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20 breakout players for the 21-22 season

It’s never too early to start looking ahead!

Check below for our list of 20 breakout players for the 21-22 college basketball season. Please note that someone can not be considered a “breakout player” if he was a double-figure scorer the previous year.

In no particular order:

Mark Williams, Duke: Williams was on the verge of postseason stardom before the Blue Devils had to withdraw from the ACC Tournament due to COVID, averaging 16.7 points and 7.8 rebounds in Duke’s final six games. With that type of production and experience on his resume, expect this 6-11 big man to flourish as a sophomore up front alongside five-star freshman Paolo Banchero. 

Andre Curbelo, Illinois: Can a player be a non-starter one year and an All-American the next? Yes, if that player is Curbelo. With Ayo Dosunmu now off to the NBA, this lightning quick point guard is ready to take the Big Ten — and maybe all of college basketball — by storm.

Adam Flagler, Baylor: Flagler would have been viewed as one of the best guards in the country last season if he didn’t play in the same back court as Jared Butler, Davion Mitchell, and MaCio Teague. A transfer from Presbyterian, Flagler scored 13 points in the national title game against Gonzaga and averaged 11.7 points during the NCAA Tournament. This guy is a baller.

Matthew Mayer, Baylor: After bypassing the NBA Draft as an early entrant, Mayer is ready to become a star in the Big 12. Like Flagler, he had moments of brilliance last season in reserve and is now ready to assume major responsibility in Waco as Baylor aims to advance to its second consecutive Final Four. 

Jonathan Tchamwa Tcatchoua, Baylor: Multiple well embedded moles in Waco believe that “Everyday Jon” — as he’s affectionately known inside of Baylor’s program — is primed for a major jump. If Tchamwa Tcatchoua flirts with averaging a double-double, the Bears’ baseline will have an entirely new dimension. He averaged 6.4 points and five rebounds in 19.3 minutes last season.

Adama Sanogo, UConn: This broad shouldered big man averaged 9.8 points and 6.3 rebounds while shooting 58 percent from the field in games last season where he logged 20 minutes or more. Expect Dan Hurley to make Sanogo a focal point for UConn as a sophomore. 

Brandon Slater, Villanova: Slater isn’t the first player that people think of when they discuss the Wildcats, but he may very well be Villanova’s best long-term prospect. An elite athlete, Slater should see his usage spike as a senior after averaging 16.8 minutes as a junior. Blessed with gifts from God physically at 6-6, this talented lefty will reach another level if he continues to develop his offense.

Brandon Johns, Michigan: Johns averaged 10 points and 5.3 rebounds as a starter in four NCAA Tournament games last March while Isaiah Livers was out due to injury. This is an unsung presence in Ann Arbor. 

Jabari Walker, Colorado: Pick-and-pop big men are now a major commodity at all levels of basketball and there’s not many better in the college game than Walker. The 6-8 forward only averaged 7.6 points and 4.3 rebounds last season, but shot an astronomical 52.3 percent from three-point range. Walker also scored 24 points on 10 shots in Colorado’s NCAA Tournament win over Georgetown. He’ll have to be a consistent performer as a sophomore for Tad Boyle’s squad to hear its name called on Selection Sunday.

Brandon Newman, Purdue: Jaden Ivey may be destined for stardom as a sophomore, but it would be foolish to forget about Newman. The 6-5 wing averaged eight points and 3.5 rebounds last season as a redshirt freshman and has the requisites to be an All-Big Ten player under Matt Painter.

Davonte Davis, Arkansas: Davis’ defense held Mac McClung to just nine points on 2-6 shooting in Arkansas’ Round of 32 win over Texas Tech. His offense isn’t bad either. Davis averaged 14.3 points in four NCAA Tournament games after averaging just 8.5 points during the regular season. He’ll be one of the top guards in the SEC as a sophomore. 

Reece Beekman, Virginia: Tony Bennett doesn’t return a double figure scorer from last season’s team that earned a four seed in the NCAA Tournament. It says here that Beekman will be one in 21-22 as a sophomore after averaging 4.7 points as a freshman. Remember the name.

Jaylen Clark, UCLA: The Bruins wouldn’t have beaten Alabama in the Sweet 16 without the 6-5 Clark, who came off the bench to grab nine rebounds in 19 minutes. Tough, hard nosed, and capable of guarding multiple positions defensively, Clark is tailor made for Mick Cronin’s rotation. If his offense starts to come around, look out.

Tramon Mark, Houston: Mark averaged 11.7 points last season in games where he logged 20 minutes or more. With Quentin Grimes and DeJon Jarreau now in the NBA, Kelvin Sampson needs to find more perimeter scoring. Mark is an easy solution.

Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe, Oklahoma State: Cade Cunningham gave Cowboys’ fans plenty of sizzle last season, but Moncrieffe provided plenty of steak. The 6-7 forward is a terrific rebounder and had three double-doubles in four games during the middle of Big 12 play last season. Don’t be shocked if Moncrieffe emerges into one of the Big 12’s best players this season.
 
Keegan Murray, Iowa: With Luka Garza and Joe Wieskamp no longer a part of the Hawkeyes’ program, Fran McCaffery is going to need a new go-to scoring option. That should be Murray. A potential first-round pick in 2022, the 6-8 Murray averaged 9.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks in two NCAA Tournament games and seems primed to become a focal point in Iowa City. 

Justin Lewis, Marquette: Shaka Smart may have lost Dawson Garcia to North Carolina, but Lewis is no consolation prize. This burly forward has all-conference caliber potential and isn’t afraid of the big moment, as evidenced by his 18-point, eight-rebound performance in last season’s win over rival Wisconsin, which was highlighted by Lewis’ game-winning tip in. 

Cliff Omoruyi, Rutgers: How will Steve Pikiell replace Myles Johnson in the pivot? This guy. A former top-50 recruit, Omoruyi is primed for a massive jump as a sophomore as Rutgers looks to reach back-to-back NCAA Tournaments for the first time in over 40 years. 

Jonathan Davis, Wisconsin: Greg Gard needs to identify a go-to scorer after losing four starters and Davis looks like a primary candidate. The 6-5 guard averaged seven points last season as a freshman and was also a part of USA Basketball’s U19 team at the FIBA World Cup in Latvia. 

Colby Jones, Xavier: Averaging 7.7 points and 4.8 rebounds as a freshman in the Big East isn’t an introduction — it’s a statement. Expect the 6-5 Jones to play a major role as a sophomore in Xavier’s first NCAA Tournament appearance under Travis Steele.

Leftovers