Cooper Flagg and RJ Davis top ESPN’s top 100 college basketball players list
Duke forward Cooper Flagg and North Carolina guard RJ Davis were ranked 1-2 in ESPN's Top 100 college basketball players list unveiled on Monday.
Flagg, the 6-foot-9 top high school prospect in the Class of 2024, was given the No. 1 nod by ESPN basketball recruiting insider Jeff Borzello and college basketball writer Myron Medcalf in the Top 100 list over the fifth-year senior Davis based on potential.
Borzello and Medcalf believe Flagg's limitless potential will be one of the much-talked-about stories in the 2024-25 college basketball season. His performances in two exhibition games against Lincoln (Pennsylvania) and Arizona State haven't scratched the surface.
"Flagg has limitless potential as one of the best prospects to enter college basketball in recent years, and he has been the projected No. 1 draft pick since the moment he reclassified from the class of 2025 to 2024," Borzello and Medcalf wrote.
"There's a world in which Flagg lives up to all the hype and produces a Carmelo Anthony-esque run, leading Duke to a national championship. It's within his range of outcomes."
On the other hand, RJ Davis is expected to score tons of points as the anointed go-to-guy for the Tar Heels now that Armando Bacot, Cormac Ryan and Harrison Ingram have ended their tenure in Chapel Hill.
The six-foot guard will likely get most of the touches with the Tar Heels' all-time leading scorer title on his sights and the UNC's fate rests on his shoulders being the most senior player among Hubert Davis' troops.
Mark Sears, Hunter Dickinson and Johni Broome make Top 10 of ESPN's Top 100 college basketball players' list
After Cooper Flagg and RJ Davis occupy the No. 1 and No. 2 spots in the ESPN Top 100 college basketball players' list, seven returning cagers were lined up from third to 10th places. They are Mark Sears, Hunter Dickinson, Johni Broome, Caleb Love, Wade Taylor IV, Ryan Kalkbrenner and Alex Karaban.
Mark Sears is coming off a breakout season with Alabama this past season, leading the Crimson Tide in scoring at 21.5 points per game and 43.6% from 3-pointers. Sears will look to lead Alabama again to the Final Four and possibly win the title this time for coach Nate Oats and the Crimson Tide fans.
Frontline players Hunter Dickinson (Kansas) and Johni Broome (Auburn) were ranked fourth and fifth, respectively. Fifth-year senior Dickinson is in the Top 5 due to his ability to shoot from all parts of the court and his excellent rebounding skills which always allows him to collect a double-double each game.
On the other hand, Broome is the heart and soul of the Tigers' offense and defense. The forward can do everything from scoring the ball, protecting the rim and performing other intangible stuff that helps Auburn as one of the top teams in the SEC.
Love (Arizona) and Taylor (Texas A&M) were in the Top 10 due to their leadership. Love, who averaged 18.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg and 3.4 apg for the Wildcats, is expected to spearhead Tommy Lloyd's offense as they tread a new challenge as a Big 12 member school.
Taylor will look to continue his offensive mastery in the Aggies in a bid to secure a third straight first-team All-SEC selection.
Big East big men Kalkbrenner and Karaban occupy eighth and 10th spots, respectively. The 7-1 Kalkbrenner is aiming to cement his title as the nation's top two-way force. The Creighton star will also seek to duplicate Patrick Ewing's feat of winning the Big East Defensive Player of the Year four times.
Karaban hopes his decision to return to UConn was right as he aims to boost his draft stock as the Huskies' veteran leader. UConn will aim for three consecutive titles this season and Karaban will be a focal point in their quest.
The other freshman on the list is Airious "Ace" Bailey. The Rutgers prospect is ranked No. 9 in the ESPN countdown as he is the second-ranked freshman player in the Class of 2024. The 6-foot-10 player is expected to be a matchup problem this season and highlight-reel plays will be a staple this year with him and Dylan Harper around.