NCAA Basketball: Ranking top 100 returning players entering 2024-25 season
25. Trey Townsend, Arizona Wildcats
2023-24 season stats: 17.3 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 3.1 APG
The reigning 2023-2024 Horizon League POY leaves Rochester, MI an Oakland icon and a future star for Tommy Lloyd’s Arizona Wildcats. Townsend can do it all, leading last year’s March Madness Cinderella in points, rebounds and assists. With Keshad Johnson departing, the two-way Townsend will slot right into Arizona’s starting five and make an immediate impact.
24. Eric Dixon, Villanova Wildcats
2023-24 season stats: 16.6 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.7 APG
Perhaps no return was as crucial to a team as Eric Dixon was to the Villanova Wildcats. The 6-foot-8 veteran was by far Villanova’s best player last season, leading the Wildcats in both scoring and rebounding. What makes Dixon a top returnee in college basketball is that he has the strength to compete with centers and the shooting abilities to stretch the floor -- a sure-fire matchup nightmare in the Big East this season.
23. Payton Sandfort, Iowa Hawkeyes
2023-24 season stats: 16.4 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 2.7 APG
After withdrawing his name from the 2024 NBA Draft, Payton Sandfort’s return immediately raises the Hawkeyes' ceiling in 2024-25. The 6-foot-7 dynamic scorer shot nearly 38% from three last season, leading Iowa in scoring at 16.4 PPG. He was among the top versatile shooters in the 2024 NBA Draft. Expect that to be the same in his final season in Iowa City.
22. Jackon Shelstad, Oregon Ducks
2023-24 season stats: 12.8 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 2.8 APG
Jackson Shelstad had a terrific freshman campaign in Eugene last year, earning 2024 PAC-12 All-Freshman honors in over 30 minutes per game. Shelstad may be undersized, but his quickness -- especially his first step off the dribble -- and ability to change speeds make him incredibly hard to defend. Shelstad leading the charge in Oregon’s backcourt spells difficulty for the rest of the Big Ten.
21. Collin Murray-Boyles, South Carolina Gamecocks
2023-24 season stats: 10.4 PPG, 5.7 RPG 1.8 APG
Only a freshman last season, Collin Murray-Boyles was terrific in SEC play and made a name for himself as among the top freshmen in college basketball. Now returning for his sophomore season, Murray-Boyles is a burgeoning star in the making. As an excellent interior scorer, the 6-foot-7 forward is a crafty finisher who can match up physically with other centers. If he can put together a solid jump shot, Murray-Boyles may be higher on this list by the end of the season.