NCAA Basketball: Top 10 players to wear jersey No. 5 in 2023-24 season
By Joey Loose
Honorable Mentions
Posh Alexander (Butler)
After three years starting at St. John’s, Alexander stayed in familiar ground in the Big East, playing his senior season at Butler. While the Bulldogs didn’t exactly take the world by storm, Alexander was an important contributor, averaging 11.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game. This was actually his fourth straight season leading the conference in steals with impressive figures across the board.
Jalen Blackmon (Stetson)
After not playing much as a freshman at Grand Canyon, Blackmon has taken on a significant role since transferring to Stetson two seasons ago. His junior year was another big step forward, averaging 21.3 points per game with a 38% clip from outside the arc. Not only was he the conference’s leader in points, 3-pointers, and free throw shooting, he’d also lead the Hatters to the Big Dance, winning A-Sun Tournament MVP after a 43-point effort in the title game.
Lamont Butler (San Diego State)
The clear highlight of Butler’s career will always be his game-winning buzzer beater in the Final Four in 2023, though his senior year with the Aztecs alone was a great performance. He’d average 9.3 points, 3.0 assists, and 1.5 steals, factoring greatly on both sides of the ball. Those numbers alone don’t jump out, but Butler was actually named MWC Defensive Player of the Year and helped lead this team to the Sweet Sixteen.
Ja’Vier Francis (Houston)
Another player where the numbers don’t tell the whole story, Francis became a starting forward this season as a junior after minimal opportunities earlier in his career. He averaged 6.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game for the Cougars, leading the Big 12 in both blocks and 2-point field goal percentage. A decent weapon in the paint, he actually rated as one of the best defensive players in the entire nation.
Jamal Mashburn Jr. (New Mexico)
In year three at New Mexico, the former Golden Gopher continued to be an effective scorer under Richard Pitino. Mashburn’s stats took a slight step backwards, though there’s nothing wrong with 14.1 points per game. Most importantly, he helped spear the Lobos to the MWC Tournament title and a return to the Big Dance, playing a major role as the program’s second-leading scorer.