Top 10 breakout college basketball players to watch in March Madness 2024 ft. Braden Smith, Jamal Shead and more
College basketball loves a good storyline - like a breakout player who was unknown before a memorable March. Whether it's small conference guys making good or power conference guys who suddenly shine, there are tons of stories. The good thing is that each spring delivers a new cast of characters.
Here are some of the potential college basketball breakout stars for 2024.
Top 10 breakout college basketball players for March Madness 2024
10. Robbie Avila, Indiana St.
Avila, nicknamed "Cream Abdul-Jabbar" for his old-school college basketball skills and pasty complexion, is fascinating. The 6-foot-10 Avila is a 40% 3-point shooter and dishes out 3.9 assists per game. Add that to his more traditional attributes of 17.4 points per game and 7.1 rebounds per game and you see why Avila and the Sycamores are worth remembering.
9. Jordan King, Richmond
Modern college basketball gives opportunities to start again. And again. King is in his third school, but he's developed into the scoring lead guy he was always close to being. His shooting percentage is up (from 40 to 47%), his 3-point shot is more consistent (from 32% to 44%), and his turnovers are down (from 2.4 to 1.7 per game). The 19-point-per-game scorer could shock a power-five team or two soon.
8. Vladislav Goldin, Florida Atlantic
The 7-foot-1 Goldin will be a massive mismatch for many opponents. The former Texas Tech player has always been solid (14.9 ppg, 6.5 rpg). But he's tuning up heading into March, with 20+ points in four of his last five games. Given his 65.8% shooting percentage, he could be a handful in March.
7. Tyon Grant-Foster, Grand Canyon
One of the great under-the-radar scorers, Grant-Foster is 6-foot-7 and can create his own shot. His 19.1 ppg attests to his scoring consistency. Grant-Foster's last five games, his scoring totals are 16, 19, 25, 17 and 21 points. Sounds like a guy who'll do the same thing in the NCAA Tournament.
6. Christian Shumate, McNeese State
Former LSU coach Will Wade ended up at McNeese State. The Cowboys have a 25-3 record despite having nobody over 6-foot-7 in their main rotation. How do they do that? Well, with Shumate, a 6-foot-6 guard as their best rebounder. The former Tulsa player averages 9.5 rebounds per game, down a bit from last year's 9.7 per game. He's also a 56% shooter and could be a March X-factor.
5. Jonas Aidoo, Tennessee
While Dalton Knecht gets the headlines, the 6-foot-11 Aidoo might be the most irreplaceable Vol. Tennessee has plenty of guards, But Aidoo's work down low (12.1 ppg, 7.6 rpg) is unique. Aidoo is also catching fire now-- in his last five games, he's averaging 16 points and 9 rebounds per game.
4. Oumar Ballo, Arizona
Likewise, the same for Arizona. Caleb Love is the high-scoring guard, but the 7-foot Ballo is also massive for the Wildcats. Ballo's 13.2 points and 10.1 rebounds per game tell only half the story-- over the last five, he's averaging 15 points and 12.4 rebounds. Watch out for Oumar in March.
3. Reed Sheppard, Kentucky
Sheppard might not be under the radar, but his importance is hard to overstate. He's only the third leading scorer (12.5 ppg) for the Wildcats, but is on his way to setting a Kentucky season steals record and is shooting 51.7% from 3-point range.
2. Jamal Shead, Houston
Like Sheppard, everybody should know Shead's name. LJ Cryer is the leading scorer for Houston, but Shead (13.1 ppg, 6.1 apg) makes the offense roll. For a Houston team that's historically good defensively, Shead's ability to create offense will be massive in March.
1. Braden Smith, Purdue
Yes, everybody knows Zach Edey. But if you haven't paid attention, meet Braden Smith. The 6-foot Boilermaker guard is a constant triple-double threat (12.7 ppg, 7.3 apg, 5.8 rpg). He's a 41.6% 3-point shooter, a great foul shooter (85.1% for college career), and the distributor behind Purdue's offense.
What breakout college basketball players did we miss? Who do you like to win the NCAA Tournament? Let's hear your college basketball takes below in our comments section.