Even if you’re only paying attention to the best teams and best players, the college basketball season still delivers on a yearly basis. For most of the Big 12, this was certainly the case this past year, while each of these programs has seemingly had their own moments in the sun recently.

Many years have passed since this conference actually had exactly 12 members, but the vibe of the Big 12 remains strong. The league has looked very different without Oklahoma and Texas most recently but those new additions have really carried attention.

Both Arizona and Houston have reached the Final Four since recently joining the Big 12, while other programs like Baylor and Kansas have national titles since the pandemic. There’s a whole lot of winning up and down the league, with each of the current 16 members doing something of note worth recognizing.

We’ll be celebrating quite a bit of that talent with today’s task as we pick out the four players that most stood out from each Big 12 program. We’re building individual Mount Rushmores from the elite talent of the Big 12, clearly including players from before these teams joined this conference.

This league has often had major stars and playmakers, and there’s no shortage of names from a few of these programs. Let’s get right into running through each Mount Rushmore and considering the best of the best in the Big 12.

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Largely as members of the Pac-10 or Pac-12, Arizona has managed to put together three entirely successful eras of basketball under coaches Lute Olson, Sean Miller, and now Tommy Lloyd. There are far too many great names from this program to hit on all of these successful teams, but the four chosen today exemplify success on the court.

Deandre Ayton

While the tail end of Sean Miller’s time in Arizona wasn’t exactly filled with success, Ayton was the greatest example that he was still a fantastic recruiter. A 7-footer originally out of the Bahamas, Ayton was a 5-star recruit and one of the most impressive frontcourt prospects in that 2017 class before spending a historic freshman year in Tucson.

That one and only year in college ball saw Ayton average 20.1 points and 11.6 rebounds per game while leading the Pac-12 in a myriad of statistics. Ayton was First Team All-American and both Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year in the conference. He shouldered the Wildcats to a Pac-12 Tournament title before they were upset in the first round of the Big Dance, but the Karl Malone Award winner left it all out on the court.

He accomplished a significant number of things in just one season suiting up for the Wildcats. Ayton proved his worth as a scorer, rebounder, and defender and actually led the Pac-12 in efficient field goal percentage. A few months later he became the first pick of the 2018 NBA Draft by the nearby Phoenix Suns but his splash of a season in Tucson cannot be forgotten.

Jason Gardner

A 5-10 guard out of Indianapolis, Gardner was a Top 20 prospect who opted for the west coast and Lute Olson’s program. That decision saw Gardner become one of the most productive backcourt players in Arizona history, starting more than 130 games at the point during some very successful years for the Wildcats.

Gardner averaged double-digit points per game each year of his career and was a big part of Arizona’s run to the national title game as a sophomore in 2001. The following season saw him put up 20.4 points and 4.6 assists per game as the Pac-10’s top scorer before earning Second Team All-American honors in his senior year as well as a third nod as First Team All-Pac-10.

If you look at the record books for the Wildcats, you’ll see Gardner’s name in the Top 5 for points, steals, and assists, a testament to the work he did running the show for four successful seasons. The Wildcats won 11 games in the NCAA Tournament during Gardner’s career and his impact was clearly felt from the beginning.

Salim Stoudamire

A ridiculously talented shooter, Stoudamire arrived at Arizona back in 2001. The 6-1 guard was a notable prospect but he likely exceeded even those early expectations with his work over the next four years. Stoudamire developed into one of the best shooters in the nation by the end of his career.

He already led the Pac-10 in free throw shooting as a freshman, the first of four straight years averaging at least 12 points a game. Stoudamire helped Arizona to Elite Eight runs as both a sophomore and senior but let’s talk more about that 2005 season. He averaged 18.4 points per game while leading the nation at 50.4% from outside the arc.

Currently fourth all-time in points scored in Arizona basketball history, Stoudamire was the epitome of successful shooting. He put up video game numbers from both the free throw line and beyond the arc and was a key cog on a few very prominent Wildcats teams that were painstakingly close to the Final Four.

Derrick Williams

Williams arrived in Tucson in 2009 right as Sean Miller became head coach of the Wildcats. The program had been in a slight lull in recent years and he wasn’t exactly looked at as the piece to turn that around. He was a fringe Top 100 prospect and couldn’t help the Wildcats finish better than 16-15 in Miller’s first season.

Everything changed as a sophomore as Williams and this program took a major step forward. He became the most effective scorer in the Pac-10, averaging 19.5 points and 8.3 rebounds per game while making nearly 60% of his field goals on the year. The Second Team All-American and Pac-10 Player of the Year helped Arizona to a 30-win campaign and a trip all the way to the Elite Eight.

Although he only had two seasons in town, Williams put up some pretty incredible numbers and was the big reason for that early turnaround. He would become the second pick of the 2011 NBA Draft and really took off as a player with that work under Miller and the Arizona staff, even if the Wildcats would have to wait quite a bit longer for that Final Four appearance.

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Another new member of the Big 12 in recent years, Arizona State hasn’t quite had the consistent success of their in-state rivals or other new members. Regardless, between Herb Sendek and Bobby Hurley there have still been some breakthrough players and memorable moments from these Sun Devils.

Jahii Carson

After making the short trip from Mesa to Tempe, Carson hit a bit of a roadblock in his basketball career as he was deemed academically ineligible. Considered a valuable recruit, this 5-10 guard redshirted that first season and then became a major weapon for the Sun Devils, transforming into one of the best points guards of the time.

Carson averaged 18.5 points and 5.1 assists per game as a redshirt freshman, leading the Pac-12 in points while nabbing the league’s Rookie of the Year nod. His numbers were very similar as a sophomore, though more important he led Arizona State to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in five years while grabbing First Team All-Pac-12 honors again.

The two seasons that Carson had running the point were full of excitement and it’s easy to argue that he could have rewritten some records had he stayed two more years in Tempe. He was a dynamic scorer and leader and one of the most notably talented point guards that has ever come through the Arizona State basketball program.

Ike Diogu

More than twenty years have passed since Diogu played on the court for the Sun Devils but his work in Arizona State’s frontcourt is definitely worth remembering. A star forward under coach Rob Evans, he helped the Sun Devils to the Big Dance as an efficient scorer in his freshman year and put up some monster numbers across a 3-year career.

Diogu shot 61% from the field and put up 19.0 points a game in that debut season before exceeding that production as a sophomore. His junior year really stands out with 22.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks a year, leading all Pac-10 players in those three stats and a number of other metrics. You won’t be shocked to hear that he was named Pac-10 Player of the Year and a Second Team All-American too.

Even though he played just three seasons with the Sun Devils, Diogu sits third all-time in the program’s history in scoring and could have gone next-level had he stuck around for his senior year. Sure, he may have only made a single appearance in the Big Dance, but the future NBA lottery pick clearly made his presence felt during that brief career.

James Harden

NBA fans need no introduction to Harden with what he’s accomplished at that next level, but that’s not why he’s included today. Harden put up some really great production during his two seasons at Arizona State, starring under Herb Sendek back in the late 2000’s after arriving in Tempe as a Top 20 recruit.

As a freshman he led the Pac-10 in steals and was scoring with ease, but the strides were really made in year two with Sendek. Harden’s sophomore season saw 20.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.7 steals a game, becoming the league’s best scorer and Pac-10 Player of the Year. Harden also helped Sendek’s program into the NCAA Tournament for the first time and was later named a First Team All-American.

Between breaking a six-year Tourney drought and putting up monster numbers, Harden did plenty to endear himself as both a scorer and defender. He’d become the third pick of the 2009 NBA Draft a few months later and we all know what he’s accomplished there ever since.

Remy Martin

There are many in the college basketball world who might still remember Martin for winning a national title at Kansas in 2022, but let’s not forget what he accomplished beforehand. This 6-0 guard out of California had four very good years under Bobby Hurley, including Tourney runs in his first two collegiate campaigns.

Martin was a solid bench piece in year one and a great asset in year two before averaging 19.1 points per game as both a junior and senior with the Sun Devils. He remained an efficient scorer and distributor during the pandemic-altered seasons and was First Team All-Pac-12 each of those last two seasons.

The future Jayhawk remains a name of note in Arizona State history, ranking sixth in career points and second in career assists. Martin was a piece of some very notable moments in recent history for the Sun Devils and just might have been the most successful player during Hurley’s decade in town.

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Near the beginning of the century, Baylor endured a horrific scandal and saw the basketball program ripped apart. Enter Scott Drew, who authored one of the most impressive program rebuilds in college sports history, most notably winning the national championship in 2021. He’s unsurprisingly recruited and coached a long list of talented players during that time.

Jared Butler

A fringe Top 100 prospect when he arrived in Waco in 2018, Butler would build quite a reputation across the next three seasons and it’s impossible to forget him in the story of Baylor’s revival. The Louisiana native was an important piece as a freshman and started earning some national honors as a sophomore right before the pandemic.

It’s his third season that really stands out, as he’d average 16.7 points, 4.8 assists, and 2.0 steals per game for the Bears. Butler led the Big 12 by shooting 42% from beyond the arc and was named a First Team All-American. Obviously it was more than just those accomplishments, as he spearheaded Baylor to their first national title.

The Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player in 2021 had 22 points in that awesome title win over Gonzaga and etched his name forever in Baylor history. He was one of the most important guards we’ve seen suit up under Scott Drew and also ranks pretty high on the program’s assists list despite heading to the NBA after three years.

LaceDarius Dunn

The first few years for Drew at Baylor were a difficult rehabilitation project but Dunn was one of those early pieces who started to turn the tide for the program. A top 40 recruit out of Monroe, Louisiana, he became a scoring menace in the Baylor backcourt, even averaging nearly 14 points a game off the bench as a freshman.

A major playmaker and offensive weapon, Dunn would average 19.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per game as a junior in his first year as a full-time starter. His 42% mark from outside the arc led the conference while also helping the Bears to an Elite Eight run. Similar figures as a senior put a neat bow on his productive career in Waco.

Dunn left town in 2011 as the all-time leading scorer in Baylor basketball history. He was a big catalyst on that deep Tourney run as a junior, the first big proof that the Bears program had bounced back and could be a national contender.

Davion Mitchell

Mitchell was recruited to Auburn and was a bench player as a freshman before opting to transfer to Baylor. He’d sit out a season and be back on the court in 2019 and would really make his time in Waco count. The former Top 60 recruit developed into one of the most important point guards in program history.

He was already effective in his first year on the court, but it’s that junior year that clearly stands out. Mitchell put up 14.0 points and 5.5 assists per game and was the most effective shooter in the Big 12, making 45% from 3. He was also the league’s Defensive Player of the Year and a major asset on the Bears’ run all the way to the national championship, the first in program history.

A future NBA lottery pick, Mitchell only needed those two seasons to showcase his skill with the Bears. He was a dependable leader, efficient scorer, and excellent defender who brought everything on the court on a daily basis for a championship-winning team. It’s hard to top that for any of these lists.

Johnathan Motley

There have of course been some talented big’s coming through Waco in recent memory and Motley is perhaps the biggest standout. A 6-9 forward out of Houston, he put up some fantastic numbers by the end of his three-year career, contributing on three straight trips to the Big Dance and helping set the stage for even more success for this program.

Motley started full-time as a freshman and was All-Big 12 in year two, but his third and final season is where everything clicked. He averaged 17.3 points and a conference-leading 9.9 rebounds per game, becoming a Second Team All-American while leading the Bears to the Sweet Sixteen and the program’s first ever ranking atop the AP Top 25.

He emerged as a dominant rebounder and talented shot blocker and was the key piece during that notable era for the Bears. Motley did a ton of good in his three years and slowly blossomed into exactly the type of frontcourt player that could thrive on the national level.

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With the lasting talent that has come through BYU, you might be shocked that you won’t find a superstar like A. J. Dybantsa on today’s list. Instead we’re looking at the lasting power that Dave Rose had as head coach and some of the incredible players that came through Provo during his tenure.

Yoeli Childs

Throughout his four years suiting up for the Cougars, Childs was a high-level frontcourt weapon. He was originally a Top 100 prospect from nearby in Utah who put in the work and really blossomed, starring in the WCC under both Dave Rose and Mark Pope.

Childs was already responsible for great numbers and many double-doubles as an underclassman, but really took a step forward in those final seasons. He led the WCC by averaging 21.2 points and 9.7 rebounds in his junior year and would nearly match that production in year four. That pandemic-shortened season saw him earn his final of three straight First Team All-WCC nods.

The big unfortunate thing about Childs is that when he left Provo in 2020 he had never appeared in the NCAA Tournament. He did manage to become BYU’s all-time leader in rebounds and his 2,031 career points puts him pretty high among the scoring leaders as well.

Kyle Collinsworth

Another prominent era of BYU hoops became notable because of Collinsworth’s excellent work on the court. He originally arrived in 2010, was pretty decent as a freshman, and then spent two years serving his LDS mission. When Collinsworth returned in 2013, the 6-6 guard spent three years becoming one of the WCC’s best players.

He averaged right around 14 points a game as both a sophomore and junior, reaching the NCAA Tournament in each season. For his senior season, Collinsworth put up 15.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. Most notably, the 2016 WCC Player of the Year had twelve triple-doubles in that fantastic career.

Collinsworth was a local kid from Provo who committed himself every day and blossomed into a national presence with the Cougars. His senior season may have ended disappointingly with an NIT run but he was a stat stuffer and incredible presence throughout his time at BYU.

Jimmer Fredette

Quite simply among the most notable and productive college basketball players of the century, Fredette transformed from a productive guard from New York into one of the best scorers the sport has seen in recent memory. A bench piece as a freshman and a decent weapon as a sophomore, Fredette grew into a major role during BYU’s success in the Mountain West.

He already led the MWC in scoring as a junior but it’s his senior year that rightfully got the headlines. He became AP Player of the Year and won a boatload of national honors after averaging 28.9 points and 4.3 assists per game while making just under 40% from long-range. Fredette keyed the Cougars on a Sweet Sixteen run and remains the most recent player to eclipse 1,000 points in a single season.

A 52-point outburst against New Mexico was the best ever for a BYU player, though he currently sits just second all-time in scoring in Cougars history. Regardless, no longtime fans of this sport have forgotten Fredette’s efforts and how explosive he was on the court at BYU.

Tyler Haws

Another local kid turned superstar, Haws is another talented guard who arrived at BYU and impressed right away before serving his LDS mission. He was gone during a few nice runs for the program and overlapped with Collinsworth and Fredette briefly, but when he returned on court in 2012 he was a man on a mission.

In each of his final three collegiate campaigns Haws averaged at least 21 points per game. He was one of the most impressive players in the WCC and shot 38% from outside the arc in his career. He helped the Cougars to two more trips to the Big Dance and was even WCC Player of the Year during a junior season where he put up 23.2 points and 3.8 rebounds a night.

Haws is the name that sits atop BYU history in career points, totaling 2,720 at the end of his career. During those last three years in Provo, it’s hard to find a player who had a larger impact for any team with all the shots that Haws was putting up for the Cougars, contributing on some really solid units.

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Thanks to some recent struggles for the Bearcats, we’re drawing today’s picks from two much more prosperous eras of Cincinnati basketball. Bob Huggins did a ton of good during his long stretch helming the Bearcats while Mick Cronin also brought in some great talent later in this century.

Gary Clark

A 6-7 forward out of Clayton, North Carolina, Clark came to Cincinnati during a prosperous era in 2014 and contributed to the Bearcats’ success over the next four years. He started nearly all of the 139 games he played and became an important playmaker and rebounder by the end of his career.

Clark contributed on four NCAA Tournament teams and was one of the best frontcourt pieces in the AAC. Not only was he one of the league’s best rebounders throughout his tenure, he was twice named AAC Defensive Player of the Year and even earned Player of the Year honors as a senior. Clark averaged 12.9 points and 8.7 rebounds in that season.

While there weren’t any deep postseason runs for the Bearcats during his stretch in town, Clark was one of the most prominent rebounders the program has seen in recent memory. His numbers can’t compare to a legend like Oscar Robertson, but Clark simply helped continue success in Cincinnati and made plenty of noise in the AAC while doing it.

Sean Kilpatrick

Paramount under Mick Cronin through Cincinnati’s burst of success in the 2010’s, Kilpatrick is a 6-4 guard out of Yonkers who developed into a major star for the Bearcats. He showed talent as a backup as a freshman and was soon a double-digit scorer, helping Cincinnati to the Sweet Sixteen as a sophomore.

Kilpatrick put up great numbers early in his career in the Big East, but his senior season in the AAC was next-level. Before helping his program to a fourth-straight trip to the Big Dance, Kilpatrick averaged 20.6 points and 4.3 rebounds per game and was named a First Team All-American for his efforts.

His total of 2,145 career points sits behind only Oscar Robertson among the program’s all-time leaders, though it was more about just scoring points for Kilpatrick. He helped Cronin usher in the next successful era of Cincinnati basketball with those postseason trips and anchored plenty of winning during his college playing days.

Steve Logan

Logan is a 6-0 guard out of Cleveland who was a major piece during real prosperity for the Bearcats. Under Bob Huggins, this program was really thriving as members of Conference USA around the turn of the century and Logan is real evidence of that.

His four years were filled with winning and on-court success, transforming from a solid offensive weapon to a national threat by his senior year. After a Sweet Sixteen run as a junior, Logan’s senior year featured an All-American nod after 22.0 points and 5.3 assists per game on a 31-win Bearcats team that nabbed a top seed at the 2002 NCAA Tournament.

While that postseason may not have gone according to plan, Logan’s career as a whole was still an impressive effort. He blossomed into a top-level guard at the national level and sits among Cincinnati’s all-time leaders in points and assists. It’s hard to find much better among star point guards for the Bearcats and he really did matter in this program.

Kenyon Martin

We’re bending our own rules a little with this inclusion, but Martin’s best work did come as a senior during the latter half of the 1999-00 basketball season. A 6-9 center and outstanding athlete, he became a superstar with the Bearcats and one of the nation’s most prolific shot blockers.

Martin already became an elite defender in the CUSA, though it’s his senior year where everything came together. He averaged 18.9 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks per game, grabbing most of the national awards as AP Player of the Year for 2000. This was another prosperous year for Cincinnati while Martin finished among the national leaders in points and blocks.

The future top pick of the 2000 NBA Draft established himself in a major way during his collegiate playing days. Martin was phenomenal around the rim as one of the nation’s most efficient scorers and terrifying defenders. Even before his long NBA career he was already revered and remains the top shot blocker in Cincinnati history.

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With their departure and return to the Big 12, Colorado has seen a number of eras in their basketball program over the years. We’re looking at four players who really stood out during that time. You could easily argue that a few other players could’ve gotten the look, but these guys really put in the work for the Buffaloes.

Alec Burks

The work in Boulder only lasted for two seasons but Burks is a player who really made those years count, growing into one of the most impressive Colorado basketball players in recent memory. A 6-6 guard out of Missouri, he took on a major role from the jump with the Buffaloes under head coach Jeff Bzdelik and even evolved in Tad Boyle’s first year as a sophomore.

That freshman year included 17.1 points per game, while Burks also led the Big 12 in field goal percentage as the league’s Rookie of the Year. His second year lived up to the hype, with Burks getting Colorado to a 24-win season while putting up 20.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.

Burks earned national recognition for that sophomore season and months later became an early first round pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. Not only did he become the Big 12’s top scorer in that sophomore year, it was the most points scored in a single player by a member of the Buffaloes. Suffice to say he did a lot of good in those two years.

Spencer Dinwiddie

As Burks headed to the draft, in marched Dinwiddie, the next 6-6 guard and future star for the Buffaloes. A significant part of Boyle’s first real recruiting class in Boulder, Dinwiddie was a starter and double-digit scorer from the jump and helped Colorado to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances.

He showcased fantastic athleticism and next-level potential while with the Buffaloes. As a sophomore, Dinwiddie put up 15.3 points per game and developed into a reliable shooter. Unfortunately, a bad ACL injury midway through his junior year put an end to his collegiate career, though he was producing comparable numbers in that final season.

That clearly wasn’t the end for Dinwiddie, who rehabilitated and would spend more than a decade playing in the NBA. On the surface level, the numbers don’t really sprint off the page, and he wasn’t exactly setting program records, but Dinwiddie played his role well during Colorado’s first run of three straight NCAA Tournament appearances in program history.

David Harrison

A fantastic talent back during Ricardo Patton’s tenure as head coach, Harrison is a 7-footeer and highly-regard prospect, ranked among the Top 20 in the class of 2001. He certainly didn’t disappoint during what would become a 3-year career in Boulder, becoming one of the most efficient scorers and shot blockers in the nation.

Harrison led the Big 12 twice in both field goal percentage and blocks and was already a double-digit scorer as an underclassman. After reaching the Big Dance as a sophomore, he took a step forward in year three by averaging 17.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, and a league-best 2.9 blocks per game, earning First Team All-Big 12 honors.

This wasn’t exactly an era where Colorado was winning a lot of games in the Big 12, but Harrison became the best shot blocker in program history and levied that success into a late first round draft pick in 2004. He was of the utmost importance during that era as a rim protector thanks to his efficiency and strength on both sides of the ball.

McKinley Wright IV

The most recent of the bunch, Wright starred for the Buffaloes during their sojourn into the Pac-12, arriving in 2017 and immediately becoming a focal piece. He worked tirelessly and became a great scorer and distributor while running the point for Colorado, leading the team to three straight 21-win campaigns.

Each of his four seasons featured at least 13 points per game and some pretty nice assist numbers too.  By senior year, Wright was averaging 15.2 points and 5.7 assists, with that latter figure leading all Pac-12 guards. He also helped Colorado back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in five years and earned First Team All-Pac-12 honors for a third straight year.

Wright was consistent across a career that has him atop the Colorado all-time leaderboards in assists. His career navigated the pandemic and involved many other talented players, but Wright stands out for his leadership and athleticism, truly becoming a must-see guard during that era of the Pac-12.

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A program that was mostly dormant for three decades really woke up with the hiring of Kelvin Sampson back in 2014. Sampson brought a fantastic pedigree of coaching success and transformed the Cougars from a forgotten program to a Big 12 champion, with a few Final Four trips along the way. Don’t be shocked that all of these inclusions were his star players across the last decade.

Rob Gray

As Sampson began that turnaround, Gray was the first real star that Houston had on the court. He arrived as a notable piece of Sampson’s first recruiting class in 2015. Even as a bench piece, Gray put up 16.0 points per game as a freshman and really turned into one of the best guards in the early days of the AAC.

The conference honors would come soon after, especially after he put up 20.6 points per game to lead the league in scoring as a sophomore. During his third and final year in Houston, Gray broke a long NCAA Tournament drought after putting up 19.3 points and 4.4 assists per game, with a 39-point effort in a Tourney win over San Diego State.

The numbers themselves were impressive and Gray remains among the Top 10 scorers in Cougars basketball history. We’re not including Gray just because he scored a lot of points; it’s what he brought to Houston as the first major building block in turning the Cougars from a long afterthought to regular contenders.

Quentin Grimes

A native of The Woodlands in Texas, Grimes was a Top 10 prospect and major recruit back in 2018 and unsurprisingly chose Kansas. His work with the Jayhawks was impressive as a starting guard, though after that freshman campaign he opted to transfer and certainly found a good fit with Sampson’s Cougars.

His first year there was shortened by the pandemic in 2020, but Grimes still took a big step forward in his career. Suffice to say his junior season was the real big step in more ways than one. Not only was he a Third Team All-American, averaging 17.8 points per game and an AAC-best 40% from long-range, Grimes also took the Cougars to the Final Four.

Grimes had a career that took a few turns but ended nearly on top of the college basketball world. The future first round pick really found his footing at Houston and was the major contributor on their first Final Four team in almost forty years.

Marcus Sasser

Another in the recent line of elite Cougars guards, Sasser arrived in Houston from Red Oak, Texas in 2019 and was along the ride for many notable moments in this program’s recent history. He became a double-digit scorer as a sophomore during that Final Four run in 2021 and then showed great resolve late in his career.

A toe injury would end his junior year after just 12 games, but Sasser came on stronger than ever as a senior. That final campaign featured First Team All-American honors, leading the Cougars in many categories while producing 16.8 points and 3.1 assists per game with solid shooting figures. He helped Houston back to the Sweet Sixteen and remains one of the most notable scorers in AAC history.

Considering that Sasser played through the pandemic and missed more than half of his junior year, he still accomplished quite a lot in four seasons in Houston. He was part of a ton of winning and truly bloomed into that next elite guard and continued this recent era of profound excellence for Sampson’s program.

Jamal Shead

A 6-1 point guard and yet another formidable guard maturing in Sampson’s system, Shead arrived in Houston during the pandemic in 2020 and did solid work in a backup role as a freshman. He really settled in as a star at the point for the Cougars from there and was responsible for a ton of success over the next three seasons.

Houston reached at least the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament in each of his four seasons on campus. Shead was impressive early in his career but really stood out as a senior, contributing 12.9 points and 6.3 assists per game. He became the latest Houston guard to be First Team All-American, helming a team that won 32 games for a third season in a row.

Shead is actually third all-time in program history in both assists and steals and was clearly a major part of the Cougars’ success since the start of the pandemic. He played his role magnificently running the point while other stars like Sasser flourished before stepping into that starring role as a senior before heading to the NBA.

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Even though we’ve seen TJ Otzelberger take the Cyclones to five straight NCAA Tournaments, including three Sweet Sixteen’s, you surprisingly won’t find any of his players on today’s list. A few of those names just missed out thanks to great success earlier in the century, with Iowa State really having some big ups and downs since 2000.

Marcus Fizer

It’s another example of us bending the rules a bit, but it’s hard to ignore what Fizer accomplished even if he only played a few months of this century. His journey at Iowa State began way back under Tim Floyd in 1997 before turning into one of the best scorers and most productive frontcourt weapons in the entire Big 12.

The league’s Rookie of the Year took a big step forward as a freshman but really came into his own in a historic junior year. Fizer led the entire nation in points after averaging 22.8 points and 7.7 rebounds, grabbing First Team All-American and Big 12 Player of the Year honors. He spearheaded a 32-win season for the Cyclones that ended in the Elite Eight and was one of the nation’s most productive figures.

Fizer ironically rejoined Floyd as a lottery pick to the Chicago Bulls in 2000, but we’re clearly not including him for his NBA accolades. His success right around the turn of the century was profound and no Cyclone can touch the 844 points he scored in that junior year.

Monte Morris

A more recent piece of the puzzle, Morris starred for the Cyclones between 2013 and 2017 and was part of one of the most successful eras for the program. He played in the NCAA Tournament four straight seasons and was an important piece as the starting point guard for much of that journey.

In addition to several All-Big 12 honors, Morris led the conference in assists twice and was a very profound weapon on both sides of the court. He averaged 16.4 points and 6.2 assists as a senior and also played in two Sweet Sixteen’s with Iowa State, starring under both Fred Hoiberg and Steve Prohm.

Morris is Iowa State’s all-time leader in assists and you’ll see him in pretty good shape among a number of other career stats for the program. He made 38% of his 3-pointers and more often than not made his teammates better by putting the ball in the right place. He also won a ton of games with the Cyclones and it’s hard to argue with that alone.

Georges Niang

One of Hoiberg’s most notable recruits, Niang was a Top 75 name in 2012 when he arrived in Iowa from Massachusetts. The 6-8 forward didn’t take long to join the starting lineup and would feature in nearly 140 games across the next four seasons, with himself also appearing in four straight NCAA Tournaments.

Niang was a great all-around player during his career and was already a Third Team All-American as a junior. He led the Big 12 in field goal percentage in his final season while putting up 20.5 points and 6.2 rebounds a game, grabbing the Karl Malone Award and Second Team All-American honors on a Sweet Sixteen team.

There are a lot more words we could say about what Niang meant to the Cyclones during his time in Ames, but frontcourt weapons like this don’t exactly walk through the door on a yearly basis. He ranks second all-time in program history in scoring and was a clear contributor during some really sharp years for Iowa State.

Jamaal Tinsley

A quarter century has passed since Tinsley played for the Cyclones but we’ve far from forgotten what he meant to this program. He did great work on a pair of NCAA Tournament teams under Larry Eustachy, scoring 11.0 points per game with Fizer as a freshman during that Elite Eight season.

Tinsley took a measured step forward in what would become his second and final year in town, averaging 14.3 points and 6.0 assists per game. The Brooklyn point guard was named Big 12 Player of the Year and also secured Second Team All-American honors thanks to a brilliant sophomore campaign. Iowa State’s journey ended quickly in the Big Dance that year, but he did win 57 games in his brief career.

As a freshman, Tinsley set Iowa State’s single-season assists records and it’s fair to wonder just how prominent his name would be in their record books had he stuck around as an upperclassman. Regardless, he really took charge running the point during two prosperous seasons before becoming a late NBA draft pick in 2001.

Basket Under Review

You won’t be shocked to hear that a Blue Blood program like Kansas has had quite the run of elite talent over the years. The Jayhawks have had top-level prospects and one-and-done’s, but each of the players mentioned today had more staying power and sensational contributions to winning basketball in Lawrence.

Ochai Agbaji

There have been so many stars for the Jayhawks over the years but Agbaji’s name really floats towards the top when you consider his accomplishments. He arrived in 2018 as a notable guard from Kansas City with certain potential and would leave four years later as an All-American and national champion.

Already a solid player before the pandemic, Agbaji’s impact was even greater as an upperclassman. During his senior season, Agbaji averaged 18.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game to lead the Big 12 in scoring. Weeks after earning the All-American nod and Big 12 Player of the Year, he took Kansas to the title and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2022 NCAA Tournament.

Going out on top of the college basketball world is truly hard to top and Agbaji ensured that he’d be remembered in Jayhawks history forever. His senior year was one of the most productive seasons on the court in the program’s history and the future first-round NBA draft pick truly shined when the lights were the brightest

Mario Chalmers

An elite 5-star prospect, Chalmers arrived at Kansas with heightened expectations back in 2005. An early recruiting victory for Bill Self, he was a 6-1 point guard from Alaska who barely needed time to adjust to life in the Big 12. Chalmers would lead the league in steals in all three of his college seasons and was another player who ended his career on top.

While putting up brilliant numbers throughout that career, Chalmers was Big 12 Tournament MVP as a freshman and Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore. He certainly topped that all as a junior after accumulating 12.8 points, 4.3 assists, and 2.5 steals per game. The heroic point guard led the Jayhawks to the national championship in 2008 and was the Most Outstanding Player for his efforts.

Across his career, Chalmers made 42% of his 3-pointers and was an important asset all over the court on a Blue Blood program. He’s responsible for the top two seasons in Kansas history for total steals and remains one of the most notable programs who has ever come through the hallowed halls in Lawrence.

Nick Collison

Among the many notable Jayhawks over these recent years it’s fair to include Collison among the very best. A 6-9 forward and notable recruit way back in 1999, he was a star player for Roy Williams’ final years in Lawrence, transforming into one of the very best forwards in the nation by his senior year.

Collison averaged double figures in each season of his career. He helped Kansas to the Final Four in a prolific junior year where he led the Big 12 in blocks, but senior year was somehow better. There he put up 18.5 points and 10.0 rebounds a night, led the conference in field goal percentage, and got the Jayhawks all the way to the national title game.

A First Team All-American and Big 12 Player of the Year, his senior season punctuating his importance, but it’s the whole package for Collison here. His 2,097 career points is actually second all-time in program history while also sitting Top 5 in both rebounds and blocks. His efforts contributed to several deep Tournament runs though it’s a shame that they couldn’t quite finish the job in the early 2000’s.

Frank Mason III

Another notable guard in a long line of backcourt success stories, Mason truly stood out for what he accomplished in the mid-2010’s with these Jayhawks. He didn’t win a title or even make a Final Four, but he put up some crazy numbers and was a true leader for this program.

The former Top 100 guard out of Virginia was a decent backup initially and then a productive point guard until taking a big leap in year four. During his senior season, Mason averaged 20.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game. He won the Naismith, AP Player of the Year, and plenty of other honors while leading Kansas to the Elite Eight for a second straight season.

That single season ranks among the most productive we’ve seen from a Kansas player in recent memory. He’s among the career leaders in points and assists and was quite literally a leader throughout his time playing under Self with the Jayhawks, with Kansas winning 116 games during his career.

Basket Under Review

Not always in the shadow of their in-state rivals, Kansas State produced more than a couple standout players and notable seasons since the turn of the century. We’re covering several different eras of Kansas State basketball though it shouldn’t take much effort to guess who exactly we’re starting with for the Wildcats.

Michael Beasley

A name you’ll often hear among the best college basketball players nationwide in recent memory, Beasley certainly made his career count during his lone season at Kansas State. Considered a Top 5 prospect, the 6-9 forward from Washington DC starred during Frank Martin’s first season roaming the sidelines.

Beasley put up video game numbers for the Wildcats, averaging 26.2 points and 12.4 rebounds per game. A First Team All-American and the Big 12 Player of the Year, Beasley led the entire nation in rebounding and was one of the top scorers in the nation, clearly developing into one of the best frontcourt players in the country.

One of the most notable one-and-done players in recent memory, Beasley couldn’t get the Wildcats past the second round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament but still accomplished sensational things in that lone collegiate season. The future second pick in the NBA Draft was an absolute menace on the court while producing the single most productive season in Kansas State basketball history for one player.

Markquis Nowell

A name familiar to recent college basketball fans, Nowell played a starring role in Kansas State’s most recent success. The 5-7 guard from Harlem actually played three years at Little Rock before joining the Wildcats in 2021, featuring under Bruce Weber before starring under new head coach Jerome Tang.

The numbers were pretty good in that first season in which Nowell led the Big 12 in steals but let’s get straight to the point. This undersized point guard was electric in leading Kansas State to a surprise Elite Eight run in 2023. This is after averaging 17.6 points, 8.3 assists, and 2.6 steals, leading the conference in those latter two stats while grabbing the Bob Cousy Award as well.

Nowell was a major playmaker on that Elite Eight run and transformed himself from a Sun Belt standout to one of the nation’s most notable players. He’s somehow third in Wildcats history in assists despite playing just two seasons and left behind quite the legacy during the brief success of Tang’s tenure as head coach.

Jacob Pullen

We’re again jumping back to Frank Martin’s time helming the Wildcats because Pullen had quite the impact in this lineup for four years. The 6-0 guard from Maywood, Illinois arrived in 2007 and by his upperclassman seasons had become one of the best backcourt pieces in the Big 12.

As a junior Pullen put up 19.3 points and 3.4 assists per game, shooting nearly 40% from long-range while guiding Kansas State to the Elite Eight. He eclipsed 20 points per game and got another trip to the Big Dance as a senior, with conference honors for his work on both sides of the ball.

His 2,132 career points lead the all-time scoring leaderboard for Kansas State basketball and that’s reason enough for Pullen to be revered in Manhattan. He also contributed greatly on three Tournament teams and racked up plenty of assists and steals during a historically productive career.

Dean Wade

A 6-10 forward from St. John, Kansas, Wade would build quite the reputation by the time his career with the Wildcats was finished. A star forward under Bruce Weber in the late 2010’s, Wade helped lead Kansas State to three straight trips to the Big Dance and earned multiple league honors for his efforts.

Notably, his junior year involved 16.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game while leading the Wildcats on a surprising run to the Elite Eight. Wade was a solid shooter and rebounder and a menace on the court, though a foot injury cost him the end of his senior season, with his Wildcats really falling off in March that year.

Some of the numbers aren’t jumping out as much as the other players included, but Wade is among the program’s best in points, rebounds, and steals. His impact was clearly noted on the court during the most recent sustained success for this program.

Basket Under Review

Many don’t immediately think about Oklahoma State when considering successful Big 12 programs but let’s not ignore what these Cowboys have accomplished. Some really phenomenal players have come through Stillwater since the turn of the century and this school has seen a Final Four run during that time as well.

Tony Allen

It’s been more than twenty years since Allen played for the Cowboys and a long time since his NBA career but there are plenty of reasons why his name will never be forgotten in Stillwater. The 6-4 guard arrived on campus in 2002 and stayed just two years but etched his way into the history books as a lead guard for this program.

Allen’s freshman season was impressive with nearly 15 points a game but we’re rightfully focused on his sophomore year today. It’s a season where he was named Big 12 Player of the Year after averaging 16.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 2.1 steals, leading the conference in steals. More importantly, he played a major role in leading Oklahoma State all the way to the Final Four in 2004.

We’re not waxing poetic about Allen’s place on career leaderboards; after all he played just two seasons for the Cowboys. He was a fantastic leader, outstanding defender, and helmed an impressive team to the most recent Final Four in program history, with recent fans likely dreaming of reliving that glory.

James Anderson

Anderson was lured to Stillwater by Sean Sutton during his brief tenure as head coach, but the 6-6 guard out of Arkansas stayed beyond Sutton’s firing. Anderson developed into a figure of national prominence by the time he left campus in 2010 and started nearly 100 games during his college career.

After nice work under Sutton, Anderson helped lead the Cowboys to the Big Dance as a sophomore while averaging more than 18 points a game. His junior year saw another step forward, contributing a conference-best 22.3 points per game along with 5.8 rebounds, getting him Big 12 Player of the Year honors. Oklahoma State won 20 games and reached the Big Dance again while Anderson was named a Second Team All-American.

Anderson became responsible for one of the most productive offensive seasons in program history and remains Top 5 in career scoring despite skipping his senior season. He didn’t have a deep postseason run, but at least built sustained success in Stillwater and became a late first round pick in that 2010 NBA Draft.

Cade Cunningham

The overwhelming bright spot of Mike Boynton’s time as head coach, Cunningham was considered the top prospect in the nation in 2020 when he opted for Oklahoma State. An impressive one-and-done prospect, Cunningham accomplished quite a fair bit before that freshman season came to an end.

He helped put the Cowboys in fantastic shape, leading the program to its only NCAA Tournament appearance since the pandemic. Cunningham was named a First Team All-American after averaging 20.1 points and 6.2 rebounds while knocking down 40% of his 3-pointers. He was also the Big 12 Player of the Year and the conference’s top scorer and had some really impressive performances.

There hasn’t been a lot to celebrate at Oklahoma State in recent memory but Cunningham lived up to his top billing. He’s responsible for the Cowboys’ only finish above .500 in league play since 2013 and set himself up well for the future. He’s now an NBA star, but the folks in Stillwater won’t soon forget what Cunningham meant on their court.

Marcus Smart

Yet another outstanding prospect that starred with the Cowboys, Smart arrived in 2012 as a Top 10 nationally-ranked recruit. A 6-4 guard out of Texas, Smart stayed just two seasons in Stillwater but earned All-American honors in both years and helmed Oklahoma State through its greatest era since that Final Four run earlier in the century.

He led the Big 12 in steals in both seasons, growing into an elite defender right off the bat. He was a real stat stuffer who had a commanding presence on the basketball court, notably averaging 18.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 2.9 steals as a sophomore. Smart helped the program to 45 wins and two trips to the Big Dance before heading to the NBA in 2014.

Smart was the epitome of success and strength during his memorable run with the Cowboys. He somehow ranks second all-time in Oklahoma State history in steals despite playing just two seasons and was no slouch on the offensive end either. He also had quite the career at the next level too.

Basket Under Review

A completely overlooked and forgotten team for nearly two decades, there wasn’t a lot cooking at TCU for much of the early parts of this century, even when they were in the CUSA and Mountain West. The hiring of former star player Jamie Dixon in 2016 really was the catalyst for this recent success and it won’t shock you to hear that all four of these Horned Frogs featured under him.

Desmond Bane

A 6-6 guard from Indiana, Bane made his way down to Fort Worth back in 2016 and would grow into a major leadership role with the Horned Frogs. He arrived right as TCU’s big turnaround began and was a big part of the program’s first trip to the NCAA Tournament in several decades as a sophomore.

That year was his first averaging double figures, though even greater numbers would follow. Nobody in the Big 12 was playing more minutes than he was as an upperclassman, becoming the league’s most efficient scorer. As a senior, Bane averaged 16.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game while leading the Big 12 by making 44% of his 3-pointers.

The work throughout his career was quite effective in TCU’s rebuilt backcourt and Bane was one of many stars in recent years under Jamie Dixon. Now sitting third all-time in points in TCU history, Bane build quite the legacy even if his career was ended abruptly by the pandemic and was later a first round NBA draft pick.

Mike Miles Jr.

Another notable guard who arrived just after Bane’s departure, Miles would become an important leader for the Horned Frogs as this program navigated the pandemic and then made a few more trips to the NCAA Tournament.

He averaged nearly 14 points a game as a freshman and was already a major playmaker in Fort Worth. He earned multiple All-Big 12 honors and notably averaged 17.9 points and 2.7 assists per game in his junior season. That was also one of the best recent finishes for a Horned Frogs team that reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament to cap off a 22-win campaign.

Miles picked up the torch and ran with it, helping reload and continue the momentum for TCU in the Big 12. He not only continued that winning culture but also scored a lot of points and did quite a fair bit of damage across a prosperous 3-year stay in Fort Worth.

Emanuel Miller

As an underclassman, Miller hopped into a significant role at Texas A&M and actually led the SEC in field goal percentage as a sophomore. However, the 6-7 forward transferred to TCU in 2021 and would become a major threat in the Horned Frogs’ frontcourt for the next three seasons, including three straight trips to the Big Dance.

Miller started all but one game over the next three seasons and averaged double figures in each of those years. He earned the nod as All-Big 12 in his fifth and final collegiate campaign, putting up 15.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists on a TCU program that won at least 21 games for a third year in a row.

He played the majority of his career with those Horned Frogs and contributed greatly during that profound era of success. Miller was a great scorer and rebounder and big part of the only time in program history that TCU played in the Big Dance three straight years.

Kenrich Williams

After impressive work at the JUCO level in New Mexico, Williams made his way to TCU in 2014. He put up decent numbers under head coach Trent Johnson but then missed an entire year due to a knee injury. Once ready to be back on the court, the Horned Frogs were now playing under Dixon and ready for a big step forward.

He directed that first step by winning NIT MVP as a junior, averaging nearly a double-double as the Horned Frogs won 24 games and that postseason crown. In his final season, Williams put up 13.2 points and 9.3 rebounds as TCU broke a 20-year NCAA Tournament drought thanks to an impressive campaign, with All-Big 12 honors and plenty of memorable performances.

A notable threat on both ends of the court, Williams actually ranks among TCU’s best in rebounds and steals during that four-year career. He masterfully returned from that injury and continues to impact the game of basketball, only a year removed from an NBA title with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Basket Under Review

Perhaps no power conference program in college basketball has had more twists and turns at the head coaching position since the turn of the century than Texas Tech. Legends of the game have helmed the sidelines in Lubbock and we’re looking at players from several different eras, including that insane breakthrough to the Final Four just before the pandemic.

Jarrett Culver

Perhaps the greatest representation of the recent breakthrough for the Red Raiders, Culver starred under Chris Beard for a pair of very successful seasons. The 6-5 guard from Lubbock stayed right at home and was part of two significant postseason runs while putting up some gaudy numbers as a collegiate underclassman.

Year one involved a surprise run to the Elite Eight after Culver averaged 11.2 points a game as a true freshman. Sophomore year was a real boon, as Culver put up 18.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game while helping lead Texas Tech all the way to the national championship. Named a Second Team All-American and responsible for the program’s most successful season, Culver clearly peaked in just those two seasons.

When you combine his scoring numbers with the Red Raiders’ postseason success, his sophomore year was one of the most productive single-seasons in program history. Culver was a real leader for the Red Raiders and the local kid truly built himself from an underrated backcourt weapon to a future NBA lottery pick.

Andre Emmett

Many years have passed since we saw Emmett putting up numbers for Texas Tech but that doesn’t mean he’s been forgotten in Lubbock. Emmett originally committed under James Dickey and arrived in 2000 but had the best work in his career under the great Bob Knight.

Emmett helped take the Red Raiders twice to the NCAA Tournament and put up some truly impressive numbers at the back end of his career. He was First Team All-Big 12 three years in a row and led the league in scoring twice, including 21.8 points per game as a junior. His senior year’s success saw him named a First Team All-American as Texas Tech got back in the Big Dance again.

A future NBA draft pick, Emmett was a phenomenal scorer during his time in Lubbock and his 2,256 career points leads the school’s all-time records. He may not have played during the most prominent era of Texas Tech basketball, but Emmett was a catalyst as Knight brought newfound momentum to the program, with three straight seasons of at least 22 wins.

Jarrius Jackson

Another formidable scorer from days long past, Jackson arrived in Lubbock way back in 2003 and starred the next four years under Knight. Jackson started over 130 games in the Texas Tech backcourt and did a ton of good while appearing in three NCAA Tournaments along the way.

He was already scoring in bunches early on but really peaked as a junior, averaging 20.5 points and 4.1 rebounds in that third season. He helped the program to the Sweet Sixteen in his sophomore season and was on the court more than any other Big 12 player as an upperclassman. Conference honors came as well, while Jackson also finished among the Top 20 in the nation in scoring as both a junior and senior.

Jackson totaled 2,221 points in his productive career, second only to Emmett in career scoring for the Red Raiders. He was a productive and athletic weapon who’ll find among Texas Tech’s best in assists and steals as well. Jackson handled the pressure and led the charge during those years playing for Knight.

JT Toppin

Certainly among the most notable frontcourt players we’ve seen these past few seasons, Toppin starred at New Mexico and was named Mountain West Rookie of the Year in 2024. Seeking new opportunities, the 6-9 forward found a new home in Lubbock and has been a monster with the Red Raiders as well.

In that first season, Toppin was named Big 12 Player of the Year after putting up 18.2 points and 9.4 rebounds per game while also nabbing All-American honors on an Elite Eight team. Unfortunately, an even better junior season was cut short after a serious leg injury, with Toppin averaging 21.8 points and 10.8 rebounds after 25 games, more than enough for more All-American honors.

The two-time All-American has become one of the best frontcourt weapons in the game and might’ve led the nation in rebounding had he not torn his ACL this past season. Toppin played a paramount role during that Elite Eight run and other recent success under Grant McCasland and has clearly done more than enough to warrant inclusion.

Basket Under Review

A recent addition to the Big 12 largely for football purposes, it’s not shocking to hear that UCF doesn’t exactly have a prosperous history in men’s basketball. There have been some great players come through Orlando and a few big postseason trips and we’ll be seeing a bit of that talent with these selections.

Keith Clanton

There wasn’t a ton of success during UCF’s tenure in Conference USA but Clanton was certainly a memorable player from that era. A former Top 100 recruit and Orlando native, he landed on campus in 2009 and became one of the most notable frontcourt pieces with his efforts for the Knights.

He was a solid piece initially and would average at least 14 points and 7 rebounds per game in each of his final three collegiate seasons. UCF won at least 20 games in each of those seasons while Clanton earned numerous CUSA honors. He notably averaged 14.8 points and 8.5 rebounds as a senior while making 61% of his 2-point field goal attempts.

Clanton wasn’t part of some deep NCAA Tournament run, having never played in the Big Dance, but his 1,000 career rebounds is the most in program history and he’s in pretty good shape on a few other leaderboards. He was a highly productive forward who shined under multiple head coaches and was certainly valued in Orlando.

Tacko Fall

It’s truly hard to forget what Fall meant in his time at UCF, but then again a 7-6 center from Senegal doesn’t pop up on campus every year. He was an understandably raw prospect in the beginning but quickly developed into an efficient scorer and blocker around the rim for the Knights.

Fall led the AAC in 2-point field goal percentage three times and blocked shots twice, even getting named AAC Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore in 2017. Two years later he was averaging 11.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game and was an important presence as UCF broke a 14-year Tourney drought and nearly upset top-seeded Duke.

While not a huge surprise with his height and size, Fall is the greatest shot blocker in UCF history and was a pretty good rebounder and scorer as well. He made 74% of his field goal attempts in his career and blossomed in that important role around the rim as UCF had their best season in recent memory.

B. J. Taylor

The Knights already knew they had something special in Taylor from a freshman season where he put up 12.8 points per game, but the Orlando native’s career then took a detour. He missed what would have been his second year with a leg injury, though Taylor came back even better after redshirting.

Taylor put up 17.4 points and 3.5 assists per game in an impressive showing as a sophomore, though he’d miss half of his junior year with another significant injury. Fortunately, he was at full strength and was a major playmaker as the Knights returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2019 and flirted with that massive upset over Duke, with Taylor getting First Team All-AAC honors.

He currently sits sixth all-time in points scored in UCF history, doing all of that good while coming back from two major injuries. Taylor was absolutely the most prominent backcourt weapon during UCF’s sensational run and one of their best players during those days in the AAC.

Jermaine Taylor

You’ll have to go way back to head coach Kirk Speraw and the late 2000’s but you’ll find another Taylor who did significant damage for the Knights. A 6-4 guard out of Tavares, Florida, Taylor was a solid contributor off the bench as an underclassman before developing into one of the nation’s most prolific scorers.

During UCF’s early days in the CUSA, Taylor became a machine late in his career. After dropping 20.8 points per game as a starting guard in his junior year he took things to another level as a senior. That season saw him named CUSA Player of the Year after averaging 26.2 points and 5.2 rebounds a night, with only two other players in the nation outscoring him on average.

Taylor didn’t play in the Big Dance but the Knights were still in pretty solid shape during his career. Obviously, that senior year and all those accolades really stand out and no UCF player has scored more points in a single season. It truly is awesome how he developed from a notable bench piece into a top-level scorer who really elevated his game.

Basket Under Review

We’re not looking far enough back to consider Utah’s trip to the national title game in 1998, but the Utes have still had some great and notable names pass through town since the turn of the century. Perhaps unsurprisingly they’ve had quite the run of big men over the years.

Andrew Bogut

Long before his NBA career, Bogut spent a pair of seasons with the Utes establishing himself quite possibly as the greatest Utah basketball player of all time. The 7-0 big man only need those two seasons to showcase his talents for the next level, turning in a really awesome freshman season before truly becoming elite in year two.

After nearly averaging a double-double as a freshman in the Mountain West, Bogut took that next step by putting up 20.4 points and 12.2 rebounds per game as a sophomore. In addition to conference honors he was also named AP Player of the Year and grabbed plenty of national attention before taking the Utes to the Sweet Sixteen, capping off a 29-win season.

Bogut truly was an immense presence for the Utes and became the best collegiate player during that historic 2004-05 season. He made himself the top pick of the 2005 NBA Draft and had one of the most productive single seasons in Utes history, ensuring his place long before the Utes would retire his number.

Branden Carlson

The numbers certainly weren’t in the same neighborhood, but Carlson is another 7-0 center who turned in quite the impressive career during his time in Salt Lake City. A Utah native and Top 100 prospect, Carlson actually got five years in town thanks to the pandemic, beginning his career in 2019 after serving a two-year LDS mission.

Carlson put up decent figures throughout his career before becoming one of the Pac-12’s most notable shot blockers and rebounders. He earned First Team All-Pac-12 honors for his final two seasons, putting up 17.0 points and 6.6 rebounds in his final season, which included a deep NIT run.

While Carlson never played in the Big Dance, he does lead the Utes in career blocks and sits among the Top 5 in total points. It’s true that he got that extra season in Salt Lake City, but Carlson was clearly a huge asset in the paint for the Utes and just needed a bit more talent around him in the program’s final years in the Pac-12.

Jakob Poeltl

Yet another impressive 7-footer, Poeltl arrived in Utah from Austria back in 2014 and would blossom into a prominent frontcourt weapon in the Pac-12. He was already one of the league’s most efficient scorers in his first season before taking a big step forward in what would become his second and final collegiate campaign.

After great contributions on a Sweet Sixteen as a freshman, Poeltl contributed 17.2 points and 9.1 rebounds per game on another team that reached the Big Dance, this time leading the Pac-12 with a nearly 65% mark from the field. He was named Pac-12 Player of the Year, received All-American billing, and also took home the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award for his hard work.

Poeltl contributed greatly on a pair of teams that won a combined 53 games. He did bolt for the NBA and became a lottery pick as it’s clear that the Austrian big man was ready for the next level. You could argue he was the backbone of the most successful two-year run for Utah since the turn of the century.

Delon Wright

It hasn’t just been 7-footers and incredible frontcourt play from the Utes, as Wright was a fantastic backcourt weapon during his years in Salt Lake City. A 6-5 guard out of Los Angeles, he arrived back in 2013 and immediately became one of the most efficient scorers in the Pac-12 before helping the Utes to that deep Tourney run in year two.

His numbers across the board were electric, averaging 15.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.5 steals as a true freshman for the Utes, while also leading the Pac-12 at 63% from inside the arc. That sophomore season that ended in the Sweet Sixteen saw similar numbers as Wright was named both an All-American and the nation’s best point guard courtesy of the Bob Cousy Award.

He accumulated quite the accolades as an underclassman and we can’t forget his role on Utah’s first Sweet Sixteen run in a decade. Wright was outstanding on both ends and ranks pretty highly among the Ute’s all-time leaders in steals despite playing just two years. After all, the NBA was waiting and Wright became a late first-round pick in 2015.

Basket Under Review

The Mountaineers have produced some memorable moments both as members of the Big East and Big 12 since the turn of the century. Bob Huggins did wonderful work and led the program to a Final Four but West Virginia has had several successful eras and notable players to consider.

Da’Sean Butler

Butler is a 6-7 forward originally from Newark who took on a major role in what would be the most prominent season for the Mountaineers since the turn of the century. He was a Top 100 recruit back in 2006 and would become a full-time starter in that frontcourt during his final three seasons, blossoming into a Big East star.

Each season saw Butler take the next step, though it’s his senior year that really gains our focus today. He averaged 17.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game and was named Big East Tournament MVP but that was just the beginning. Butler helped the Mountaineers all the way to the Final Four, notably dropped 28 points in a win over Missouri, and really ended his college career on a high note.

No player has scored more points for the Mountaineers since the turn of the century, with his 2,095 career points ranking third all-time in program history. That already gave Butler an impressive argument for inclusion but his role on a Final Four team sealed the deal, and we didn’t even talk about that Sweet Sixteen run in 2008 when he was just a sophomore.

Jevon Carter

An unquestionable star in West Virginia’s early days as members of the Big 12, Carter is a 6-2 guard from the Chicago suburbs who developed into one of the best defensive players we have ever seen. He put up sensational numbers on both ends of the court for the Mountaineers and even played in four straight NCAA Tournaments.

Carter notably helmed the Mountaineers during three trips to the Sweet Sixteen while also leading the Big 12 in steals in both of his upperclassman years. Carter was named both Big 12 and the national Defensive Player of the Year for each of those efforts. All-American honors came after a brilliant senior season that saw him end up with 17.3 points, 6.6 assists, and 3.0 steals per game.

If you look back across the last decade (or even further back) you won’t find a better defensive guard in college basketball and certainly not in West Virginia history. His 330 steals are far and away the tops in Mountaineers history alongside some other impressive figures, and let’s not forget his relevance across several wins in the NCAA Tournament. He continues that work in the NBA some eight years later.

Kevin Jones

A 6-8 forward from New York, Jones was a major playmaker for West Virginia during what would become their final years in the Big East. He was considered a Top 50 prospect in the class of 2008 and was a decent backup as a freshman for the Mountaineers, but things changed from there.

Jones played a significant role as a starting forward on that Final Four team as a sophomore though the numbers really exploded as a senior. That final college season saw him average 19.9 points and 10.9 rebounds, two figures that both led the Big 12 while also knocking down a league-best 51% of his field goal attempts.

The All-American played in four straight NCAA Tournaments, had a ton of highlight moments, and ranks Top 5 in program history in both points and rebounds. Averaging a double-double in that senior season was an incredible achievement as Jones really punctuated the Mountaineers’ era in the Big East, including his role in their most recent Final Four run.

Kevin Pittsnogle

A name many haven’t forgotten despite playing collegiately more than twenty years ago, Pittsnogle is a 6-11 center who got to West Virginia back in 2002 and did plenty of good across his next four seasons. He was a very solid frontcourt piece and was a big part of the team’s Elite Eight run in 2005, but let’s look closely at that senior season.

Pittsnogle put together 19.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game while knocking down 40% of his 3-pointers in what was certainly his most notable season. He was legitimately playing nearly twice the amount of minutes as when he was a junior and guided the Mountaineers to the Sweet Sixteen.

The scoring, the rebounding, and the shot blocking was all pretty great during a decent era in the Big East for this program. Pittsnogle just had a presence about him and still has plenty of fans even two decades after his graduation. You might not find him as high on some of those leaderboards but he was clearly John Beilein’s best player while head coach of the Mountaineers.