As we inch closer to the start of the men’s college basketball season, Andy Katz ranked the top 16 bigs heading into the 2024-25 season.
MORE KATZ: Ranking the top college basketball arenas
1. Hunter Dickinson, Kansas
The 2024 Second Team All-America center returns to Kansas for a final season in college basketball and his second season with the Jayhawks. The 7-foot-2 big man spent his first three seasons with Michigan before transferring to Bill Self’s program last year. Dickinson averaged 17.9 points and 10.9 rebounds for the Jayhawks in 2023-24.
2. Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton
The 7-foot-1 big man is returning for his fifth season with the Bluejays, trying to improve upon Creighton’s Sweet 16 appearance. Kalkbrenner is a three-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year (2022-24), and he has been one of four finalists for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year each of the last two seasons. He finished second in the nation in blocks per game (3.1) last season while also posting 17.3 points per game.
3. Johni Broome, Auburn
Broome is also entering his fifth season in college basketball — and his third with Auburn. The 6-foot-10 paint protector led the Tigers to the NCAA tournament last season, but Bruce Pearl’s squad will look to avenge its first-round knockout by Yale. The Morehead State transfer has been a model of efficiency, shooting above 50% every season and shooting 35.4% on 3-pointers last year.
4. Graham Ike, Gonzaga
Ike is entering his second season with Mark Few after transferring from Wyoming. In his first season with the Bulldogs, Ike led the team in scoring (16.5 ppg), shooting an impressive 60.9% from the field. The 6-foot-9 big man will look to lead Gonzaga to its 26th consecutive tournament appearance.
5. Derik Queen, Maryland
Derik Queen highlights for your enjoyment pic.twitter.com/Hci5PmCIIf
— Maryland Men’s Basketball (@TerrapinHoops) July 26, 2024
Queen, the only true freshman on this list, enters College Park with high expectations after a stellar high school career with basketball powerhouse Montverde Academy in Florida. The 6-foot-10 forward was a five-star prospect on every major recruiting service, and Queen will look to lead the Terps back to the NCAA tournament after a disappointing 2023-24 season.
6. Norchad Omier, Baylor
The Miami transfer aims to give the 2021 national champions a boost after getting knocked out in the second round the previous three seasons. While Omier is a traditionally undersized big man, standing at 6-foot-7, he has hauled in 10 rebounds per game each of the last two seasons with the Hurricanes. He will look to bring his glass-cleaning prowess to a Bears team that didn’t have a single double-digit rebounder the previous season.
HISTORY: Every men’s basketball champion since 1939
7. Great Osobor, Washington
The 2024 Mountain West Player of the Year is coming off his best college basketball season, averaging 17.7 points and 9 rebounds per game with the Aggies last year. Osobor spent his first two seasons with Montana State before transferring to Utah State. He will look to give some life to a Huskies team that has made the NCAA tournament just once in the last decade.
8. Oumar Ballo, Indiana
Arizona ➡️ Indiana
Top transfer Oumar Ballo has committed to the Hoosiers.@OumarBallo32 x @IndianaMBB pic.twitter.com/mxZYL1KmmO
— Big Ten Men’s Basketball (@B1GMBBall) April 16, 2024
The 7-foot Arizona transfer holds a career 64.6 field goal percentage — the highest in Arizona basketball history. He averaged 12.9 points and 10.1 rebounds for the Wildcats last season. He will look to lead the Hoosiers back to the NCAA tournament after missing out last season.
9. J’Wan Roberts, Houston
Roberts is entering his fifth season with Kelvin Sampson and the Cougars. The 6-foot-8 big man has made it to at least the Sweet 16 in each of his four seasons with Houston. He boasts a career 60.5 field goal percentage with the Cougars and he will once again look to lead his squad to another deep NCAA tournament run.
10. Yaxel Lendeborg, UAB
The American Conference Defensive Player of the Year returned for his senior season with the Blazers. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 13.8 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.1 blocks last season to lead UAB to its second NCAA tournament appearance in three seasons. The Blazers reached the NCAA tournament only twice between 2007 and 2021.
11. Coleman Hawkins, Kansas State
The 6-foot-10 power forward is entering his fifth season in college basketball, playing his previous four with Illinois. He is a defensive weapon, averaging at least one steal and block for the Illini the past two seasons. He will look to bring Kansas Stat back to the NCAA tournament after missing out last season.
12. Clifford Omoruyi, Alabama
The Rutgers transfer brings elite rim protection to a surging Crimson Tide team. The 6-foot-11 fifth-year averaged 10.4 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.9 blocks with the Scarlet Knights last season. He joins Nate Oats’ program that made its first-ever Final Four in Alabama history the previous season.
13. Grant Nelson, Alabama
Right behind Omoruyi is his counterpart Nelson, who was an integral part of the Tide’s deep tournament run last season. The 6-foot-11 North Dakota State transfer posted 24 points, 12 rebounds and 5 blocks in Alabama’s tournament upset over No. 1 seed North Carolina. Nelson and Omoruyi should be a force in the paint this season.
14. Robbie Avila, Saint Louis
Avila went viral last season with Indiana State, garnering nicknames such as “Cream Abdul-Jabbar” and “Larry Blurred” for his unique look and play-style. He averaged 17.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting 39.4% from beyond the arc as a 6-foot-10 forward. Avila entered the portal in the offseason, and he will look to provide a spark to a Saint Louis team that has failed to reach the tournament since 2019.
15. Jonas Aidoo, Arkansas
The First Team All-SEC center at Tennessee took his talents to Fayetteville, teaming up with new head coach John Calipari. Aidoo averaged 11.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in his third season with the Volunteers, and he should be a key piece in Calipari’s first year with the Razorbacks.
16. JT Toppin, Texas Tech
As a true freshman with New Mexico, Toppin averaged 12.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.9 blocks and 1.1 steals, doing a little bit of everything for the Lobos. The 6-foot-9 forward led the Mountain West in rebounds, field goal percentage (62.3) and blocks as an 18-year-old. He should be a valuable addition to a Red Raiders squad that has reached the tournament in six of the previous nine seasons.
