NCAA Basketball: Ranking top 100 returning players entering 2024-25 season
15. Johnell Davis, Arkansas Razorbacks
2023-24 season stats: 18.2 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 2.9 APG
The reigning 2023-24 AAC POY had a stellar four-year run at Florida Atlantic, helping propel one of NCAA basketball’s greatest Cinderella stories with FAU’s run to the Final Four in 2023. Now at Arkansas, John Calipari has his go-to scorer. Davis shot 41% from three last season and is a proven bucket-getter. As arguably the top transfer in the SEC, the sky's the limit for Johnell Davis, who was recently ranked as the top impact transfer entering the 2024-25 season.
14. Walter Clayton Jr., Florida Gators
2023-24 season stats: 17.6 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 2.6 APG
Physical. Forceful. Limitless range. Soft touch. There are many ways to describe Walter Clayton Jr.’s game. Let’s use those for now. Among the top pure scorers in the SEC last season, Clayton Jr. earned Second-Team All-SEC honors. The three-level scorer was an integral piece to Florida's 24-win season last year. Expect the Gators -- and Clayton -- to be even better this season.
13. Wade Taylor IV, Texas A&M Aggies
2023-24 season stats: 19.1 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 4.0 APG
High volume is the name of the game for Wade Taylor IV. Despite a scoring average increase, last season was a bit of a disappointment percentage-wise for Taylor with his shooting numbers decreasing both from the field and from the three-point line. As Wade Taylor IV -- and the rest of the Texas A&M Aggies -- search for more consistency in 2024-25, the high-scoring guard expects a monster season in College Station.
12. Great Osobor, Washington Huskies
2023-24 season stats: 17.7 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 2.8 APG
After spending two seasons at Montana State with Danny Sprinkle, Osobor sky-rocketed into national relevance at Utah State, earning the 2023-24 MWC POY award after averaging nearly a double-double. Now off to Washington with a hefty NIL deal in his back pocket, Osobor looks to make an immediate impact in the paint as one the more prominent bigs in college basketball.
11. Alex Karaban, UConn Huskies
2023-24 season stats: 13.3 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 1.5 APG.
Two years. Two titles. That’s not so bad, right? Alex Karaban has been instrumental to UConn’s past two banner-raising teams, shooting nearly 39% from three in his career. After withdrawing his name from the 2024 NBA Draft, the ultra-efficient and productive Karaban expects to be the focal point on a team that looks to three-peat in 2024-25.