Flagg, Cooper.Some familiar names set for centerstage introductions like Flagg at Duke, the No. 1 recruit in the freshman class and potential No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and Ace Bailey at Rutgers are already key ingredients to the success of their new teams.Others are holdovers back on campus and climbing the ladder for a more prominent or featured role.We’ve got more than other 50 names for you to know before the season tips off Monday, with breakout candidates from every corner of the map listed in alphabetical order.Now that we’ve confirmed Flagg is present, here’s the rest of our breakout roll call:F Ace Bailey, freshman, RutgersStocked with talent and plenty of youth, Rutgers landed multiple gems in the offseason. Bailey might prove the most valuable with an exciting blend of size and explosiveness that brings the Scarlet Knights must-see appeal.F/C Xavier Booker, sophomore, Michigan StateA hyped top-5 recruit in 2023, Booker struggled to get acclimated to the college game and barely played until late in the season. During the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments, he got more comfortable and showcased his ability to stretch the floor with perimeter shooting. Bigger, stronger and more confident, Booker has the skills to turn himself into an NBA prospect.F Pierre Brooks, senior, Butler: After playing minimal minutes with Michigan State for two years, Brooks made himself known at Butler. Starting every game for the Bulldogs, Brooks led Butler with 14.8 points per game, showing his three-level scoring ability. Brooks ability to score from anywhere makes him difficult to guard, and will be the player to watch for head coach Thad Matta’s side.G Dion Brown, junior, Boston CollegeBrown is a physical backcourt player who averaged 19.0 points and 7.6 rebounds per game for UMBC last season, when he also led the Retrievers in steals. He’s stepping up a level in the ACC.F Carter Bryant, freshman, ArizonaMcDonald’s All-American as a 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward was a Top 20 national recruit in every recruiting service. He has a 7-foot wingspan and runs with speed and agility for his size, providing versatility for mix-and-match defensive assignments.F Ben Burnham, senior, Virginia Tech:Burnham is a high-energy presence versatile enough to affect things at both ends of the floor. He’ll be depended on to bring experience in his first season at Virginia Tech after transferring from College of Charleston where he played twice in the NCAA Tournament. Besides his presence in the frontcourt, Burnham can shoot from distance; he made 36.8 percent from 3-point range last season.G Wesley Cardet Jr., senior, ProvidenceThe Friars are confident that Cardet, who averaged 18.7 points per game during his second of two seasons at Chicago State, can continue to score the ball and make an impact defensively as he transitions to the Big East.F Jaylen Carey, sophomore, VanderbiltAveraged 14.9 minutes and 7.0 points per game last season at JMU, but the Commodores need help quickly and Carey’s stats projected to 40 minutes (18.8 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.8 steals, 0.8 blocks a game) as well his efficiency (66.9% on field goals, 27 assists to 22 turnovers) point to a rapid rise as a key contributor.G Jaquan Carlos, senior, SyracuseIt’s not often that a senior is considered a breakout player, but the Hofstra transfer could blossom in his first season at Syracuse. Carlos is a talented passer who averaged 6.3 assists for the Pride last season. More opportunities are expected flanked by Chris Bell and J.J. Starling.F Andrew Carr, graduate student, KentuckyG Cameron Carr, sophomore, TennesseeScoring options are needed to complement star guard Zakai Ziegler, and the former four-star prospect out of Eden Prairie, Minn., appeared in 14 games last season including six conference games. He showed his high-flying athleticism, sharp shooting and ability to run the floor.F Daimion Collins, junior, LSUThe former consensus five-star recruit who was a backup at Kentucky for two seasons, played in just six games in his LSU debut season because of a shoulder injury. But head coach Matt McMahon called him “a once-in-a-lifetime athlete,” adding, “I’ll probably never coach someone like him again.”F Alex Condon, sophomore, FloridaNo secret in his own conference thanks to being named to the SEC All-Freshman team, Condon is expected to seize a starting role as a sophomore. He averaged 7.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game off the bench. The 6-11, 230-pound Australian can run the floor and crash the glass.G Arden Conyers, redshirt freshman, South CarolinaThe Gamecocks are confident they have a local boy made great in Conyers, a product of Columbia, S.C., who redshirted last season but averaged 21.4 points and 5.5 rebounds as a senior at nearby Westwood High. Conyers brings versatility as a shooter and attacker.F Steven Crowl, senior, WisconsinThe Badgers are 14-2 in Crowl’s career when he leads the team in scoring. Had seven double-doubles last season and scored in double figures 8 of last 10 games. He has to avoid foul trouble and eliminate games where he’s not a factor.G Brandin Cummings, freshman, PittsburghAlthough Cummings has talented guards ahead of him, don’t be surprised to see the top incoming recruit turn heads in his first season on campus. A 6-foot-3 combo guard with deadly range, he played high school ball 40 miles northeast of Pittsburgh and opted to stay home.G Arturo Dean, junior, Oklahoma StateWhen new head coach Steve Lutz wanted speed to start his first year with the Cowboys, he picked up Arturo Dean. The 2023 Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year is a force up and down the court, with not many who can catch him. When he’s not picking passes or swiping steals, Dean charges into the basket and take contact.G Jordan Derkack, junior, RutgersDerkack moved up to the Big Ten after a stellar year at Merrimack earned him both Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors in the Northeast Conference. His rebounding, hustle and ability to get in opponents’ passing lanes will make him a darling of coach Steve Pikiell.F Malik Dia, junior, Ole MissDia has experience with 20 games as a freshman at Vanderbilt, then 33 games as a sophomore at Belmont. Coming off a season in which he averaged 16.9 points and 5.8 rebounds plus 26 blocks and 27 steals, Dia is poised to have a bigger impact on a guard-oriented team.G Josh Dix, junior, IowaHe made 20 starts and the Council Bluffs (Iowa) native is a household name for Hawkeyes’ fans. But he’s a breakout candidate in terms of expectations for multiplied production. He scored 8.9 points per game last season and hit an impressive 55.2 percent from the field. Two sophomores at Iowa – Big Ten Freshman of the Year Owen Freeman and reserve point guard Brock Harding – are among others knocking (kicking down?) the door with greatly elevated offseason performances.F Eric Dixon, graduate student, VillanovaAs one of the last links to the Jay Wright years – and perhaps the last link to the days of a player exhausting his eligibility at one school – Dixon will do a little bit of everything in his sixth season with the Wildcats. A preseason candidate for the Karl Malone Award presented to the best power forward in Division I, Dixon led Villanova in scoring, rebounding and blocks last season while getting to the line 145 times.F Cooper Flagg, freshman, DukeAll the hype comes with this 6-foot-9 wing who was the nation’s top-rated recruit, a preseason All-American and the potential No. 1 draft pick in 2025. He can get it done at both ends of the court and stood out even against a legend-filled Team USA roster in training sessions.F Roddy Gayle Jr., junior, MichiganLet’s just say the Wolverines annual visit to Columbus, Ohio will be a little awkward for Gayle. It’s one thing to enter the transfer portal; it’s another to choose your biggest rival. Gayle averaged 13.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists for Ohio State last season. The powerful, athletic Gayle is an elite finisher and instantly became a strong candidate to lead the Wolverines in scoring.G Rylan Griffen, junior, KansasOne of the junior guards in the reconstructed KU backcourt rotation – Wisconsin’s AJ Storr is the other – Griffen played a bit part on a talented Alabama team last season but has the range and touch the Jayhawks lacked. Griffen made 74 3-pointers for the Crimson Tide last season and won’t worry about floor spacing on a loaded KU roster.F Amani Hansberry, sophomore, West VirginiaHansberry is an undersized center at 6-foot-8, but he can draw taller defenders away from the basket with 3-point range. He was a four-star recruit coming out of high school and averaged 7.5 minutes per game last season as a freshman at Illinois.G DeShawn Harris-Smith, sophomore, MarylandThe former four-star recruit can quickly fulfill his promise if his perimeter shooting improves. He shot 20.2 percent on 3-pointers as a freshman.G Elijah Hawkins, senior, Texas TechNamed to the 2025 Bob Cousy Award Watch List, Hawkins ranked second nationally with 7.5 assists per game and also averaged 9.5 points and 1.6 steals for Minnesota last season. He transferred to Texas Tech with 1,077 points, 588 assists, 169 steals and 10 double-doubles in 92 career games.G Josh Hubbard, sophomore, Mississippi StateInstead of a sophomore slump, expect Hubbard to take the sophomore jump. His teaser performance that proved it to Hubbard and others was knocking down seven 3s in a 34-point game against Kentucky last season.G Kasparas Jakucionis, IllinoisA 19-year-old freshman from Lithuania and part of a loaded Illinois freshman class, Jakucionis entered early discussion for NBA draft lottery potential before flashing it for the Fighting Illini in a scrimmage at Ole Miss last month. He had 12 points, six rebounds, five assists but also four turnovers, a sign he won’t be entirely immune to growing pains.G Kam Jones, senior, MarquetteBreakouts are relative, and there’s Naismith Watch ability in this one. In the shadow of Tyler Kolek no more, Kam Jones can score and is listening to the goals coach Shaka Smart had from him, starting with becoming a better passer.
50 (and then some) breakout candidates for 2024-25
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