College Basketball Players to Watch
The season has been underway for a couple of months now, and the college basketball landscape is starting to take shape. The usual suspects are at the top of the rankings, but some players are making a splash on the scene that was unexpected. Read more college basketball players to watch more.
Everybody should know about Cooper Flagg and Kam Jones by now, but several underrated players are worth watching. This article will break down a few players to monitor as March rolls closer and these guys get to perform on the main stage. Also, check out the Godzilla Wins Daily Staff Picks page for other best picks!
Javon Small – Senior – Guard – WVU
Oklahoma State fans may have known how good Javon Small is, but the country has yet to notice. He started his college career in East Carolina, where he played for two years. In his sophomore season, he averaged 15.8 points, 5.6 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game. He transferred to Oklahoma State for his junior season, where he averaged 15.1 points, 4.1 assists, and 4.7 rebounds.
Darian DeVries struck gold when he landed Small as a transfer to his new team at West Virginia. Small has been the most important for the player all season. He plays 35.9 minutes per game and leads the team in points (19.4), assists (5.2), and steals (1.8) per game. He also adds 5.1 rebounds per game while starting every game.
The big improvement in his game is his efficiency from the field and the free throw line. He shoots 42.6% from the field, 36.6% from behind the arc and 87.8% from the line. Small is the main reason WVU is right outside the top 25 and near the top of the Big 12.
Kon Knueppel – Freshman – Guard – Duke
The Duke guards are going to be a problem in the tournament. Junior Tyrese Proctor is having another solid season alongside freshman standout Cooper Flagg, who will probably be the first overall pick in next season’s NBA Draft. The other guard that makes them a force to be reckoned with is Kon Knueppel. Knueppel is a freshman, like Flagg, but is often overlooked. He is 6’ 7’’, 217 pounds, and is mature beyond his years.
Knueppel plays 29.2 minutes per game for a top-three team in the nation. He scores 13.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. The most impressive stats are his efficiency, though. He only averages 1.1 turnovers per game and shoots 45.8% from the field, 89.2% from the line, and 38.3% from three. He also takes 6.3 three-point attempts per game. He is on NBA draft boards and could play himself into a better selection with a good tournament.
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Tre Johnson – Freshman – Guard – Texas
Tre Johnson is raw but has NBA-level talent. He is 6’ 6’’, 190 pounds from Garland, Texas, and is the son of Richard Johnson Jr., who played at Baylor and Midwestern State. Johnson was a consensus five-star recruit, and it shows on the court. He takes and makes NBA-level difficulty shots and does not shy away from big moments.
He leads Texas in scoring with 18.7 points per game, making 47.1% of his field goals, 41.4% from three, and 85% from the stripe. He also averages 2.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and one steal per game while playing 32.1 minutes for the Longhorns. He turns 19 at the beginning of March, so it is only up from here for the young star in Texas. Tre Johnson will be in the league one day, but for now, he is well worth sitting down and watching a Texas game.
