College Hoops Today

Serving College Basketball 365 Days a Year

15 players who will become stars during the 2024-25 season

It’s never too early to start looking ahead!

Check below for our list of 15 players who will become stars during the 2024-25 college basketball season.

In no particular order:

Trey Kaufman-Renn, Purdue: Kaufman-Renn has patiently waited to be the Boilers’ interior focal point and he’ll get his chance this season post-Zach Edey. Expect his numbers to spike as moves from power forward to center, which appears to be more of a natural fit. The 6-9 big man averaged 13.7 points and 6.2 rebounds in games last season where he logged 20 minutes or more.

Dylan Andrews, UCLA: Andrews was a shining light in the Bruins’ 16-17 season a year ago and he should be vastly better in 2024-25 thanks to an improved supporting cast. Lightning quick and blessed with cheetah like speed in the open floor, Andrews’ continued development at point guard is paramount for UCLA as it transitions to the Big Ten. He averaged 21.2 point and 4.2 assists over the final six games of last season.

Donovan Dent, New Mexico: Dent averaged 19.8 points and seven assists in five games last November when Jaelen House was out of the lineup due to injury. He’ll be firmly in the mix for Mountain West Player of the Year honors during the 2024-25 season.

Adama-Alpha Bal, Santa Clara: If the Broncos are going to get over the hump and make the NCAA Tournament after three straight 20-win seasons then Bal needs to emerge as one of the best guards on the West Coast. After spending the first two years of his college career at Arizona, the 6-7 Bal thrived last season at Santa Clara as he averaged 14.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.1 assists. Keep a close eye on this kid and the Broncos.

KJ Lewis, Arizona: Could Lewis go from key reserve to the sport’s best perimeter defender in just one year? It’s very much within the realm of possibility. A tenacious defensive player at 6-4, Lewis will step into an expanded role for the Wildcats as they transition to the Big 12. He’ll form a potent perimeter for Arizona alongside both Jaden Bradley and Caleb Love.

Deivon Smith, St. John’s: If Smith played for a blue blood program like Kansas or North Carolina, he’d be mentioned as a Preseason All-American. Instead, he’s just waiting to feast on the rest of the Big East. A transfer from Utah, the 6-foot point guard averaged 18.8 points, 9.5 assists, and 8.5 rebounds in four games last spring in the Postseason NIT. Remember the name.

Dan Skillings, Cincinnati: Skillings averaged 16.4 points and 6.8 rebounds in the final eight games of last season and seems primed to be the Bearcats’ go-to scorer on offense. This guy is on track to be one of the top players in the Big 12 in 2024-25.

Dayvion McKnight, Xavier: The Musketeers’ limited resources a year ago due to injuries to two projected starters — Zach Freemantle and Jerome Hunter — minimized McKnight’s accomplishments after he transferred from Western Kentucky. That won’t be the case with a recalibrated roster in 2024-25. Last season, McKnight had a 3:1 assist-to-turnover ratio with averages of 12.4 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.7 rebounds. If he does that this year and Xavier returns to the NCAA Tournament, he’ll be universally viewed as one of the best point guards in the Big East.

Jackson Shelstad, Oregon: The next Payton Pritchard? Don’t rule it out of the realm of possibility. Shelstad (12.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists) was really good as a freshman and he’s a dark horse candidate to be an All-Big Ten first-team player as a sophomore. As this guy goes, so will Oregon.

Xzayvier Brown, St. Joe’s: People from the periphery already know about Erik Reynolds, but Brown should also take a seat at the national table in 2024-25. In three games last season against power conference opponents, the 6-2 Brown averaged 15.3 points, six assists, and four rebounds. He also shot 40.4 percent from three-point range as a freshman. This is one of the best non-power conference guards in college basketball.

Jaland Lowe, Pitt: With Bub Carrington now in the NBA, it’s officially time for Lowe to put his imprint on the Panthers’ program. He’ll have higher usage as a sophomore than he did as a freshman. Remember: Lowe had nine assists to just one turnover during two games last March in the ACC Tournament and tallied 17 points, four rebounds, and four assists in the semifinals against North Carolina. Whatever “it” is, Lowe possesses.

Jeremy Fears, Michigan State: Tom Izzo loves this kid as his point guard of the future. It’s hard not to see why after watching Fears play. Despite only appearing in 12 games as a freshman due to injury, Fears still left an impression as he tallied 10 assists in 21 minutes during a game against Stony Brook in late-December. Don’t be shocked if he has a “Cassius Winston type impact” for the Spartans over the next few years at point guard.

Owen Freeman, Iowa: The reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year didn’t get the same attention as players that preceded him in Iowa City like Kris Murray, Keegan Murray, and Luka Garza because the Hawkeyes didn’t play in NCAA Tournament last season. That should change in 2025. If Iowa returns to March Madness, Freeman will be a national name and universally viewed as one of the better frontcourt players in the sport. He had five double-doubles a year ago as a freshman.

Dedan Thomas, UNLV: The Runnin Rebels haven’t played in the NCAA Tournament since 2013 and if that changes this season it will be because of Thomas. The crafty lefty did yeoman’s work at point guard last season as a freshman (13.6 points, 5.1 assists) and was the catalyst behind this team’s 21-win season. He’s a Mountain West Player of the Year candidate as a sophomore.

Nick Davidson, Nevada: With Jarod Lucas and Kenan Blackshear no longer in Reno, it’s Davidson’s time to emerge. The 6-9 big man had three games last season with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds and should be a first-team All-Mountain West performer in 2024-25. This is the next star in Nevada’s program.

Leftovers