45. Divine Ugochukwu – Miami FL
There wasn’t much to celebrate in Miami this past season but it wasn’t all bad for Ugochukwu in his debut collegiate campaign. The native Texan became one of the final players under Jim Larranaga before the longtime coach retired halfway through his freshman campaign. The Hurricanes didn’t win many games, but Ugochukwu earned his way into starting minutes and became a solid backcourt presence in Miami.
His freshman year was productive with 5.3 points and 2.3 assists per game, with Ugochukwu thrust into a starting role for much of the back half of the season. He’s still a work in progress and contributes on court in many ways, though the right situation could have him turn into an even more outstanding threat after showing some signs of brilliance with a struggling ACC squad.
44. Jorge Diaz Graham – Pittsburgh
While twin brother Guillermo recently committed to San Francisco, Jorge Diaz Graham still hunts for his new home after three seasons at Pittsburgh. Native to the Canary Islands and a former IMG Academy attendee, Diaz Graham put up decent production across his three seasons with the Panthers but was never more than just a role player and backup big man.
As a junior, Diaz Graham’s production was pretty similar even with fewer minutes than previous seasons. He managed just 3.1 points per game as a frontcourt backup, but was rather efficient when on the court. He didn’t have a ton of chances but was 20 of 42 (47%) from 3 and shot 52% overall from the field. If he can find the right situation and extrapolate that production, Diaz Graham could quietly have a very impressive senior season, especially as a 6-11 decision maker.
43. LJ Thomas – Austin Peay
Not every mid-major guard can boast about a Final Four, but Thomas did just that as a backup at NC State earlier in his career. The native Floridian bounced around in his high school days and garnered some attention before playing a pair of seasons as a reserve for Kevin Keatts and the Wolfpack, though there’s not much to talk about his time on court in the ACC. Instead, he transferred to Austin Peay this past offseason and wrote himself a much better story there.
The Governors didn’t stand out but Thomas sure did, putting together 14.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game in a brilliant junior season. The former 4-star recruit was a great scorer in the ASUN and was really starting to show that untapped potential. Thomas headed back into the portal again and still hunts for that right fit, likely still remembering how little he was used in Raleigh.