March Madness Stars to Watch in 2024 Men's Conference Tournaments
March Madness officially begins with the NCAA tournament, but the start of conference tourneys brings a whole lot of mayhem, too.
While the college basketball world discusses potential expansion to the Big Dance, the reality is every team already has a chance to make the 68-team event. Win the league tournament, and you're in.
Given those stakes, it's only logical for the stars to shine.
There are dozens of players we could highlight, and our focus is on the seven best conferences of the 2023-24 season. Within each league is a player with significant March Madness experience, along with a respected (and, typically, a top) NBA draft prospect.
ACC
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The Veterans: RJ Davis and Armando Bacot, North Carolina
North Carolina has navigated an up-and-down half-decade, and Armando Bacot has been a fixture along the way. Most memorably, he posted six straight double-doubles—averaging 15.3 points and 16.5 rebounds—when the Tar Heels finished as the national runner-up two years ago. Bacot also scored 15 points in a first-round loss to Wisconsin in 2021.
Bacot is a critical complement to RJ Davis and his ACC-leading 21.5 points per game. Davis had a streaky 2022 tourney but gathered 14.7 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game on the runner-up roster.
The Potential NBA Pick: Kyle Filipowski, Duke
Tabbed as the No. 9 overall pick in the latest mock draft from B/R's Jonathan Wasserman, Kyle Filipowski is the ACC's top prospect. He's a floor-stretching 7-footer who also provides 2.9 assists per game. Filipowski played a pivotal role in Duke winning the ACC tourney last year, notching 19.7 points on a sizzling 66.7 percent shooting before the Blue Devils lost in the second round of the Big Dance.
Big East
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The Veterans: Tristen Newton and Donovan Clingan, UConn
Tristen Newton and Donovan Clingan held supporting roles as Connecticut won the national title last season. Newton tallied 9.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists in six NCAA tourney games, while Clingan averaged 5.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks as a reserve.
Newton is UConn's leader in points, rebounds and assists this season, and Clingan—also a potential lottery pick, per Wasserman—averages 12.6 points and 2.2 blocks per outing.
The Potential NBA Pick: Devin Carter, Providence
Few players highlighted have as much at stake in the conference tournament than Devin Carter. Over the last month, Providence has slipped from a projected spot in the March Madness field to the wrong side of the bubble. Carter, the 10th overall pick in B/R's mock, has amassed 19.2 points (with a 38.9 perimeter clip), 8.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.7 steals per game this season.
Big Ten
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The Veteran: Zach Edey, Purdue
Not many things left to say about Zach Edey at the college level. Soon to be a two-time national player of the year, Purdue's center has produced 24.1 points, 11.7 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game. Before he enters the NBA draft, Edey will be aiming to lead the program to a second straight Big Ten tournament crown—along with its first Final Four in 44 seasons and first-ever NCAA championship.
The Potential NBA Pick: Kel'el Ware, Indiana
Terrence Shannon Jr. is worth a mention, though Wasserman notes the Illinois guard's status is "fully tied" to a May 10 hearing for a rape allegation. Indiana, meanwhile, faces a title-or-bust outlook during the Big Ten tournament to reach the Big Dance. Kel'el Ware, a transfer from Oregon, has largely excelled in his debut season with the Hoosiers. He's gathered 15.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game and is listed as a top-20 pick.
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Big 12
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The Veterans: Hunter Dickinson and Kevin McCullar Jr., Kansas
Kansas boasts a pair of possible All-American picks, and both Hunter Dickinson and Kevin McCullar Jr. have substantial March experience.
Prior to joining KU this season, Dickinson played in seven NCAA tourney games at Michigan. He averaged 13.3 points in four outings as a freshman in 2021 and 21.0 points with 10.7 rebounds per contest in 2022. McCullar has a combined seven appearances between Texas Tech and Kansas, scoring 10-plus points in each one.
The Potential NBA Pick: Ja'Kobe Walter, Baylor
As if Kansas needs any more attention, Johnny Furphy is a potential first-round draft pick. Ahead of him on B/R's mock, however, is fellow freshman Ja'Kobe Walter from Baylor. He's the Bears' leading scorer at 14.7 points per game and leading the charge for the March Madness-bound program to win its first Big 12 tournament championship.
Mountain West
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The Veteran: Jaedon LeDee, San Diego State
In the Mountain West, this section is a little more difficult. It seems most fitting to highlight Jaedon LeDee, a fifth-year college player who is enjoying a huge breakout year. He wasn't a full-time starter on last season's national runner-up squad but offered 7.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game in the NCAA tourney. This season, he's amassed a Mountain West-high 20.5 points and 8.3 boards per game.
The Potential NBA Pick: Isaiah Stevens, Colorado State
Isaiah Stevens has guided the Rams to the brink of a second March Madness invite in his college tenure. He went through the pre-draft process in 2023 before withdrawing and returning to CSU, where he's averaged 15.4 points and 5.7 assists across five seasons as a starter. Stevens will at least be in the second-round discussion in 2024.
Pac-12
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The Veteran: Caleb Love, Arizona
Arizona is hoping the best version of Caleb Love consistently appears down the stretch. As he was at North Carolina for three years, he's an intensely streaky shooter with a sky-high ceiling and dangerously low floor. Love has tallied 19.4 points per game in 2023-24 but shot 36.2 percent from the perimeter with a modest 43.5 clip overall. In seven previous NCAA tourney games, he's scored 23-plus in three and ended with no more than 14 in the other four.
The Potential NBA Pick: Cody Williams, Colorado
Another top-10 selection in B/R's latest mock, Cody Williams has netted an efficient 13.7 points per game as a freshman. He only attempts about two triples per game yet boasts a 45.7 rate beyond the arc, along with a 59.0 overall clip. The asterisk to know is Williams has missed two recent games because of an ankle injury. Colorado, a team clearly on the bubble, certainly could use his impact in the Pac-12 tournament. If he's unavailable, USC guard Isaiah Collier merits this nod.
SEC
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The Veteran: Johni Broome, Auburn
Back in the 2021 tournament, Johni Broome collected 10 points and nine rebounds when Morehead State lost to West Virginia. He transferred to Auburn prior to last season, totaling 33 points, 18 rebounds and six blocks in the Tigers' two NCAA games. Broome has assembled an All-American-caliber season in 2023-24 with 16.4 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game.
The Potential NBA Picks: Rob Dillingham and Reed Sheppard, Kentucky
Both projected as top-seven selections right now, Rob Dillingham and Reed Sheppard are a stellar duo at Kentucky. Both players come off the bench but play 23-plus minutes per game. Dillingham is second on the team at 14.8 points per night, hitting 43.4 percent of his threes. Sheppard is third with a 12.4-point average and leads UK with a ridiculous 51.7 perimeter clip, adding team-best marks of 4.2 assists and 2.6 steals per outing.
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