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Midseason All-Americans for the 2023-24 college basketball season

Can we really be halfway through the 2023-24 college basketball season?

While there’s still a lot of work to be done before the bracket for the 2024 NCAA Tournament is announced on March 17th, we’ve still gotten a pretty good sample size of which teams will be poised to make deep runs in March Madness and which players will lead them there.

Below please find College Hoops Today’s list of midseason All-Americans for the 2023-24 season:

First Team

Zach Edey, Purdue (23.4 points, 11.6 rebounds, 2.3 blocks)
This guy is in the pole position to be the first player to win National Player of the Year honors in back-to-back seasons since Ralph Sampson did it at Virginia in the early 1980s. In Big Ten play, the 7-4 Edey is currently averaging 24.8 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks while shooting a blistering 66 percent from the field. Those are historical numbers.

Kevin McCullar, Kansas (19.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.5 steals)
McCullar’s decision to return to college for his fifth season has allowed him to go from role player to superstar. Instead of being viewed as a utility guy, the 6-6 veteran has now emerged as the Jayhawks’ best player and is averaging over nine points more than he did a year ago. He’s also already made more field goals (128) and three-point field goals (32) than he did during all of last season while shooting a career-high 46.9 percent from the field and career-high 35.6 percent from long distance. The magic of McCullar’s success is in one thing — the work that he’s put in to get better.

Dalton Knecht, Tennessee  (20.1 points, 4.6 rebounds)
The 6-6 Knecht is only averaging one-tenth of a point less than he did a year ago at Northern Colorado (20.2). That tells you about how gifted this guy is as a scorer after transferring from the Big Sky to the SEC. In his last six games, Knecht is averaging a blistering 31.8 points. His presence is the primary reason why Tennessee has more than a puncher’s chance to get to the Final Four for the first time in program history.

R.J. Davis, North Carolina (21.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 steals)
The focal point of the Tar Heels’ turnaround season, Davis has separated himself as the best guard in the sport. Poised, steady, and always under control, Davis’ first college season as a focal point has been his best one yet. If Zach Edey wasn’t doing what he’s currently doing for Purdue, this guy would be the favorite to be the National Player of the Year.

Tristen Newton, UConn (15.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.8 assists)
Newton was a role player on last year’s team that won the national title. He’s now emerged as the Huskies’ most complete player as UConn aims to go to back-to-back Final Fours for the first time in program history. The 6-5 point guard has already had six games this season with at least 15 points, five rebounds, and five assists.

Second Team

Hunter Dickinson, Kansas (18.7 points, 11.2 rebounds)
The 7-2 Dickinson is averaging career highs in points, rebounds, assists (2.0), steals (1.2), and field-goal percentage (59.2). Everyone expected the marriage between he and Bill Self to be a productive one and the results speak for themselves. Just as he did during his three seasons at Michigan, Dickinson is producing at an extremely high level.

Kyle Filipowski, Duke (17.5 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.9 blocks)
This 7-footer surprised many people last spring when he opted to return to school for his sophomore season. Filipowski has improved his efficiency during his second year of college basketball and is now shooting an impressive 50.4 percent from the field and 37.3 percent from three-point range. He’s also already blocked 11 more shots than he did during all of last season. This is the primary piece to what the Blue Devils hope is a Final Four run in their second season under Jon Scheyer.

Terrence Shannon Jr., Illinois  (20.1 points, 4.2 rebounds)
Shannon missed six games due to suspension after he was arrested on rape charges, but when he’s been on the floor this season he’s clearly been one of the best players in the sport. His 23-point performance in Tuesday night’s win at Ohio State was his best game since he returned to the lineup. A fifth-year senior, the 6-6 Shannon gives Illinois a strong chance to advance to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament for the first time under Brad Underwood.

Boo Buie, Northwestern (18.8 points, 5.4 assists, 3.4 rebounds)
This veteran floor general is only 112 points away from becoming the Wildcats’ all-time leading scorer. His ability to run an offense is pretty good, too. Buie has 34 assists to 11 turnovers in his last five games and is shooting a career-high 44.5 percent from the field and a career-high 39 percent from three-point range. This guy’s evolution at the most important position on the floor is one of the main reasons why Northwestern is in position to play in the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back seasons for the first time in program history.

Tyler Kolek, Marquette (15 points, 7.2 assists, 4.9 rebounds, 1.7 steals)
Over the past few weeks, Kolek has regained the form that made him last season’s Big East Player of the Year. The fearless floor general has handed out 49 assists in his last five games and dropped a career-high 32 points in Tuesday night’s win at Villanova. If the Golden Eagles can continue to get healthy, Kolek has the seasoning, steadiness, and savvy to lead them deep into the NCAA Tournament for the first time in a long time.

Third Team

DaRon Holmes II, Dayton  (19.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.2 blocks)
After flirting with the NBA Draft last spring, Holmes returned to school and completely recalibrated his game. The 6-10 forward now regularly initiates the Flyers’ offense and is a major threat facing the basket. Holmes has already made 21 three-point shots this season — he made seven combined during his first two years of college basketball. He’s also shooting 39.6 percent from long distance. This is the type of player that could take over the NCAA Tournament if Dayton wins multiple games in March Madness.

Jaedon LeDee, San Diego State  (20.5 points, 8.6 rebounds)
There was a belief that LeDee would become the Aztecs’ go-to guy following the losses of Matt Bradley, Keshad Johnson, and Nathan Mensah from last season’s team that advanced all the way to the national title game, but nobody saw this coming. The broad shouldered forward has already scored more total points (410) than did during all of last season (309) and it’s only Feb. 1st. Ledee has also already had seven games this season with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Antonio Reeves, Kentucky (19.5 points, 4.4 rebounds)
John Calipari’s team has a plethora of ways to beat the opponent, but Reeves is its most consistent option. Another fifth-year player who returned to school for his additional year of eligibility, the 6-6 wing has been a go-to scorer for the Wildcats as well as an effective rebounder. If Kentucky is going to go on a major run in the NCAA Tournament, Reeves will play a key role.

Isaiah Stevens, Colorado State (16.9 points, 7.4 assists, three rebounds, 1.5 steals)
Stevens’ decision to return to school for a fifth season has allowed the Rams to stand out in what has been a breakthrough year for the Mountain West. The veteran point guard has ran Colorado State’s offense with the focus of a surgeon, tallying an assist-to-turnover ratio that’s currently better than 3:1. He’s also shooting a career-high 48.7 percent from from the field and a career-high 44 percent from three-point range.

Jamal Shead, Houston (12.3 points, 5.8 assists, 3.9 rebounds, 2.2 steals)
Shead was an ancillary piece to the Cougars’ puzzle when they advanced to the Final Four in 2021, but he’s now the starting point guard on a team that has an inside track to be a number one seed in the NCAA Tournament. While other guards in college basketball may put up better numbers, Shead often dethrones opponents with the biggest weapon that he has — his heart.

Honorable Mention

  • Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton
  • Devin Carter, Providence
  • David Jones, Memphis
  • Johnell Davis, Florida Atlantic
  • Caleb Love, Arizona

Leftovers