March Madness is all about iconic performances from great players. In a single-elimination format, a heroic performance from one star can be all a team needs to pull off a big upset and be remembered forever.
We’re certainly about to see some of the sport’s biggest stars take the stage in this year’s tournament, so let’s take a look at the 25 best, and see who might shine the brightest and make history.
See how you can wager on these top names with our March Madness Betting Guide.
Top 25 March Madness Players For 2024 NCAA Tournament
1. Zach Edey, C, Purdue (No. 1 Seed, Midwest Region)
Primed to be the second-ever back-to-back Wooden Award winner, Edey is an easy choice for the top spot on this list. Edey led all D-1 players in scoring per game this year with a mark of 24.4 points, on nearly 62% shooting from the field.
The 7-foot 4 Edey also blocks more than two shots per game and snares 11.7 rebounds, bringing some value on both ends of the court for this highly-touted Purdue squad.
2. RJ Davis, G, North Carolina (No. 1 Seed, West Region)
After his Tar Heels missed the tournament entirely last season, Davis has been on a mission and truly exploded for a career-best 21.4 points per game on 40.6% shooting from three-point range.
Even in a loss to NC State, he shone brightly with a 30-point performance in the ACC Championship Game. We’ll see if he can keep stepping up in the big moments as North Carolina chases a seventh national championship.
3. Dalton Knecht, G, Tennessee (No. 2 Seed, Midwest Region)
Knecht is another scorer who combines volume with efficiency, as he’s scoring 21.1 points per game with nearly 40% accuracy on three-pointers. After transferring in from Northern Colorado, Knecht has made the most of his opportunity with a big program, and he will look to make an impact in his first showing at the big dance.
4. Jamal Shead, G, Houston (No. 1 Seed, South Region)
Shead doesn’t quite light up the scoreboard the way some of these other guards might, but he’s one of the best on-ball defenders in the nation in addition to steering the Houston offense. He’s averaging 6.2 assists per game and 2.3 steals in what has been an outstanding all-around performance.
5. Tristen Newton, G, UConn (No. 1 Seed, East Region)
It’s tough to pick an individual standout player on this loaded UConn team, but if there has to be one singled out, it’s got to be Newton. He’s the team’s scoring leader at 15.2 points per game, but he also averages seven rebounds and six assists as a real do-it-all star.
6. DaRon Holmes II, F, Dayton (No. 7 Seed, West Region)
7. Johni Broome, F, Auburn (No. 4 Seed, East Region)
8. Terrence Shannon Jr., G, Illinois (No. 3 Seed, East Region)
9. Reed Sheppard, G, Kentucky (No. 3 Seed, South Region)
10. Mark Sears, G, Alabama (No. 4 Seed, West Region)
This section features plenty of stars from mid-seeded teams that will look to knock off those top-five players on elite teams. Dayton’s Holmes is one of the more efficient scorers out there, averaging more than 20 points per game on 54.5% shooting from the field, while Broome from Auburn cleans up on the glass with 8.4 rebounds per game.
Terrence Shannon Jr. scores a ridiculous 23.0 points per game for Illinois, while Reed Sheppard’s three point shooting percentage of 52.5% is equally outstanding. Alabama’s Mark Sears is somewhere in the middle, scoring 21.1 points per game while shooting 43.1% from downtown.
11. Cam Spencer, G, UConn (No. 1 Seed, East Region)
12. Kyle Filipowski, C, Duke (No. 4 Seed, South Region)
13. Jaedon LeDee, F, San Diego State (No. 5 Seed, East Region)
14. Tyler Kolek, G, Marquette (No. 2 Seed, South Region)
15. Armando Bacot, F, North Carolina (No. 1 Seed, West Region)
16. Tucker DeVries, G, Drake (No. 10 Seed, East Region)
17. Hunter Dickinson, C, Kansas (No. 4 Seed, Midwest Region)
18. Shahada Wells, G, McNeese State (No. 12 Seed, Midwest Region)
19. Tamin Lipsey, G, Iowa State (No. 2 Seed, East Region)
20. Jalen Blackmon, G, Stetson (No. 16 Seed, East Region)
21. Antonio Reeves, G, Kentucky (No. 3 Seed, South Region)
22. Tyon Grant-Foster, F, Grand Canyon (No. 12 Seed, West Region)
23. AJ Storr, G, Wisconsin (No. 5 Seed, South Region)
24. Baylor Scheierman, G, Creighton (No. 3 Seed, Midwest Region)
25. Donovan Clingan, C, UConn (No. 1 Seed, East Region)
One of the toughest cases in this entire list is UConn’s Donovan Clingan, who has been incredibly impactful when on the floor, but has struggled to stay available. Antonio Reeves is another tough one to spot. He’s a walking bucket, but allows opponents on the other end to be essentially that very same thing.
Kyle Filipowski is certainly one of the best players in the country, but he’s also an extremely polarizing personality, making it tough to pin down public perception of his game.
This section also includes plenty of veteran leaders of contending teams, like UConn’s sharpshooting Cam Spencer, Marquette’s Tyler Kolek, and Armando Bacot, who seems to hold every top spot in the UNC program record book.
Tamin Lipsey is another guard who doesn’t score every bucket for his team, but has been a clear leader on a really good Iowa State team. Similarly, Creighton’s Baylor Scheierman isn’t quite one of the top scorers in the nation, but he always seems to be there when the Bluejays need a bucket.
And of course, where would March Madness be without its mid-and low-major stars? Tucker DeVries is fueling a Drake team with legitimate Cinderella aspirations, Shahada Wells has been an impressive blend of volume and efficiency for a McNeese team that really needs him, Tyon Grant-Foster is lighting it up for underdog Grand Canyon, and Jalen Blackmon’s 21.5 points per game have helped guide Stetson to its first NCAA Tournament.
Betting On Top March Madness Players
Where Can You Bet NCAA Tournament Player Props?
- Connecticut (except Connecticut teams)
- Illinois (except Illinois teams)
- Indiana (pre-game only)
- Iowa (except Iowa teams)
- Kansas
- Louisiana
- Michigan
- New Jersey (except New Jersey teams)
- New Hampshire (except New Hampshire teams)
- Rhode Island (except Rhode Island teams)
- Washington D.C.
- Wyoming
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