College basketball is one of the most riveting events in American universities. Student-athletes work tirelessly to hit the court and show off what they’ve got. While there are over 5,500 Division One men’s basketball players.
Here are five college basketball stars that are the real deal, and five that will be big-time flops.
Real Deal: Zach Edey, Purdue
Zach Edey is the definition of a true big man on the court. Standing at 7’4, 300 pounds, this Center for the Boilermakers has multiple games where he has shot over 60% from the floor and leads his team in scoring. All in all, Edey will be a solid Center for whichever team drafts him. Victor Wembanyama has shown what a 7’4 player can do in the NBA, and Edey plans to do that exact same thing.
Flop: Enrique Freeman, Akron
The Senior Forward for the Akron Zips cracked 300 rebounds this season but is mostly used for defensive rebounds, despite his ability to box out and rebound on offense. Freeman is a fifth-year senior averaging 32 points per game for the Zips. Last season, Freeman declared, then withdrew from the 2023 NBA Draft despite having workouts with multiple NBA teams. Withdrawing, and staying with a school that faces lower-level competition shows a lack of confidence, which will be detrimental to his future career.
Real Deal: Braden Smith, Purdue
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The sophomore guard for the Purdue Boilermakers is making waves and quickly becoming recognized as one of the smartest players on the court. Smith is the only lower-classman in the nation to be ranked in the top 15 for assists in the season. While this is the only category he is known for, many NBA players have had success dishing the ball to teammates, and selflessness is often an overlooked part of the game.
Flop: Tyler Thomas, Hofstra
The 6’3 senior out of Connecticut leads the Hofstra Pride in scoring, despite only hitting on barely over 40% from the floor. He has only made about a third of the three-point shots he has attempted in his career and this season has brought the same productivity. Even with Hofstra playing lower-level competition in a less dominant conference, Thomas has still struggled to put up eye-popping statistics as many had hoped.
Real Deal: Ja’Kobe Walter, Baylor
Walter made history in his freshman debut for the Baylor Bears with a school record 28 points in his first outing. As. Freshman, Walter is credited with having some of the best ball handling in the conference and has been a force to be reckoned with inside the paint and beyond the arch. He isn’t afraid to get rough inside the key, and his quick catch-and-shoot ability will transform him into a star.
Flop: Cody Williams, Colorado
Williams is the projected first-overall pick in many NBA mock drafts. Williams is a freshman and has shown glimpses of greatness, shooting 60% from the forward position and even draining shots from three. However, standing at 6’8 Williams has shown an inability to shoot under pressure and has shown to be turnover prone. If he declares for the draft this season, he will be too raw to compete at a high level, and will ultimately be a bust in the NBA.
Real Deal: Kanaan Carlyle, Stanford
Kanaan Carlyle came into the Stanford program as a freshman and has helped reenergize the team after a disappointing 2022-2023 season. Standing at 6’3 185 pounds, the guard for the Cardinal is a bright spot on what has been another tough season for Stanford, but Carlyle is still playing his best game. His ball-handling skills and ability to fake out defenders have been on display all season, and his ability to shoot the ball from anywhere on the court has been valuable to the team, making Carlyle one of the best freshmen in the Pac-12.
Flop: Rob Dillingham, Kentucky
Yet another Freshman, Rob Dillingham has averaged 14 points and four assists per game. However, as a freshman projected to go in the first round of the 2024 NBA draft, Dillingham has not had the consistency that many scouts were hoping for from him. While he has shown glimpses of greatness, he has struggled to maintain this high level of play game in and game out. When he makes the league, he may ball out at first, but quickly fade from memory once teams learn to guard him properly.
Real deal: DJ Rodman, USC
DJ Rodman has been a bright spot on a USC team that has been a letdown so far. The son of former NBA legend Dennis Rodman is concluding his final season of NCAA eligibility after spending his freshman through Junior seasons at Washington State University. While Rodman hasn’t accumulated eye-popping stats, he has shown consistency and grit, gaining a reputation as one who never gives up on a play with the drive to be aggressive, yet smart with the ball in his hands. This high level of basketball IQ will serve him well at the next level of the game.
Flop: Bronny James, USC
Honestly, everyone expected more from the son of the greatest basketball player of all time (we said what we said). Bronny James has been a rotational player for the USC Trojans and didn’t even start the season as a member of the starting five. It is evident in his play that James does not want to be at USC, even in his bio picture on ESPN he looks unamused. Digression aside, the next NBA savior (sarcasm) has averaged less than six points per game and has struggled to find significant playing time on the court. Really USC? This is your guy?
