The Top Five Freshmen, Transfers and Player-of-the-Year Candidates in the Men’s Game

2. Johni Broome, Forward, Auburn
18.1 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.7 blocks, 50.3 FG%

In pretty much any other season, Broome would be the runaway POY. He has been the most dominant force on the best team in the country to this point. The do-it-all forward leads his squad in every major statistical category except steals. When I spoke to Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl earlier this season, he summed up Broome’s growth and overall impact perfectly: “I think when Johni was younger, scoring mattered a great deal to him. Now his defense, his passing, his ball handling, his leading and his scoring matter. In other words, he has understood that his team won’t win if he just scores. He’s got to do everything. And he’s bought into that.”

Overlooked No More, Auburn’s Johni Broome Still Has Something to Prove

The Tigers’ senior forward began his career at Morehead State. Now he’s the frontrunner for national player of the year.

3. Braden Smith, Guard, Purdue
16.1 points, 8.8 assists, 4.7 rebounds, 2.4 steals, 44.9 FG%, 38.3 3P%

Smith has proven to be the best point guard in America. With him running the show, Purdue has continued to find success despite losing reigning National Player of the Year Zach Edey to the NBA. Since the holiday break, Smith has averaged 18.7 points, 9.3 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 2.7 steals, while shooting 46.9 percent from the field. The 6-foot floor general ranks second in the country in assists per game behind just Gonzaga senior Ryan Nembhard. 

4. Walter Clayton Jr., Guard, Florida
17.2 points, 4.2 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 45.6 FG%, 37.0 3P%

Florida is ranked No. 2 in the latest AP poll, the program’s highest mark since 2014. Clayton is the engine of the team’s stellar offense, which ranks 13th in the country in points per game (83.7). The 6-foot-3 wing, who started his college career playing for Rick Pitino at Iona, has always been a capable scorer. This year, he has evolved into a much better playmaker, currently leading the Gators in assists per game. In his team’s upset win over No. 1 Auburn on February 8, Clayton had 19 points, 9 assists and 6 rebounds, while shooting 54.5 percent from the field and 50 percent from three.

5. Kam Jones, Guard, Marquette
19.0 points, 5.8 assists, 4.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 49.1 FG%

Jones dropped a few spots since January mostly because Marquette has struggled of late, losing four of its last eight games. The 6-foot-5 guard continues to put up impressive numbers across the board and lead the Golden Eagles in points, assists and field goal percentage. Even when his shot isn’t falling, Jones contributes in so many other ways. Back in November, he recorded just the third triple-double in Marquette history (17 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists) in a victory over Purdue.

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR CONTENDERS

1. Cooper Flagg, Forward, Duke
19.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.6 steals, 1.2 blocks, 48.6 FG%, 36.6 3P%

Flagg headlines a star-studded freshman class. The dynamic forward is having one of the best rookie seasons in college basketball history. After refocusing and refining his shot during the holiday break, Flagg has averaged 22.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.7 steals per game, while shooting 54.2 percent from the field and 45.6 percent from three. In a win over Notre Dame in mid-January, he broke the ACC freshman single-game scoring record with 42 points on 11 of 14 shooting. 

2. Derik Queen, Center, Maryland
16.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 54.9 FG%

A season ago, the Terrapins went 16-17 and finished 12th in the Big Ten. As of this writing, they are 20-6 and ranked 20th in the country. Queen is the biggest reason for the turnaround. Maryland head coach Kevin Willard told me that he built his roster around Queen and 6-foot-9 senior forward Julian Reese, surrounding them with shooters so that they would have more room to operate down low. Queen has the ability to take over games with his elite post moves and great touch around the basket. He had 29 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists in a win over Rutgers a few weeks ago, playing in front of more than 50 NBA scouts. Willard called his star big man “one of the best freshmen that’s ever played [at Maryland].”

Maryland Has A New Look, Plenty of Wins and All Kinds of Momentum

Thanks to a freshman phenom and hot-shooting guards, the No. 18 Terrapins have claimed their highest AP ranking in two years

3. VJ Edgecombe, Guard, Baylor
15.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.1 steals, 44.8 FG%, 35.5 3P%

After a slow start to the season, the highly touted Edgecombe has been as advertised. The 6-foot-5 guard from the Bahamas is an explosive athlete with an extremely versatile skill set. Over his last 12 games, Edgecombe has averaged 18.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.6 steals, while shooting 48.7 percent from the field and 41.4 percent from three. He also leads all freshmen in steals per game. “Early on in the season, I wasn’t as aggressive as I am now, so that’s been the main thing,” he told Hoops HQ at the beginning of February. “I just want to showcase that I can do everything on the floor and be a team player as well. I’m just trying to be a leader, even as a freshman, and stay disciplined through it all.” 

4. Ace Bailey, Guard, Rutgers
18.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, 46.6 FG%, 36.6 3P%

Rutgers has gone downhill over the past month, losing six of its last eight games, but Bailey’s stock hasn’t dropped at all. At just 18 years old, the 6-foot-10 wing is one of the nation’s premier shotmakers, especially from the mid-range area. He ranks fourth among freshmen in points per game and leads the Scarlet Knights in rebounds per game. He has scored 30-or-more on three occasions since the new year began, including a ridiculous 39-point performance against Indiana in Bloomington.

5. Kasparas Jakucionis, Guard, Illinois
15.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 46.9 FG%

The 18-year-old guard from Lithuania, who is projected to be the No. 6 pick in Hoops HQ’s 2025 NBA Mock Draft, has been Illinois’ best player this season. His positional size, versatility and poise separate him from a lot of the other talented guards in the freshman class. After watching him put up 16 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists in a win over Oregon in early January, here’s what one NBA scout told me about Jakucionis: “He was like an assassin. He was just even-keeled. I compare it to how Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is for the Thunder. You don’t see SGA’s facial expression change too much. He just moves with an air of, like, I do this. I’m going about my business. I can’t be stopped. But I don’t need to tell you about it, because it’s just how it is.”

BEST TRANSFERS

1. PJ Haggerty, Guard, Memphis
21.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.0 steals, 49.0 FG%, 42.4 3P%

Playing in the AAC, Haggerty doesn’t get the same attention as the other high-profile transfers on this list, but the 6-foot-3 guard has been one of the most unstoppable scorers in Division I. The sophomore transfer from Tulsa ranks fifth nationally in both points per game and total free throws. He also leads the Tigers in assists and steals. During non-conference play, Haggerty dropped 25 points against Missouri, 22 against UConn, 27 against Auburn and 24 against Mississippi State.

2. John Tonje, Guard, Wisconsin
19.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 48.5 FG%, 41.1 3P%, 91.0 FT%

Tonje was barely recruited out of Omaha Central High School. Now he is the centerpiece of the No. 11 team in the country. After sitting out most of last season due to injury, the 6-foot-5 wing transferred from Missouri to Wisconsin for his final year of eligibility. He has thrived under head coach Greg Gard, fueling the Badgers’ high-powered offense, which dropped 94 points on 61.5 percent shooting in a win at Mackey Arena last weekend. As Gard told Hoops HQ, Tonje has also had a huge impact in the locker room with his maturity and leadership.

3. Danny Wolf, Forward, Michigan
12.9 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.5 blocks, 51.7 FG%, 36.1 3P%

It has been a remarkable season for the junior transfer from Yale, who made the All-Ivy League First Team and won MVP of the Ivy League Tournament last year. Alongside senior center Vladislav Goldin, Wolf has helped Michigan climb from unranked to the No. 12 team in the country. A versatile 7-footer, he scores in a variety of ways (including from behind the arc) and facilitates for others. During Michigan’s current six-game winning streak, he has averaged 15.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.8 blocks and connected on 43.8 percent of his threes. 

4. Kadary Richmond, Guard, St. John’s
12.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 2.0 steals, 49.3 FG%

It took time for Richmond, a transfer from Seton Hall, to adjust to Rick Pitino’s fast-paced system, but the 6-foot-6 guard has looked very comfortable since conference play began. Richmond does a little bit of everything for the Red Storm, but his impact on defense stands out the most. St. John’s is forcing 15.7 turnovers per game in large part due to the pressure that Richmond applies whenever he is on the floor. He has notched at least two steals in 13 straight contests. In the Johnnies’ win over Creighton on Sunday, Richmond had 19 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals.

With Stellar Defense, St. John’s Prevails in Classic Big East Battle Against UConn 

Rick Pitino’s team wins 68-62 on the road, and sits atop the Big East conference standings

5. Chaz Lanier, Guard, Tennessee
17.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 41.8 FG%, 40.2 3P%

With Dalton Knecht leaving for the NBA, Tennessee had a massive void to fill on offense. Enter Lanier, a fifth-year transfer from North Florida who made the All-A-Sun First Team last season. The 6-foot-4 wing has taken over as the Vols’ primary scoring option. He has gone through a few slumps, but he has also proven capable of erupting for 25-plus points and completely changing games with his three-point shooting on any night.

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