Some guys just don't get the the attention they deserve. Check below for our list of the 15 least appreciated players in college basketball. In no particular order....
A.J. English, Iona
The 6-4 point guard averaged 20.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game last season while making an impressive 106 shots from 3-point range. If he played at a bigger school, he’d regularly be talked about as one of the best guards in the country. This is a potential first-round pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.
Trey Freeman, Old Dominion
A potent scorer, Freeman had 12 games last season where he scored over 20 points and his presence single handedly makes the Monarchs one of the favorites in Conference USA. This is the type of player that could will a double-digit seed to an upset in the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 64.
Bryce Alford, UCLA
If Alford didn’t have the same last night name as his head coach, he’d be regularly praised for his talent. Instead he’s been unfairly used as a lightning rod for criticism. That’s comical. The 6-3 guard makes plays other people can’t see and is exceptionally good off the bounce. Last year as a sophomore Alford averaged 15.4 points, 4.9 assists, and 3.2 rebounds per game to go with 93 made 3-point shots.
Juan’ya Green, Hofstra
Fifth-year senior might be the best passer in college basketball that nobody knows about. Green threads the needle as well as anybody and gives the Pride a legitimate chance to return to the NCAA Tournament since the late 1990’s when Jay Wright was roaming the sidelines in Hempstead.
Devaughn Akoon-Purcell, Illinois State
Dan Muller’s squad may have wound up in the NCAA Tournament last March if Akoon-Purcell hadn’t missed seven games in the middle of the season with a hand injury. The 6-5 guard has strength, power, and confidence. This is a first-team All-MVC caliber player and one that should increase his scoring average (12.8 points per game) from last season.
Gary Payton II, Oregon State
The 6-3 guard led the Beavers in rebounding last season (7.5 per game) and plays relentless defense just like his father. Payton averaged 3.1 steals per game in 2014-15 for Oregon State and is the best player on a team that many think will compete for an NCAA bid in 2016.
Maodo Lo, Columbia
German import scored over 30 twice in the Lions’ final three games of last season and posted an impressive 16 points and seven rebounds when Columbia lost at Kentucky last December. The 6-4 Lo (18.8 points per game in 2014-15) is the main reason why Kyle Smith’s team has a legitimate chance to wind up in the NCAA Tournament next March.
Kyle Collinsworth, BYU
The versatile Collinsworth tallied six triple-doubles last season and is college basketball’s version of a swiss army knife -- he does a little bit of everything. The 6-6 point guard is the gas in the Cougars’ engine and will guide BYU in its quest to challenge Gonzaga this season in the WCC.
Jared Brownridge, Santa Clara
Long range marksman made a combined 188 3-point shots over the past two seasons while shooting no worse than 43.3 percent from long distance. It’s one thing to make a ton of 3-point shots and it’s another thing to be incredibly accurate -- Brownridge checks off both boxes.
Jalan West, Northwestern State
Not many guards in college basketball fill the box score like West. The 5-10 speedster averaged 20.0 points, 7.7 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game last season all while forming one of the more potent mid-major back courts in the country with Zeek Woodley (22.2 points).
D.J. Balentine, Evansville
How do you hide a 20-point scorer? That’s a really good question. The 6-2 Balentine has averaged over 20.0 points in each of the past two seasons and is one of the main reasons why many people think the Aces have a chance to challenge for a spot at the top of the MVC standings this season.
Nic Moore, SMU
Larry Brown has had a major hand in making the Mustangs’ program nationally relevant, but so has Moore. The reigning American Conference Player of the Year is always in control on the floor and has improved as a play maker. If SMU was a snake, Moore would be the head.
DeAndre Bembry, St. Joseph’s
After being an ancillary piece to the Hawks’ puzzle as a freshman, Bembry flourished last season as a sophomore. The 6-6 wing led Saint Joseph’s in points (17.7 per game), rebounds (7.7 per game), assists (3.6 per game) and steals (1.9 per game) all while showing his versatility each time he took the floor. A future first-round pick, Bembry could play and make an impact anywhere in the country.
Jordan Loveridge, Utah
The most consistent piece in the Utes’ resurgence under Larry Krystkowiak hasn’t been Delon Wright or Jakob Poeltl -- it’s been Loveridge. A double-figure scorer in each of the past three seasons, the 6-6 forward has been Utah’s anchor as its again become a nationally relevant program.
Duane Notice, South Carolina
Sindarius Thornwell is the first name people think when somebody mentions the Gamecocks, but Notice deserves to be part of the conversation as well. The Ontario native led South Carolina in scoring last season (11.8 points per game) and made 61 3-point shots as a sophomore after only making 21 as a freshman. With Notice, Thornwell, and freshman P.J. Dozier, the Gamecocks look primed to have a potent perimeter in the SEC.
