When you look at the complete college basketball scene, it’s easy to miss how much it's changed compared to even just a few years ago. The transfer portal and NIL have made rosters a yearly turnover for some, while international prospects and fifth-year seniors have greatly increased the experienced presence in this sport.

At a smaller scale, the SEC has also experienced quite the change in recent years. For quite a long time, Florida and Kentucky were the only programs with significant and sustained success, save for a few here and there. Nowadays, nearly the entire 16-team league begins each season with both conference and national hopes.

Alabama has become a national contender under Nate Oats, and the same was said for Auburn when Bruce Pearl was running the show. Tennessee has made significant progress in recent years, while even teams like Georgia, Mississippi, and South Carolina have had their moments in the sun. Plus, with the expansion of the NCAA Tournament, you’ll see even more SEC teams dancing than ever.

There have been talented and notable athletes coming through all 16 SEC programs, and that’s exactly what we’re thinking about today. We’re unveiling the last major conference and final piece of our Mount Rushmore series by giving each school that moment in the sun; identifying their four great figures since the turn of the century.

We’re going back more than a quarter century, and this certainly wasn’t an easy selection process for some of these schools. A few names clearly jump off the page but it’ll be interesting to see if you agree with who was picked for some of these programs brimming with talent in recent years.

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The Crimson Tide have had a great rise in recent years since Nate Oats was brought in to lead the program back in 2019. Alabama has made several deep Tournament runs and won plenty of games and notoriety, but let’s not act like it’s only players under Oats who grabbed our attention for inclusion here.

Erwin Dudley

An inclusion not directly related to the program’s recent rise to prominence, Dudley starred with the Crimson Tide over two decades ago, starting all 129 games he played between 1999 and 2003. The 6-8 forward was a reliable frontcourt weapon on some successful teams in the early years of Mark Gottfried’s tenure.

Where Dudley truly excelled was on the boards, leading the entire SEC in rebounding in each of his final three seasons. He averaged a double-double as a sophomore and then won SEC Player of the Year as a junior, averaging 15.2 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. Not only did All-SEC honors come throughout his career, but he also helped take the Crimson Tide to two NCAA Tournaments, breaking a notable drought.

Dudley remains one of the leading scorers and rebounders for the Crimson Tide since the turn of the century and is in the Top 10 in both stats all-time for the program. He was a determined and productive piece all over the court who defined what rebounding was during the early 2000’s in this league and helped turn the tide for the program as well.

Brandon Miller

A 5-star prospect out of Antioch, Tennessee, Miller made his way to Nate Oats and company back in 2022 and left quite the impression. The 6-9 forward became a one-and-done star but sure made great use of that lone season of college ball, continuing the impressive upward trajectory of this program.

Miller’s freshman season saw him lead the SEC in scoring, averaging 18.8 points and 8.2 rebounds a game. Miller was a First Team All-American, the SEC Player of the Year, and helped take Alabama to the Sweet Sixteen after securing both regular season and conference titles beforehand.

At that time, only one other player had scored more points in a single season for the Crimson Tide, and it’s easy to argue that Miller had a significant influence during his brief time in Tuscaloosa. He was an empowering figure who helped Alabama to a ton of success, despite that Sweet Sixteen exit, and nobody’s forgetting exactly what he meant here.

Mark Sears

As an underclassman, Sears earned All-MAC honors over two productive seasons at Ohio, averaging nearly 20 points per game as a sophomore with the Bearcats. The 6-1 guard from Muscle Shoals, Alabama, then entered the transfer portal in 2022 and would spend his final three campaigns starring with the Crimson Tide, getting that extra season because of the pandemic.

Sears was great as a junior before keying Alabama’s run to the Final Four in his second season, averaging 21.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game. The Crimson Tide had an effective offensive leader in Sears, who would lead an Elite Eight run in his final campaign while also notching First Team All-American honors.

The total numbers from his career are outstanding, but the 1,950 points he scored in an Alabama uniform are somehow second in program history despite playing just those three seasons. Sears was part of a period of profound success, with the Crimson Tide winning nine NCAA Tournament games under his leadership. It’s hard to find anyone to compare with in terms of that total package of contributions.

Collin Sexton

The seasons led by Avery Johnson didn’t have a ton to celebrate, especially compared to Oats’ recent success, but Sexton is the primary standout for several reasons. A 5-star guard out of Mableton, Georgia, he wound up in Tuscaloosa back in 2017 and stayed just one season, but made a ton of noise before heading to the NBA.

Sexton’s freshman season was prolific, looking nothing like a first-year player in a leadership role for this team. He averaged 19.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.6 assists, earning First Team All-SEC honors as well as the league’s Rookie of the Year nod. He had several memorable efforts, including that 40-point performance in a shorthanded loss to Minnesota, while also getting the Crimson Tide into the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

He was certainly an iconic figure during his year at Alabama, responsible for much of the success not only of that team but during Johnson’s four-year run helming the Crimson Tide. Months later he became a lottery pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, but you’ll still find many people thinking fondly of his days doing damage in the SEC.

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Since the turn of the century there have been stretches where Arkansas basketball wasn’t exactly accomplishing a ton, especially at the national level. This clearly hasn’t been the case in recent memory, as both Eric Musselman and John Calipari have put in the work for a Razorbacks program that has reached the Sweet Sixteen in five of the last six Tournaments. We’ll see talent from a few of those eras.

Darius Acuff Jr.

He’s still fresh in many minds but we’re not being tilted here because Acuff was phenomenal with the Razorbacks. The 6-3 guard from Detroit landed in Fayetteville this past offseason as a Top 10 recruit, part of an exciting crew of talent for Calipari entering his second season leading the Razorbacks.

Acuff lived up to the hype in a major way, contributing 23.5 points and 6.4 assists per game on an Arkansas team that won 28 games and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen. Acuff was a First Team All-American and emerged as one of the nation’s best guards. He led the SEC in those two aforementioned stats and was the league’s Player of the Year for his efforts, also shooting 44% from outside the arc.

There was a lot to like about this past season for the Razorbacks and Acuff was a major reason for that. His 845 points are the most ever in a single season for an Arkansas player and he clearly inspired plenty of success for his teammates, finishing 7th in the nation in total assists. We’re less than a month removed from Acuff heading off to the NBA, becoming the 7th pick in the recent draft.

Mason Jones

While he may not have been part of those truly successful Arkansas teams led by Musselman, Jones certainly helped introduce that era. A 6-5 guard from DeSoto, Texas, Jones landed in 2018 after a JUCO year at Connors State and put up some very solid numbers as a freshman playing under Mike Anderson.

He really took off in that junior season, the first year with Musselman at the helm of the program. Jones put up 22.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game, becoming the SEC’s leading scorer. He helped Arkansas take a step forward with 20 wins in the pandemic-shortened season and was later named SEC Player of the Year.

Jones put together one of those seasons on the court that really stands out, and nobody can forget his 41-point effort in a win over Tulsa. Sure, he wasn’t part of the Arkansas teams with deep Tourney runs in the following years but he was a fantastic player who helped bring that new era into town under Musselman.

JD Notae

For his first two collegiate seasons, Notae did some pretty good work at Jacksonville. The 6-1 guard from Georgia became ASUN Rookie of the Year back in 2018 and averaged right around 15.5 points in each of those years. After sitting out as a transfer, he became a big part of the equation at Arkansas just the same, helping Musselman actually usher in Arkansas’s next success.

Notae became the SEC Sixth Man of the Year as a junior, putting up nearly 13 points a game on a team that advanced to the Elite Eight. He topped that in his senior year, becoming a starting guard while putting up 18.3 points, 3.7 assists, and a league-best 2.3 steals a night. He was named a Third Team All-American for that final season and helped get the Razorbacks to the Elite Eight for a second straight year.

He may have only had two seasons with the Razorbacks but Notae certainly made them count. He fit two very different roles perfectly as an upperclassman, becoming a reliable scorer and defender on two successful Arkansas teams. Deep Tourney runs and fantastic stats made him stand out in a major way.

Bobby Portis Jr.

He’s in the recent news for NBA reasons and it’s been more than a decade since he was in Fayetteville, but Portis did more than enough to adhere himself to the Arkansas faithful. A 6-11 forward from nearby Little Rock, Portis was a highly regarded prospect who chose to stay in his home state back in 2013 and he made his brief career really count.

Portis was excellent in his freshman season on a 22-win squad but really shined in his second and final campaign. He’d average 17.5 points and 8.9 rebounds, leading the Razorbacks into the Big Dance for the first time in seven years. He became SEC Player of the Year and a Second Team All-American and truly shined in this Arkansas frontcourt under Mike Anderson.

We got two pretty involved seasons out of Portis at the collegiate level and he really took a big step in building his game as a whole as a sophomore. The All-American entered the NBA Draft in 2015 and has spent the last eleven years playing professionally, with his recent trade to the Miami Heat.

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This was certainly a football school with a long dormant basketball program for many years, though that changed when Bruce Pearl came to town just over a decade ago. He’s since retired and handed the keys to his son, but Pearl brought plenty of talent into Auburn and we’ll be looking at a few of those faces here today.

Johni Broome

Prior to his outstanding work with the Tigers, Broome was already an outstanding player as an underclassman at Morehead State. The 6-10 forward out of Florida was OVC Defensive Player of the Year as that league’s best rebounder and shot blocker before transferring to Auburn in 2022 for what would become quite the three-year stay.

Broome put up great numbers and was an important weapon in his first two seasons with the Tigers, even becoming a Third Team All-American. His fifth and final year of college ball is where everything clicked, averaging 18.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game. Much like earlier in his career, he became his conference’s top rebounder and blocker, leading the Tigers all the way to the Final Four in the process.

That final season also saw Broome become SEC Player of the Year and a First Team All-American and truly blossom into one of the nation’s most productive big men. Three seasons in Auburn was enough to establish him second all-time in rebounds in program history and he’s pretty high up on the scoring leaderboards. He was an essential weapon who put up monster numbers throughout his career.

Marquis Daniels

Auburn basketball was in a far different place when Daniels came through this program but we’re certainly not forgetting about his contributions. He was a Top 100 prospect who originally arrived back in 1999, beginning his career as a reserve before taking on a major role in this backcourt.

Daniels twice led the SEC in steals and became a key scorer as well, putting up nearly 16 points a game as a sophomore. During his senior season, Daniels helped lead Auburn on a Sweet Sixteen run while averaging 18.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game, a season where he’d lead the SEC in points scored and earn league honors.

The Tigers weren’t back in the Big Dance for another 15 years after that run, showing just how important Daniels’ play and leadership was for this program. He left town as the program’s all-time steals leader and was principally responsible for significant success at Auburn in the early parts of this century.

Jared Harper

There are several talented players memorable from Bruce Pearl’s early time leading the program, but it’s hard to ignore the 5-11 point guard who made everything really click. Harper arrived as a fringe Top 100 prospect in 2016 and left three years later with a Final Four and a ton of success both personally and for this program.

He started nearly every game across those three seasons and really developed into a top-level point guard. Harper helped break that 15-year NCAA Tournament drought as a sophomore before really delivering in year three. He put up 15.3 points and 5.8 assists per game and led Auburn to their first Final Four appearance in school history.

Harper showed resilience, skill, and plenty of heart in leading a monumental turnaround for an Auburn program long thought of as a doormat in the SEC. He earned multiple league honors and established his game on both sides of the court. While his NBA journey didn’t quite go as expected, he still holds a crucial place in Tigers lore.

Jabari Smith

Two years after making the Final Four, Auburn hadn’t been back to the NCAA Tournament, though the national pandemic clearly played some role in that. In came Smith, a Top 5 prospect in the class of 2021 and an impressive young forward ready to take the Tigers back into prominence.

Smith starred from the very beginning in what would become a one-year stay with the Tigers, averaging 16.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. He made 42% of his 3-pointers, was reliable inside the paint, and was named Second Team All-American and received national Rookie of the Year honors. More importantly, Smith helped get Auburn dancing again to punctuate a 28-win campaign.

It’s hard to compare one-and-done’s with players who stick around for three of four seasons, but Smith was clearly important. He lived up to the sky high expectations before even arriving on campus and helped get Auburn back on track for success. Smith became the 3rd pick in the 2022 NBA Draft and continues building his own legacy years after reshaping the one at Auburn.

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Prior to the turn of the century, Florida had made only half a dozen trips to the NCAA Tournament in program history. The work of Billy Donovan significantly changed Gators history and Todd Golden has done a pretty good job replicating that success more recently. In fact, despite some outstanding players coming through Gainesville, we’re only focus on four former Florida players who have all won national titles.

Corey Brewer

When Brewer arrived in Gainesville back in 2004, he was a Top 25 prospect hoping to help Donovan and this program attain notoriety. By the end of a three-year collegiate career, the forward from Tennessee had done much more than that, winning a pair of national titles while starting over 100 games with these Gators.

He showed signs of great potential already starting as a freshman before winning SEC Defensive Player of the Year in his sophomore season. After winning that national title in 2006, the numbers got even better into his junior year, putting up 13.2 points and 4.7 rebounds to win more SEC honors. Brewer was then on another level during the postseason and was named the 2007 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player.

It’s hard to top a two-time national champion who sits among Florida’s all-time steals leaders despite leaving town after his junior season. Brewer was a great player and competitor and a major reason for Florida’s back-to-back titles and memorable success earlier this century, though he’s far from the only important piece.

Walter Clayton Jr.

As an underclassman, Clayton put up some very solid numbers playing at Iona under Rick Pitino. He was the MAAC Player of the Year as a sophomore in 2023 with some fantastic efficiency figures and certainly propelled himself into some national conversations. A few weeks later he transferred to Florida and that’s where the real conversations started.

Clayton was an important weapon in Golden’s second season in Gainesville, helping get the Gators back into the Big Dance, but let’s just skip to his important senior year. He would average 18.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game while earning First Team All-American status. What’s far better was that Clayton became the 2025 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player, helping lead Florida to their third title in program history.

He may have started his career in New York and gotten just two years in Gainesville but Clayton sure made an impression with the Gators. He battled day after day and elevated this program, leading Florida to cutting down the nets just over a year ago. He later became a first round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Al Horford

There was no shortage of important players at Florida during those title runs under Donovan’s leadership and Horford was clearly among that bunch. A 6-10 forward and Top 50 recruit, he also landed in Gainesville in 2004 and after making small steps as a freshman turned into a menace later in his career.

Horford would earn All-SEC honors and become a double-digit scorer, helping the Gators to national championships in each of his final two seasons. As a junior, he put up 13.2 points and 9.5 rebounds per game and was the SEC Tournament MVP weeks before helping lead another charge all the way to national glory.

There may have been a few players with better individual achievements or statistics in recent years but Horford was an influential frontcourt weapon and a major reason for those back-to-back titles. Beyond that, he’s also carved out quite the NBA career after becoming the 3rd pick of the 2007 NBA Draft, still playing nearly two decades later.

Joakim Noah

Quite possibly the highlight player of those national title runs, Noah is a 6-11 center from New York City who became quite the personality around Gainesville during his playing days. He didn’t see a ton of the court right off the bat, but slid into a very notable role in those last two championship seasons.

As a sophomore, Noah averaged 14.2 points and 7.1 rebounds and led the SEC in field goal percentage before being named the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, helming the Gators to their first title. He came back alongside those other greats for another major run and this time became a Second Team All-American, continuing to star for his work around the rim.

Noah put together some pretty great figures across three seasons on very talented teams and remains among the program’s best in rebounds and blocked shots. The clear highlight is his role on those two championships runs before becoming a lottery pick in 2007 and few will ever forget quite what he meant during that unparalleled run for the Gators.

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While Georgia is far from a basketball program, at a school that lives or dies by their football program, there have been a number of notable athletes coming through these halls. We’re looking at several different eras and remembering some very notable players and what they did during their time with these Bulldogs.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

A Top 15 prospect from Greenville, Georgia, Caldwell-Pope had other options but chose to stay in-state, playing for Mark Fox and these Bulldogs. He would develop into an important backcourt threat during a career that would only last two seasons before heading to the professional level and the NBA.

Georgia didn’t exactly win a ton of games or make major headway during those two years, but Caldwell-Pope proved to be a fantastic player. He put up great numbers that proved his value as a freshman before everything came together in year two. That season saw him average 18.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, earning SEC Player of the Year honors while leading the league in 3-point shooting.

He spent those underclassman years showcasing his potential, becoming quite the stat stuffer and versatile athlete. Georgia only won 15 games apiece in those seasons, but they weren’t exactly hoisting up the SEC’s best player regularly. Caldwell-Pope became the 8th pick of the 2013 NBA Draft and continued growing as a player at that next level.

Anthony Edwards

Another NBA star known for his brief time with the Bulldogs, Edwards was a top-rated prospect in the class of 2019 who opted for Tom Crean and this program. The Atlanta native had his only collegiate season interrupted by the pandemic, but he helped pull Georgia out of the SEC basement and put up quite the gaudy numbers.

That lone collegiate campaign saw 19.1 points and 5.2 rebounds as Edwards was named SEC Rookie of the Year, becoming one of the top scorers in the conference. He had plenty of notable performances and helped Georgia to a 16-win season, their best finish during Crean’s tenure in Athens.

The future first round pick of the 2020 NBA Draft remains a fantastic player professionally, but he was already showing signs of that brilliance at Georgia. Edwards may have been a one-and-done although it’s easy to see the impact he had on this team and the great skill he demonstrated during that season on the court.

Jarvis Hayes

A 6-7 forward out of Atlanta, Hayes began his college career way back in 1999 as a star at Western Carolina, leading the SoCon in scoring as a true freshman. Hayes then sat out the next season as he transferred to Georgia and would follow up with some pretty incredible figures in the SEC.

As a redshirt sophomore, he helped lead Georgia back to the NCAA Tournament and was the SEC’s leading scorer, putting up 18.6 points and 5.2 rebounds a game. He was named SEC Rookie of the Year for that performance and contributed rather similar numbers in his second year before heading to the next level.

He doesn’t have the best counting or career stats due to staying just two seasons in Athens, but Hayes was a largely impactful athlete who excelled in this frontcourt. He is a big reason the Bulldogs spent several weeks in the national rankings back then and is remembered even two decades later, right before becoming the 10th pick of the 2003 NBA Draft.

Yante Maten

He’s another more recent star, but it’s still been a number of years since Maten was causing havoc in the frontcourt for these Bulldogs. A 6-8 forward out of Michigan, he starred during Mark Fox’s final years as head coach, starting as a reserve before developing into one of the SEC’s very best.

Maten played in the Big Dance as a freshman and helped lead a 20-win season as a sophomore, though his best personal numbers came later in his career. During his senior year, Maten put up 19.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, becoming SEC Player of the Year while leading the conference in scoring and finishing second in rebounding.

While the Bulldogs only made that one trip to the NCAA Tournament, Maten helped Georgia win 78 games in those four seasons and had quite the impact on the program. In Georgia history he’s 2nd in scoring, 3rd in blocks, and 4th in rebounds and certainly was one of the most impactful players who actually stayed the whole four years with this program.

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It’s pretty easy to argue that Kentucky is the most successful program in the SEC; they aren’t a Blue Blood for nothing after all. The Wildcats have had just a litany of high-profile athletes come through this program since the turn of the century and we’re going to see four different stars brought to town by John Calipari during his success here.

Anthony Davis

No introduction is necessary for this 6-10 forward from Chicago because Davis defined an era of college ball with his play. The top rated recruit in the class of 2011, he was lured to Kentucky by Calipari and put together one of the single most productive seasons in the history of the sport before bouncing to the NBA.

If there was an award, then Davis won it in a freshman year where he averaged 14.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, and a nation-best 4.7 blocks a game. The AP Player of the Year took home all of the SEC awards and led the conference in field goal percentage and plenty of other metrics. Davis then took Kentucky all the way to the national championship in 2012 and was the Most Outstanding Player of that NCAA Tournament.

Davis was quite plainly one of the best college basketball players this sport has ever seen and certainly one of the top standouts since the turn of the century for any program. Despite all the talent that’s come through Lexington it was Davis who spearheaded the lone title run before becoming the top pick of the 2012 NBA Draft and beginning quite the pro career.

Karl-Anthony Towns

There are a handful of other Wildcats who might have had better stats or won more awards but it’s impossible to ignore what Towns meant to this program. A 6-11 forward from New Jersey, he was one of many 5-stars who helped define one of the greatest seasons in Kentucky basketball.

Towns put up 10.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game as the SEC Rookie of the Year in his lone collegiate campaign, but it was more about what this team accomplished. Towns helped lead Kentucky to a perfect 38-0 start before falling in the Final Four, earning Second Team All-American honors and a ton of notoriety.

That 2015 team did a lot of things right. Towns really stands out as one of the stars from that team and clearly has continued that trajectory at the next level. He would become the top pick of the 2015 NBA Draft a few months later, showcasing himself as an athletic scorer, rebounder, and shot blocker who’s impact on basketball was just getting started.

Oscar Tshiebwe

It’s another case where a few other Kentucky players may have been more successful or gained more notoriety but it’s impossible to ignore what Tshiebwe did on the court. The 6-9 forward from the Democratic Republic of the Congo actually began his career with two decent seasons at West Virginia before arriving in Lexington in 2021.

His first season with Kentucky was immediately notable as he was named AP Player of the Year while putting up 17.4 points and 15.1 rebounds per game, leading the nation in rebounding. Tshiebwe won a ton of awards for that junior season and put up similar numbers as a senior, leading the country in rebounds while earning All-American honors for a second time.

Even if Kentucky struggled in the NCAA Tournament in those two years, it’s very hard to ignore someone who wins the Naismith Award and was monumental during some of Calipari’s final years in Lexington. Tshiebwe is among the program’s top rebounders of all-time despite playing just those two seasons and unquestionably adhered himself with his dominant play around the rim.

John Wall

There was never a shortage of elite young talent with Calipari at the helm and Wall was the first real example of this. He arrived in Lexington from Raleigh in 2009 as the #2 recruit in the nation, becoming a major star in Calipari’s first season at the helm of the program.

The results were immediate and Wall lived up to that hype, averaging 16.6 points and 6.5 assists while becoming a First Team All-American. Kentucky increased their win total by 13 games that season and advanced to the Elite Eight while Wall was also named SEC Player and Rookie of the Year for his work.

Wall played that one season with Kentucky as a true freshman but on the court seemed often like a seasoned veteran. He was an excellent scorer and facilitator and was the figurehead as Calipari started that revitalization of this program. Much like two of the other names on this list, he then became the top pick in the NBA Draft.

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While none of these players exactly compare to Shaquille O’Neal, LSU has still had some notable players come through town in recent years. The Tigers haven’t exactly been contending at the national level with any kind of reliability, but since the turn of the century there have been a few deep postseason runs including that wild Final Four trip twenty years ago.

Glen Davis

Among the most notable and memorable college basketball players of his era, Davis is a 6-9 forward from Baton Rouge who earned the nickname “Big Baby” and became a star for the Tigers. He was a 5-star recruit and massive asset at LSU and his numbers really proved that across a three-year career.

Davis was SEC Rookie of the Year as a freshman and Player of the Year as a sophomore, averaging 18.6 points and 9.7 rebounds per game in that second season. That 2006 season also saw him lead LSU all the way to the Final Four. He would return for his junior year and lead the SEC in rebounding once more, winning additional honors for his impressive work even with LSU disappointing that year as a team.

A legend of his time and a major playmaker on a Final Four run from two decades ago, there really isn’t much more to say about Davis. He was an impressive scorer and rebounder who impacted the game on multiple levels and won’t be forgotten for that deep run and energy he brought. He was drafted late in 2007 but is still among LSU’s Top 10 rebounders and shot blockers in program history.

Ben Simmons

There was understandably a lot of attention around Simmons during a brief collegiate stop at LSU. After all, the 6-10 forward from Australia was the top-rated prospect in the nation and picking Johnny Jones and the Tigers certainly surprised some folks. LSU didn’t quite have the season that many expected but Simmons still did plenty to be remembered in Baton Rouge.

His remarkable work in his lone collegiate campaign included 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists, becoming the top rebounder in the SEC. Simmons earned several All-American nods and was the SEC Rookie of the Year, showcasing nightly on a Tigers team that just missed the Big Dance and finished with a 19-14 record.

There’s a lot to remember about Simmon’s work with the Tigers, even if the team around him couldn’t quite get this team over the hump. His scoring and rebounding make him stand out in LSU history with even just that single season under his belt, as he’d soon after become the first pick of the 2016 NBA Draft.

Stromile Swift

Once again we’re bending the rules a little, because most of Swift’s career took place before the turn of the century. A former Top 5 recruit, he landed at LSU way back in 1998 and spent a pair of seasons becoming a major frontcourt threat for the Tigers. He missed time and didn’t play a ton as a freshman but he really made up for that in his sophomore season.

Swift averaged 16.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game, leading the SEC in both blocks and field goal percentage. He was a walking bucket and sensational weapon around the rim on both sides of the ball. Swift helped lead LSU all the way to 28 wins and the Sweet Sixteen and was named a Second Team All-American as well.

That second college season really saw Swift hit his stride and show his true potential, putting up some great figures while getting LSU to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in seven years. Soon after he’d become the 2nd pick of the 2000 NBA Draft but still remains among the top shot blockers in LSU history, even with just a year and a half of play.

Marcus Thornton

While he’s not quite the household name as a few of these other players, Thornton put in quite the work across a two-year stay at LSU. The Baton Rouge native was an important guard who started a ton of games and became one of the SEC’s top scorers, doing this all under three different coaches.

LSU had a bit of a lost season, including John Brady’s firing in 2008, but he still averaging nearly 20 points per game and was a lone bright spot. Sophomore year was an incredible scene in Baton Rouge, as Thornton and new head coach Trent Johnson got the Tigers back into the Big Dance. He himself averaged 21.1 points and 5.5 rebounds, becoming the SEC Player of the Year.

It wasn’t exactly the most notable era of LSU basketball but Thornton did a ton of damage across those two seasons. He made the best of a tough season and helped the program come out on the right side, totaling 1,347 points in those two seasons before becoming a late pick in the 2009 NBA Draft.

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When you think about Ole Miss, you’re not exactly swimming in deep postseason runs or great basketball history. There’s no question that the Rebels have had some great basketball players come through the program since the turn of the century even if these aren’t exactly household names, but even fair weather SEC fans should remember most of them.

Marshall Henderson

If you followed college basketball (not just at Ole Miss) twelve or thirteen years ago then you likely remember exactly what Henderson meant as a player. The 6-2 guard played well as a freshman at Utah before transferring to Texas Tech and never seeing the court. After a year at the JUCO level, he was back at the D1 level with the Rebels in 2012 and had quite the final two years.

Henderson was an enigmatic personality and one of the most impressive scorers in the SEC. During that first year back he took Ole Miss to the NCAA Tournament while leading the SEC in points, putting up 20.1 points and 3.1 rebounds a game. Henderson was SEC Rookie of the Year for that season and earned more SEC honors in his senior season, this time averaging ‘just’ 19.0 points a game on a 19-win squad.

There were unforgettable moments and outbursts and Henderson truly became a villainous figure during that two-season run in Oxford. He absolutely stands out as one of the more notable figures that Ole Miss has had star on their court and was clearly among the best scorers during the early 2010’s in the SEC.

Stefan Moody

As a freshman, Moody put up some pretty stellar numbers at Florida Atlantic, averaging just under 16 points a game. That work in the Sun Belt was really solid, but Moody took his game to the next level. The 5-10 point guard from Kissimmee landed at Ole Miss and after sitting out a year as a transfer starred between 2014 and 2016.

His work was great from the beginning, leading the SEC in free throw percentage while helping the Rebels to the NCAA Tournament in his first season. His senior year was on another level, averaging 23.6 points and 4.3 assists per game, finishing 4th in the nation in scoring while earning First Team All-SEC honors once more.

Moody helped produce a pair of 20-win seasons and was immensely important for Ole Miss with his scoring and leadership. While standing out in the Sun Belt, he truly shined as a veteran player in the SEC and put together one of the single most productive seasons in Ole Miss basketball history.

Justin Reed

More than two decades have passed since Reed starred for the Rebels but he’s another old figure who hasn’t been forgotten or ignored. A Top 25 product from Jackson, Mississippi, he started a whole host of games for the Rebels after arriving in 2000, averaging double-figures in each of his four seasons while helping the program to two NCAA Tournament appearances.

Ole Miss made the Sweet Sixteen as a freshman, though Reed’s breakthrough came a few years later. The SEC Rookie of the Year would eventually earn All-SEC honors in all four seasons and did a ton of scoring in his career. He peaked in his senior season, contributing 18.5 points and 7.5 rebounds even with the program struggling under Rod Barnes in those later years.

You’ll find Reed in pretty decent company among the program’s career scoring leaders. We can’t ignore his consistency and important on a deep Tournament run and it’s hard to find many Ole Miss players who meant just as much as he did during those seasons. He would soon after become an early 2nd round pick of the 2004 NBA Draft.

Chris Warren

A 5-10 point guard out of Orlando, Warren is another notable figure who rose into a role as a significant scorer for the Rebels. He landed in Oxford back in 2007 and did a ton of good across the next four seasons even though he missed most of his sophomore season and never reached the NCAA Tournament as a player.

Warren battled and was impressive leading the charge for these Rebels, putting up at least 15 points and solid assist figures in all four of his seasons. He earned a pair of All-SEC honors and helped take Ole Miss to a pair of 24-win campaigns. As a senior, Warren put up 19.1 points and 3.8 assists and was the best free throw shooter in the conference.

You could make an easy argument for several other Ole Miss players from more recent teams, but Warren’s efforts have to be remembered. He spent multiple seasons as the best weapon on a team many disregarded in the SEC race and helped elevate himself and this team. Even with that missing time, his 2,021 career points sits third in program history.

Basket Under Review

There have been some ups and downs for Mississippi State basketball since the turn of the century but you can’t ignore that this program has had some real games over the years. The Bulldogs have done some great work under multiple head coaches over the years and it’s a shame that a few stars like Tolu Smith and Quinndary Weatherspoon couldn’t quite make the list.

Josh Hubbard

Here we have a shocking development in this projection because Hubbard remains an active basketball player with the Bulldogs. He’s a 5-10 guard who landed with the Bulldogs back in 2023 and is entering his senior season but he’s already done enough to become that kind of memorable and standout figure of Mississippi State basketball.

Hubbard has been an impressive scorer to date in his career, putting up more than 17 points per game as a freshman, even coming off the bench for much of that season. Hubbard helped the Bulldogs to NCAA Tournament appearances in each of his first two seasons, though his best numbers just came this past season. His junior year saw 22.1 points and 3.6 assists, with additional All-SEC honors despite a tough effort from the team as a whole.

We’re going to see Hubbard take the court for Mississippi State this upcoming season and he’s likely becoming the program’s all-time leading scorer when it’s all said and done. He’s taken the Bulldogs twice to the Big Dance and has 1,947 points already and can further secure his place in their history in the months ahead.

Reggie Perry

Another important figure in recent Bulldogs history, Perry is a 6-10 forward who was a notable recruit under Ben Howland. He was a Top 30 recruit in the class of 2018 and made decent strides in a freshman season that ended with Mississippi State in the NCAA Tournament. However, it’s Perry’s work in his second and final season that really got national attention.

The Bulldogs were pretty solid in that season shortened by the pandemic in 2020 but it was Perry’s numbers that really stood out. He put up 17.4 points and an SEC-best 10.1 rebounds a game, earning SEC Player of the Year honors for his work as a sophomore. Perry helped take the Bulldogs to another 20-win season and was one of the league’s most efficient players.

Without the pandemic, we might have seen more heroics or incredible play from Perry but we’ll never really know what could’ve transpired. Regardless, Mississippi State got a lot of great basketball out of Perry before leaving for the 2020 NBA Draft, with that sophomore season immensely productive before that fateful ending.

Lawrence Roberts

As an underclassman, Roberts was a starter and key weapon for Baylor, but then the Bears program was destroyed by scandal in 2003 and he was allowed an immediate transfer. Roberts found a new home with Mississippi State and blossomed further into a star under Rick Stansbury for his final two collegiate seasons.

Roberts led the Bulldogs to two straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament and had quite the numbers himself as well. His junior year saw him average 16.9 points and 10.1 rebounds, becoming both a First Team All-American and the SEC Player of the Year. He didn’t get those same fancy honors as a senior, but this time led the SEC in rebounding and continued putting up fantastic efforts for the Bulldogs.

You won’t find Roberts super high up in those record books, playing just a pair of seasons, but he clearly made the best of a lousy situation after coming to Mississippi State. He was a fantastic frontcourt athlete and was truly a blessing for this program during those seasons as one of the best scorers and rebounders in the nation.

Jarvis Varnado

Varnado arrived in Starkville in 2006 and would leave four years later as one of the most productive frontcourt players to ever play for the Bulldogs. He was a Top 100 recruit who starred under Rick Stansbury, playing in a pair of NCAA Tournaments while putting up some incredible numbers as an efficient scorer and rim protector.

While Varnado’s impact on offense grew more important with each passing season, he was a top-level rim protector from the beginning. Not only did he lead the SEC in blocked shots for three straight seasons, he was also named SEC Defensive Player of the Year each time as well. Varnado averaged 13.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 4.7 blocks a game in a senior year where he really developed on both sides of the ball, leading the SEC in field goal percentage as well.

Averaging a double-double and winning a ton of games is great, but we can’t ignore that Varnado is the all-time leader in blocked shots, and we’re not talking about Mississippi State. Nobody can match his defensive intensity or his 564 blocks and he was undeniable a big time weapon for the Bulldogs during an accolade-filled collegiate career.

Basket Under Review

You’ll find decent success in Missouri basketball history, even if their work isn’t comparable to several of the other SEC programs today. After all, the Tigers only transitioned into the SEC in 2012 after years in the Big 12 and we’re actually considering a number of players who did their best work in that former conference.

Marcus Denmon

Whether or not his name jumps off the page to newer fans of this sport, Denmon played an important role during some pretty successful years for the Tigers. A 6-3 guard from Kansas City, he was a bench piece as an underclassman before developing into a very important role in Missouri’s backcourt, starring under both Mike Anderson and Frank Haith in the early 2010’s.

He showed great signs early, averaging double-figures off the bench as a sophomore before becoming a starter in year three. Denmon played in the NCAA Tournament in all four of his seasons, a notable part of an Elite Eight as a freshman. In his final season he put up 17.7 points and 5.0 rebounds and was named a Second Team All-American on a Missouri team that won 30 games.

Denmon is the program’s leading scorer since the turn of the century, with his 1,775 career points fifth all-time in Missouri history. Beyond his role as a scorer, he was a key piece of some talented backcourts during that era of success, even if that 2012 season ended a certain disappointing and unforgettable way.

Arthur Johnson

Another significant scorer during an era of success for Missouri basketball, Johnson is a 6-9 center out of Detroit who arrived way back in 2000 and started a boatload of games over the next four years. He was an impressive paint presence who could score, rebound, and protect the rim and contributed on plenty of wins during Quin Snyder’s run in Columbia.

His numbers didn’t necessarily jump off the page, but Johnson averaged around 2 blocks a game in each of his four seasons and was the starting center basically from the jump in his career. He helped Missouri to the Elite Eight as a sophomore in 2002 before averaging 16.1 points and 9.6 rebounds the following year, with similar stats as a senior while earning multiple All-Big 12 honors.

He wasn’t just impressive protecting the rim; Johnson remains the program’s all-time leader in both rebounds and blocked shots even two decades later. He helped Missouri to three trips to the NCAA Tournament and put together quite the career that clearly continues to loom large in program history.

Phil Pressey

Pressey is a 5-11 point guard out of Dallas who ascended into a significant role for the Tigers in the early 2010’s. He put up some notable figures on the court while leading several transitions, including a leadership role in Missouri’s first year in the SEC, as well as spearheading a very successful team under new head coach Frank Haith.

After showing promise as a freshman, Pressey would lead the Big 12 in steals and assists as a sophomore, helping the Tigers to that 30-win season that ended in disappointment. He added All-SEC honors as a junior, averaging 11.9 points and 7.1 assists while getting Missouri back in the Big Dance and leading a different conference in assists as a remarkable leader and facilitator of the offense.

Another player well-regarded in Missouri record books, Pressey is the program’s career leader in both assists and steals, doing that in just three seasons of basketball. He was a major asset in that breakthrough campaign in 2012 and was exactly the kind of leader this program needed during those fruitful seasons over a decade ago.

Kareem Rush

There was a lot to like about what Rush brought in his time in Columbia. The 6-6 wing from Kansas City was a Top 40 prospect back in 1999 who would develop into a massive piece of the equation for the Tigers, culminating in plenty of success over the next three seasons. Even largely off the bench he was still the Big 12 Rookie of the Year in 2000.

Rush then became the league’s top scorer as a sophomore, averaging 21.1 points and 6.7 rebounds per game while making nearly 45% of his 3-pointers. During his career he was one of the best pure shooters in the Big 12 and definitely earned that pair of First Team All-Big 12 honors. After producing similar numbers as a junior, he’d help lead the Tigers all the way to the Elite Eight as a 12-seed, scoring at least 15 points in all four of those contests.

He may have played just 84 games at Missouri but Rush really made his time count and stands out among the program’s best. He was a sharpshooter who affected the game on multiple levels, keying a memorable postseason run before becoming a first round pick in the 2002 NBA Draft a few months later.

Basket Under Review

We’ve only seen a few seasons of Oklahoma in the SEC so it won’t surprise you that each of these players today did their work in the Big 12. In all honesty, none of these names should really surprise you either way, as Oklahoma boasts a foursome of elite talent that achieved quite the impressive results both personally and for this program.

Blake Griffin

With what he accomplished in his brief collegiate career, Griffin absolutely remains one of the standouts in this sport since the turn of the century. A 6-10 forward from Oklahoma City, he stayed in his home state and blossomed into a star with the Sooners, putting up very good numbers as a freshman before exploding onto the national scene in year two.

Griffin nearly averaged a double-double as a freshman but sure cleared that hurdle in his sophomore season under Jeff Capel. He averaged a monstrous 22.7 points and 14.4 rebounds per game, winning AP Player of the Year, Big 12 Player of the Year, and many other national honors. Griffin led the Big 12 in points and field goal percentage and was the national leader in rebounding before helping the Sooners all the way to the Elite Eight in 2009.

You can’t really ask for more from an enormous talent who was a larger than life icon on court for the Sooners. He’s responsible for that notable 30-win season and was an exceptional player with some video game numbers during that breakout campaign. Griffin later became the top pick of the 2009 NBA Draft and had quite the career in the pros over the next decade plus.

Buddy Hield

Another unforgettable icon of Oklahoma basketball, Hield was another figure who was very productive and almost larger than life. The 6-4 guard originally from the Bahamas was a major piece of Lon Kruger’s first recruiting class and assumed quite the role with the Sooners. Hield’s numbers were adequate as a freshman before becoming the Big 12’s top scorer at the end of his career.

Hield helped Oklahoma to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including a Sweet Sixteen run in a junior year that saw him named Big 12 Player of the Year. Hield somehow managed to take an enormous leap into his senior season, now averaging 25.0 points and 5.7 rebounds, leading the league by making 46% of his 3-pointers. Hield was given the Wooden Award and Naismith Award and took the Sooners all the way to the Final Four.

You can make the argument (even compared to Griffin) that Hield was responsible for the single-most impressive season in program history. He was a scoring machine, a sharpshooter, a reliable national presence, and led Oklahoma all the way to that Final Four. It’s been a decade since he starred in Norman but the future 6th pick of the 2016 NBA Draft did incredible things and is still quite revered in Oklahoma.

Hollis Price

We’re going a bit further back in time and remembering one of the best players that Kelvin Sampson coached during his time in Norman. Price is a 6-1 guard from New Orleans who came to town back in 1999 and accomplished quite a lot in his four seasons, including a few personal awards and a notable postseason run for the Sooners.

His underclassman years were full of solid play and potential, but it was fully realized later in his career. As a junior in 2002, Price helped lead Oklahoma to the Final Four and became one of the top scorers in the Big 12. His stats in his senior year were impressive, putting up 18.0 points and 2.8 assists while being named a Second Team All-American.

Price meant a lot on the basketball court for the Sooners during an era of remarkable success. It’s not just about his personal stats or standing in Oklahoma history, his teams won 111 games across his four seasons and made unforgettable progress. Not bad for an undersized point guard from New Orleans.

Trae Young

We’ve been talking about breakthrough campaigns and enormous success and we simply cannot ignore what Young did during his sole season with the Sooners. A 6-2 guard right from Norman, Young was a Top 20 prospect who chose to stay in town and star under Lon Kruger and he sure put up quite the numbers in 2018.

Young became something of a one-man show, leading the entire nation in both scoring and assists at 27.4 points and 8.7 assists a game. This wasn’t exactly one of the breakout seasons for the team as a whole, though he did lead Oklahoma back to the Big Dance after the team had won just 11 games the season prior. Young was named a First Team All-American and Big 12 Rookie of the Year for those sensational numbers.

One player alone wasn’t getting Oklahoma back to the Promised Land but Young certainly tried. His contributions as a true freshman were unbelievable and he became a nightmare matchup for opposition in the Big 12. He had multiple 40-point efforts, a program-record 22-assists performance, and soon after became a lottery pick in the 2018 NBA Draft where his career still continues.

Basket Under Review

This is not exactly a basketball school, as South Carolina has made just three trips to the NCAA Tournament since the turn of the century. However, the Gamecocks have really made it count when they’ve gotten great talent and had those breakthroughs and you better believe we’ll be bringing up some of the talent from that shocking Final Four run less than a decade ago.

Devan Downey

A 5-10 point guard originally from Chester, South Carolina, Downey began his collegiate career way back in 2005 at Cincinnati. He was recruited by Bob Huggins but left the Bearcats after a single season, as Huggins had been dismissed, but showed great potential on court in the Big East. Downey then found a new school closer to home and became a star with these Gamecocks.

Downey would lead the SEC in steals in each of his three seasons at South Carolina, becoming an elite scorer, defender, and facilitator on both ends of the court. He never played in the Big Dance with the Gamecocks but his production was off the charts, culminating in 22.5 points, 3.5 assists, and 2.7 steals in his senior season.

He sits 5th all-time in scoring despite playing just those three years and no Gamecocks since the turn of the century can top his 699 points in that senior year. Downey all sits atop the career steals list and was a sensational presence on both ends for the Gamecocks. Things may not have worked out with Cincinnati, but South Carolina sure got a steal when Downey came to town.

Meechie Johnson

Johnson’s story is truly bizarre and an indicator of this new universe of the transfer portal. The 6-2 guard from Cleveland began his career as a backup at Ohio State before transferring to South Carolina in 2022. After two years with the Gamecocks, he went back to the Buckeyes for a brief stint before ending up on this South Carolina roster last season, though his three best years were clearly in Columbia.

He took a big step forward in his career when he arrived in South Carolina though it’s his junior year that’s most worth highlighting. Johnson notably led the Gamecocks to 2nd place in the SEC while averaging 14.1 points and 4.1 rebounds a game, earning All-SEC honors. That breakthrough 26-win campaign was fantastic, though Johnson would put up 17.2 points per game when he returned a few years later.

His career path was very strange, leaving and returning from Columbia but still standing out as one of this program’s most notable and successful players. He had a significant presence in the South Carolina backcourt and was responsible for the program’s only Tourney bid since the pandemic.

Chris Silva

The basketball started to get better in Columbia in the late 2010’s and Silva had a significant hand in that. A 6-9 forward originally from Gabon, he arrived in 2015 and progressed into a key piece on a few 25-win seasons before becoming even more of a threat late in his college career.

He showed potential as a freshman and really shined in his first year as a starter in 2017, helping South Carolina advance on a shocking Final Four run. Silva productivity was even more fruitful after that, winning SEC Defensive Player of the Year as a junior before averaging 15.2 points and 7.6 rebounds in his final season, with even more SEC awards coming.

Not only did he put up good numbers, he was a starter and big part of a Final Four run, scoring in double-figures in all five games. Silva was a noted scorer, rebounder, and shot blocker who contributed during a very decent run of success under Frank Martin, a rare 4-year run where the Gamecocks were never under .500.

Sindarius Thornwell

There’s little question that Thornwell is the most iconic figure to pass through Columbia since the turn of the century and a lot has to do with that same Final Four run. He was a Top 40 recruit who stayed in his home state, blossoming into a star while starting 132 games across his career with the Gamecocks.

Thornwell put up consistent figures and won a few SEC honors in his first three seasons though it’s his senior year where he took a major step forward. He was named SEC Player of the Year while averaging 21.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.1 steals a game, leading the league in both scoring and steals. He had a memorable 44-point game against Alabama and would top 20 points in all four of the Gamecocks wins during that deep Tournament run.

Spearheading a shocking run to the Final Four as a 7-seed is more than enough to make Thornwell stand out in South Carolina lore, especially considering that appearance broke a 13-year drought. He’s sitting Top 5 in program history in points and steals and was an emphatic figure during that senior year, ensuring a rare national spotlight to be cast on this Gamecocks program nearly a decade ago.

Basket Under Review

Basketball for the Volunteers has largely been full of great strides since the turn of the century but it’s been a bit of an up and down affair. The eras led by Bruce Pearl and Rick Barnes have been filled with success, though the in-betweens weren’t exactly the brightest. Expect great players from both eras mentioned here today.

Dalton Knecht

It’s fair to say that a lot of people didn’t expect Knecht to make quite the impact at the national level. His collegiate career began with work at the JUCO level before spending two seasons at Northern Colorado, becoming the Big Sky’s leading scorer in 2023. Just after that success Knecht would transfer to Tennessee for his final collegiate season and it was quite the choice.

Knecht showed no issue transitioning from the Big Sky to SEC, averaging 21.7 points and 4.9 rebounds in an incredible campaign with the Volunteers. He was named SEC Player of the Year and a First Team All-American, finished 5th in the nation in total points scored, and got Tennessee all the way to the Elite Eight for just the second time in program history.

One of the single-most productive seasons in the history of Tennessee basketball was more than enough for Knecht to land in this list. He was an electric player on offense for a Volunteers program known mostly for defense and helped with that breakthrough success a few years ago before picking a first round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Chris Lofton

While he was originally brought to Knoxville by Buzz Peterson, Lofton would blossom into a star for the Volunteers under Bruce Pearl’s leadership nearly two decades ago. This 6-2 guard out of Kentucky started 128 games across an impressive career, becoming an elite scorer and shot maker.

Lofton actually led the SEC by making 47% of his 3-pointers as a freshman and would remain a potent shooter throughout his college career. He was named SEC Player of the Year as a junior, putting up a league-best 20.8 points per game while making nearly 42% from outside the arc. Each of Lofton’s final two seasons had great numbers and featured Sweet Sixteen runs for the Volunteers.

Not only did Lofton put up some incredible numbers and help Tennessee achieve team success, he was twice named an All-American and truly embodied the energy that Pearl brought to the program in the late 2000’s. His 2,131 career points are fourth in program history and the most since the turn of the century, but he was clearly more than just someone who put the ball in the basket.

Grant Williams

Tennessee basketball is in the middle of its most successful stretch and Williams was a huge reason this momentum even started. A 6-7 forward from Charlotte, he came to Tennessee as part of Rick Barnes’ first recruiting class in 2016 and would spend the next three years transforming into an elite figure all over the court.

A double-digit scorer already as a freshman, Williams took a massive step forward just as the program ignited, leading Tennessee to a 26-win season while nabbing SEC Player of the Year honors as a sophomore. His third and final year was even greater, with Williams contributing 18.8 points and 7.5 rebounds a game. He claimed SEC Player of the Year again, was named a First Team All-American, and guided the Volunteers to 31 wins and a berth in the Sweet Sixteen.

We didn’t talk defense too much but Williams is third in program history in blocked shots. He was a fantastic scorer, leader, and trendsetter that helped Barnes and company turn the Volunteers into a real competitor in the SEC. He left school after that third year, becoming a late first round pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.

Zakai Zeigler

Revered as one of the greatest point guards the Volunteers have ever seen, Zeigler played his role really well across his recent four-year career. The 5-9 point guard from Long Island got to campus in 2021 and was a bench piece in year one before developing into a very important piece of the puzzle during this recent era for Tennessee.

Every year ended With Zeigler on the SEC All-Defense team while also leading the conference in steals for three straight seasons. Each of his last two seasons featured not only being named SEC Defensive Player of the Year but also helping Tennessee to the Elite Eight. His numbers as a senior were outstanding, averaging 13.6 points and 7.4 assists on a 30-win team.

You won’t be shocked to hear that Zeigler leads all Tennessee players in steals and assists and truly blossomed in his role as the point guard. He wasn’t the guy who was going to score 30 when you needed, but instead facilitate and ensure the Volunteers had a great chance to win the game and contend at the national level.

Basket Under Review

Texas is another program that’s only been in the SEC for a few years and hasn’t really reached their peak since joining this new conference. There haven’t been too many ups and downs on the court, though we’re actually looking back fondly at Rick Barnes’ work with this program as well, with all four of these Longhorns starring under him.

D. J. Augustin

A 6-0 point guard from New Orleans, Augustin was a Top 30 prospect and part of a prestigious crew of talent that came to Austin back in the mid-2000’s. Despite being an underclassman, he would start all 73 games he played over the next two seasons with the Longhorns and developed into one of the most memorable backcourt players in recent Texas history.

Augustin was outstanding from the jump and actually led the Big 12 in assists in each of his collegiate seasons. In his sophomore year, Augustin put up 19.2 points and 5.8 assist a night, helping the Longhorns all the way to the Elite Eight. He was named a First Team All-American and was one of the nation’s most productive players and a true leader for this program.

Two seasons was enough to leave Augustin still 6th in Longhorns history in assists, demonstrating his importance not just scoring but setting up this roster for success. He was a major part of a breakout season at Texas and would later become a lottery pick in 2008, continuing his career at the next level.

Kevin Durant

The same offseason that added Augustin to the Longhorns featured a much brighter prize, as Durant made his way from Maryland to Austin as the #2 prospect in the nation. The 6-9 forward became a one-and-done player under Rick Barnes but certainly more than lived up to those preseason expectations.

Durant was otherworldly, leading the Big 12 by averaging 25.8 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game. Not just a Big 12 star, Durant won all of the national awards like the Naismith and Wooden Awards, finishing fourth in the entire country in both scoring and rebounding. He helped Texas win 25 games in a standout season and certainly elevated his own game in a major way.

No player can compare to the 903-point season that Durant produced as a freshman and it’s hard to complain with his rebounding or shot blocking either. He stood tall and truly performed in a major way and continues to make major headlines nearly two decades later after becoming the 2nd pick of the 2007 NBA Draft, with a few championships to follow.

T. J. Ford

We’re looking even further back in the past with Ford, but this 6-0 point guard from Houston certainly stands out as one of the greatest backcourt players in Texas history. It sounds sensational saying these kinds of things about each of these players but Ford absolutely proved that with his play.

As a true freshman, Ford led the Big 12 in both steals and assists and was already an immensely important factor on both ends of the court, helping Texas to the Sweet Sixteen. Sophomore year was somehow better, putting up 15.0 points, 7.7 assists, and 2.0 steals. He earned several awards including the Naismith and Wooden Awards and helped take the Longhorns all the way to the Final Four.

It’s been more than twenty years since Ford suited up for the Longhorns and yet he still has the two top seasons in assists in program history. Ford exploded onto the scene as a fantastic scorer, defender, and facilitator and his role in that Final Four run cannot be understated. A pro career awaited, with him leaving town after two years while becoming the 8th pick of the 2003 NBA Draft.

P. J. Tucker

Tucked right between Augustin and Ford’s dominant work in Austin comes Tucker, a 6-5 wing who played a different position but had a massive effect on Texas basketball. A former Top 100 recruit, he put up impressive figures across a three-year stay, even while missing more than half of his sophomore season.

Tucker was a double-digit scorer in each of his three seasons, finding his role in the Texas frontcourt early and never letting go. After getting back on the court full-time as a junior, Tucker really bloomed, putting together 16.1 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. Not only was he Big 12 Player of the Year and a Second Team All-American, he also took the Longhorns all the way to the Elite Eight with his fantastic work.

He’s another player who you won’t find on those career leaderboards but whose impact you could certainly feel in those two and a half seasons. Tucker embodied hard work and physicality and was a massive piece of the puzzle for plenty of wins during his career. He soon after became a late pick in the 2006 NBA Draft and had quite the career at that level.

Basket Under Review

The Aggies have had a few different periods of sustained success since the turn of the century, but this is also a program that only just joined the SEC as recently as 2012. We’re going to see some brilliant players who’ve come through College Station in these recent decades but keep in mind that they played in very different systems under a number of Aggies head coaches.

Alex Caruso

If you’re a fan of the NBA, you likely know all about Caruso and what he’s meant for multiple franchises in the sport. We’re not including Caruso today because of his success at the pro level, as this 6-5 guard from College Station achieved quite the success for his hometown team, starting a whole host of games between 2012 and 2016 under Billy Kennedy in the program’s first four years in the SEC.

Caruso was the kind of player whose scoring numbers didn’t jump off the page, but he always did all the little things for the Aggies. He led the SEC in assists twice and steals once and earned All-SEC honors by the end of his senior year. Each passing season was better than the last, helping the Aggies to the Sweet Sixteen in a senior year where he averaged 8.1 points, 5.0 assists, and 2.1 steals a game.

He never averaged double-digit scoring, but helped Texas A&M turn back into a winning team in the SEC. He’s the program’s all-time leader in both steals and assists and was a true stat stuffer and facilitator that certainly made Kennedy’s job easier. Yes, a lengthy NBA career has followed over the last decade and that clearly has helped build his brand.

Acie Law IV

Across his four-year career, Law transformed from an average point guard into one of the best basketball players in the nation. A 6-3 guard from Dallas, he was originally brought to College Station in 2003 by Melvin Watkins before helping Billy Gilliespie turn this program into a success story over those next few years.

Law brought order to the Aggies lineup and was a major part of two straight trips to the NCAA Tournament. His personal progress peaked as a senior, averaging 18.1 points and 5.0 assists while becoming a First Team All-American and one of the most notable point guards in the nation. That season also featured a Sweet Sixteen run while Law took home the Bob Cousy Award as well.

He developed into one of the most memorable figures Texas A&M basketball has seen since the turn of the century, engineering that turnaround while still finding himself among the Aggies’ Top 10 in career points, steals, and assists. After his college career ended in 2007, he became a lottery pick in that year’s draft and was certainly missed despite setting up future success for this program.

Wade Taylor IV

Another notable point guard who built quite the reputation in College Station, Taylor is a 6-0 guard from Lancaster who was a major asset under Buzz Williams. His career started in 2021 and finished four years later, but not before being part of significant success and putting up some special numbers, becoming the full-time starter late in his freshman year.

After a deep NIT run as a freshman, Taylor led the Aggies into the NCAA Tournament in each of his final three seasons, averaging at least 15 points per game in those seasons as well. He earned plenty of All-SEC honors and led the league in free throw shooting in one of those years. Taylor later averaged a career-best 19.1 points per game as a junior and even better assists numbers in his senior year.

It’s only been a year since Taylor’s departure so his impact is still fresh in the minds of basketball fans. He was every part of the recent success for the Aggies, setting up the offense, scoring, and even standing out for his defense. He did plenty of great work across those 141 games and his 2,058 career points is the best ever from a Texas A&M player.

Robert Williams

Two years was all we got to see from Williams during a brief collegiate career but he certainly made his mark during that time. A 6-9 forward out of Louisiana, Williams was a revered 4-star prospect and lived up to the hype under Kennedy’s leadership, starring in a major way on both sides of the ball.

We mean that when we say it because Williams was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year at the end of each of those seasons. He was an efficient scorer and legendary shot blocker, averaging 11.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks as a true freshman before nearly matching that success the following year. Williams became the SEC’s top rebounder in that sophomore season while helping the Aggies to a Sweet Sixteen run.

Despite playing just those two seasons, Williams is among the top shot blockers in program history and unquestionably made his impact felt on that court. He was a massive part of another notable Tourney run for Texas A&M and made 62% of his 2-point attempts in his career as well. Williams opted for the next level at that point and was a late first round pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.

Basket Under Review

Derrick Byars

A 6-7 guard from Memphis, Byars did pretty solid work as an underclassman at Virginia before opting to transfer back in 2004. He sat out the next year and then started 64 games for the Commodores in his final two collegiate seasons, proving his value as a 4-star prospect and becoming one of the best offensive players in the SEC.

Byars showed great strides as a junior after that year off the court and put up some career-best numbers, but senior year is where everything truly clicked. He averaged 17.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game for the Commodores and was named SEC Player of the Year. He also helped lead Vanderbilt to the Sweet Sixteen in their first trip to the Big Dance in three years while finishing second in the SEC in total points.

Two years in Nashville meant a lot for both Byars and this program. The personal accolades were impressive and you’re not seeing a Vanderbilt player take home those kinds of awards every year, but he was just a great weapon on a team that won plenty of important games thanks to his leadership.

Shan Foster

Another important Commodore from the late 2000’s, Foster is a 6-6 guard out of Louisiana who was a Top 75 prospect when he opted for Stallings and this program back in 2004. He started a bunch of games at Vanderbilt, blossoming from a talented reserve to the top scorer in the SEC by the end of his career.

That career included two trips to the NCAA Tournament three All-SEC honors, with Foster averaging nearly 16 points per game as a sophomore and only taking off from there. After playing an important role in a Sweet Sixteen as a junior, he averaged 20.3 points and 4.9 rebounds as a senior, becoming a Second Team All-American and SEC Player of the Year as the league’s top scorer while making 47% of his 3-pointers.

Not just another impressive player, Foster is the program’s all-time leading scorer and the only Commodore to eclipse 2,000 career points. He won conference awards, helped a deep postseason run, and was a vital weapon during a great stay in Nashville, all before becoming a very late pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.

John Jenkins

We’re advancing a few years later in Vanderbilt history to find Jenkins’ fantastic run with the school. He’s a 6-4 guard from Hendersonville, Tennessee whose impact was clearly felt on the court from 2009 to 2012, developing as another outrageous scorer and shot maker. Jenkins was the SEC Sixth Man of the Year as a freshman but really found his footing in a starting role later on.

The Commodores would reach the NCAA Tournament in each of his three seasons and his output was certainly a major factor. Jenkins led the SEC in scoring twice, putting up 19.5 points per game as a sophomore and then 19.9 in his junior year. That final campaign saw him make just under 44% of his 3-pointers to lead the SEC while also becoming the SEC Tournament MVP after a strong statement made to end his season.

We only got three years of Jenkins before the NBA came calling but he made quite the impact during that time. His offensive output was on another level and making three straight trips to the Big Dance is hard to beat, even if Vanderbilt didn’t quite put together a deep postseason run. Regardless, he put up some fantastic numbers and became a first-round pick in the 2012 NBA Draft.

Jeffery Taylor

A fringe Top 100 prospect from the class of 2008, Taylor played even better than expected across an impressive career with the Commodores. He started all but one of the 134 games he played in Vanderbilt’s frontcourt, developing into a top-level scorer and defender in his collegiate career.

Taylor was impactful throughout a career that included those three-straight trips to the NCAA Tournament. He was also named both All-SEC and All-Defense in the league three times, developing into a resourceful player and stat stuffer. Taylor’s game as a whole really developed into his senior season, putting up 16.1 points and 5.6 rebounds on another Tourney team while continuing on as one of the SEC’s most efficient players.

Taylor is the second-leading scorer in program history (trailing only Foster) and is among the program’s best in rebounds and steals as well. He was a formidable piece of the equation, helping Vanderbilt win 91 games across his four seasons in Nashville. Taylor did a bit of everything and later became an early second round pick in that 2012 NBA Draft.