NCAA Basketball: Top 10 players to wear jersey No. 1 in 2023-24 season

6. N’Faly Dante (Oregon)

Dante is a talented center originally from Mali who has had quite the rise in recent years with the Ducks. He arrived at Oregon five years ago but played a limited role early in his career. He’d settle in nicely as a frontcourt weapon for Oregon these last few seasons and was particularly impressive this past season in year five, even though an injury on opening night cost him more than two months of it.

This prominent big averaged 17.0 points and 9.2 rebounds in his most productive season for the Ducks. He managed First Team All-Pac-12 honors despite missing several weeks and ranked high in the conference in scoring, rebounding, and blocking shots. Most importantly, he led Oregon on quite a postseason run, earning Pac-12 Tournament MVP for quite a run in March before a trip to the second round of the Big Dance.

Dante actually had 16 points and 21 rebounds against Georgia on opening night before missing the next two months, but would regain his form over time. He saved his best for March, averaging more than 20 points during that Pac-12 Tournament, with big wins over Arizona and Colorado. His season finished with that brutal double-overtime loss to Creighton, where Dante had 28 points and 20 rebounds. His talents were on full display for the nation to see; if only he had gotten another dozen injury-free games to showcase himself.