who averaged almost seven assists per game last season, earned Big 12 DPOY honors and expects another big-time season on one of the top teams in the country.
43. Tyson Degenhart, Boise State Broncos
2023-24 season stats: 16.7 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 1.5 APG
Tyson Degenhart has been a staple for Leon Rice over the past three years, helping the Boise State Broncos earn three straight bids to the NCAA Tournament. Returning to Boise for his final year, the ultra-efficient Degenhart can make a case for preseason MWC POY on arguably the best team in the Mountain West entering the 2024-25 season.
42. Jamir Watkins, Florida State Seminoles
2023-24 season stats: 15.6 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 2.8 APG
No player is as important to a team as Jamir Watkins is to the 2024-25 Florida State Seminoles. After withdrawing his name from both the 2024 NBA Draft and the transfer portal, Watkins has the intangibles -- and superb lockdown defense -- that can have him skyrocket as a first-round NBA Draft pick in 2025.
41. Tyon Grant-Foster, Grand Canyon Antelopes
2023-24 season stats: 20.1 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.6 APG
As one of college basketball’s premier scorers last season, Tyon Grant-Foster’s rapid rise to stardom makes the reigning 2023-24 WAC POY a major returnee in college basketball. The Grand Canyon Lopes are the top mid-major team to buy stock into this season. The return of Tyon Grant-Foster is the key reason why.