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20 under-the-radar breakout players for the 2024-25 season

It’s never too early to start looking ahead!

Check below for our list of 20 under-the-radar breakout players for the 2024-25 college basketball season.

*A breakout player cannot average double figure points in the previous season.

In no particular order:

Zuby Ejiofor, St. John’s: The center position is the biggest question mark entering the 2024-25 season for the Red Storm and that’s why Ejiofor’s role is so important. If Rick Pitino gets eight points and eight rebounds out of this guy then St. John’s is officially in business. The 6-9 Ejiofor averaged nine points and 5.5 rebounds last season in games where he logged 20 minutes or more.

Cam Heide, Purdue: Heide averaged 13.7 minutes in six NCAA Tournament games last spring for the Boilers and is primed for a bigger role in 2024-25. Don’t discount this guy from being a starter for Purdue up front alongside Trey Kaufman-Renn.

Isaiah Coleman, Seton Hall: The 6-5 Coleman showed flashes of promise for the Pirates a year ago as a freshman and now he could be a critical piece as a sophomore. With Kadary Richmond and Al-Amir Dawes no longer in Seton Hall’s program, Shaheen Holloway needs a go-to scorer to emerge on the perimeter. The Pirates were 6-1 last season when Coleman scored in double figures.

Josh Ojianwuna, Baylor: Miami transfer Norchad Omier is the headliner in the Bears’ frontcourt, but don’t forget about Ojianwuna. With Yves Missi now in the NBA, Baylor needs Ojiawuna’s bounce, athleticism, and rim protection. This is the unsung presence in the Bears’ program entering the upcoming year.

Tyler Rolison, Nevada: Steve Alford has enough returning up front to get the Wolf Pack to the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season, but questions remain for Nevada on the perimeter. That’s where Rolison comes into play. With Jarod Lucas and Kenan Blackshear no longer in Reno, the door is open for Rolison to play a major role in 2024-25. He averaged 3.8 points and 1.5 assists in 12.8 minutes a year ago as a freshman. If he doubles those averages this season, March Madness could be a viable option yet again for Alford and Nevada.

Coen Carr, Michigan State: Jeremy Fears and Xavier Booker are in bold print coming into this season for Michigan State, but the Spartans also need a jump out of Carr. A freak athlete who can play either forward spot, the 6-5 Carr needs to become more of a threat offensively. He didn’t attempt a single three-point shot last season as a freshman and only attempted 63 shots during all of his first season of college basketball.

Miles Rubin, Loyola Chicago: The true junkies already know about Rubin, but this season is when he’ll be introduced to people from the periphery. An elite rim protector, the 6-10 Rubin had seven games last season as a freshman with four or more blocks. He’s got the chops to be an All-Atlantic 10 caliber player during the upcoming year for the Ramblers, who again should firmly in the mix at the top of the league standings under Drew Valentine.

Christian Fermin, VCU: The 6-10 Fermin is the early favorite to start for the Rams at center during the upcoming season and he should hit the ground running in November. He averaged nine points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in VCU’s final two games during last year’s Postseason NIT. Remember the name.

Jordan Ross, Saint Mary’s: Aidan Mahaney’s decision to transfer to UConn left a major void for the Gaels on the perimeter. Ross should seamlessly fill it. This is the vintage Randy Bennett ascension plan where a player has a minimal role one year and then a major role the next. Ross had four points in 10 minutes last March when Saint Mary’s played Grand Canyon in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Kwame Evans, Oregon: This 6-9 forward is the most talented long-term piece in the Ducks’ frontcourt. Evans had eight points, six rebounds, and two blocks in an NCAA Tournament win last March over South Carolina and could change the ceiling in Eugene if he emerges into a star in 2024-25.

Jamichael Davis, Rutgers: A pair of five-star freshmen — Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey — are the focal points for Steve Pikiell and the Scarlet Knights, but Rutgers also needs quality play from its veterans. That directly relates to Davis, who gave Pikiell quality mileage last season as a freshman. Davis has tremendous burst in the open floor, can accelerate the tempo, and is a strong on-ball defender. This is a key piece to watch in Piscataway as the Scarlet Knights aim to return to the NCAA Tournament.

Josh Dix, Iowa: Everyone knows about Payton Sandfort and Owen Freeman, but Dix is also a major key to the Hawkeyes’ formula for success. The 6-5 guard has shot over 40 percent from three-point during each of the first two years of his college career and also showed his scoring chops at the end of last season as he scored 20 points or more in three consecutive games in late-February and early March. Dix is a name to watch in the Big Ten.

Devin Royal, Ohio State: The bouncy Royal averaged 9.4 points during a five-game winning streak late last season that helped Jake Diebler become the Buckeyes’ permanent head coach. Ohio State did major work in the transfer portal during the offseason, but Royal’s potential entering his sophomore season is an untapped storyline in Columbus.

Cameron Carr, Tennessee: Well embedded moles in Knoxville believe that Carr is due for a significant jump as a sophomore after only appearing in 14 games as a freshman. This guy is on the short list to give Tennessee perimeter offense post-Dalton Knecht.

Thomas Haugh, Florida: Much like Alex Condon, Haugh will have an augmented role for the Gators up front in 2024-25 following Micah Handlogten’s devastating knee injury in last March’s SEC Tournament. The 6-9 Haugh averaged 3.9 points and 3.7 rebounds a year ago as a freshman; doubling those totals feels like a real possibility as a sophomore.

Solomon Washington, Texas A&M: Buzz Williams loves the defensive prowess of this 6-7 forward, who can be moved around the floor like he’s a queen on a chessboard. Washington had nine points and eight rebounds when the Aggies lost in overtime last March in the second round of the NCAA Tournament and could emerge as one of the top utility players in the sport in 2024-25.

Silas Demary, Georgia: The Bulldogs look like a bubble team and Demary could be the catalyst that gets Mike White’s squad over the hump and into March Madness in 2025. The 6-5 guard averaged 9.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists last season on a team that won 20 games and advanced to the semifinals of the Postseason NIT. His ascension in Athens will be an SEC storyline to monitor.

Parker Friedrichsen, Wake Forest: Steve Forbes needs a capable floor spacer to take pressure off both Hunter Sallis and Cam Hildreth. That’s Friedrichsen. After averaging 5.1 points last season as a freshman, this kid should flirt with being a double-figure scorer as a sophomore as Wake Forest aims to return to the NCAA Tournament in 2025.

Naithan George, Georgia Tech: Not familiar with George’s game? You will be soon enough. The combination of the 6-3 George and Baye Ndongo is the best one-two punch in the ACC that not enough people know about. This kid is a major reason why the Yellow Jackets look ready to make a jump in their second season under Damon Stoudamire.

Tru Washington, New Mexico: Minutes are available in the Lobos’ backcourt next to Donovan Dent and Washington is in position to take full advantage. He averaged 14 points last season in games where he logged 25 minutes or more. A comparable production level is expected in 2024-25.

Leftovers