Meet the former 5-star recruits in the NCAA Tournament (2024)

Andrew Jones, G, Texas
Composite Rank: No. 29

You know the story by this point: Jones was a promising sophom*ore in January of 2018. Then he was diagnosed with leukemia. Jones missed almost a season and a half worth of games recovering but beat the disease. After all that, Jones is still classified as a redshirt junior (remarkably Jones was in the same signing class as Jarrett Allen, who's on his second NBA team in four seasons).Jones isTexas’ leading scorer at 14.6 points per game. Jones is also an excellent rebounder (4.6 rpg) for a guard. He can be a bit streaky, especially from 3-point range where he’s shooting 33%. But Jones can change a game in an instant when he’s feeling it. Texas is 8-3 this season when Jones scores 16-plus points.

Joshua Langford, G, Michigan State
Composite Rank: No. 19

Langford admitted this season he never expected to stay at Michigan State for five years. But his path was disrupted in 2018 by a foot injury that would end up costing him all but 13 games between the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons. Before his injury, Langford was averaging 15 points per game and looked like a potential draft pick. He hasn’t quite been the same in his return this year, averaging 9.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. His 3-point shooting is the biggest issue. A 40-plus percent shooter each of his first three seasons, Langford is averaging just 33.7% this year. Still, he’s a big part of Michigan State’s team, and he’ll have to be on if the Spartans hope to advance past the play-in game Thursday.

Quentin Grimes, G, Houston
Composite Rank: No. 10

Grimes is the American’s co-Player of the Year and the program’s first AP All-American since Hakeem Olajuwon. The Houston native leads the Cougars with 18 points and six rebounds per game. He’s also shooting 40.8% from 3, pacing a Houston team that enters the NCAA Tournament as a No. 2 seed.

Grimes, a junior, has had quite a path to this point. Once viewed as Kansas’ next superstar, Grimes transferred away from Lawrence after an up-and-down first season. He played OK during his debut season at Houston in 2019-20, averaging 12.1 ppg. But the 2020-21 season has seen him emerge as one of the best players in the country.

Andrew Nembhard, G, Gonzaga
Composite Rank: No. 23 in 2018

A starter on the nation’s No. 1 team, Nembhard is averaging 9.2 points and 4.2 assists per game. He’s also shooting 34.2% from 3 and hitting 80% of his free throws. Nembhard was one of the big splash additions of the offseason as the Zags landed him following a transfer from Florida. The Ontario, Canada, native has posted career bests this year in field goal, 3-point and free throw percentage. He’s also committed, by far, the fewest turnovers of his career.

Jahvon Quinerly, PG, Alabama
Composite Rank: No. 29

The 2018 five-star class, at least among those who reached the tournament, is an all-transfer group. Like Grimes and Nembhard, Quinerly is playing a huge role for a contender. Named the MVP of the SEC Tournament after averaging 15.6 points and three assists across three games, Quinerly helped lead the Tide to their first SEC Tournament victory since 1991.

Alabama enters the NCAA Tournament as a No. 2 seed, and their transfer from Villanova is a big reason why. Quinerly sat out the 2019-20 season due to the NCAA’s redshirt rule. Since regaining his eligibility, Quinerly is averaging 12.7 points, 3 assists and 2 rebounds per game while shooting 48.6% from the field.

Scottie Lewis, G, Florida
Composite Rank: No. 7

Lewis got off to a hot start this season scoring 14-plus points in four of the Gators’ first six games. But his production has slipped since, coinciding with a four-game absence in mid-January that the program termed as “health and safety precautions.” When Lewis is right, he’s among the more potent scorers in the SEC. Lewis has seen his minutes climb late in SEC play, so perhaps that’s a signal he’s ready to take off again. If Lewis can recapture his early-season form, the Gators are a real threat to make a run.

N’Faly Dante, C, Oregon
Composite Rank: No. 14 in 2019

An early-season breakout star for the Ducks, Dante was averaging a career-best 8.2 points and 5.8 rebounds through six games. That included a 22-point outburst against Florida A&M, which included 10-for-10 shooting in just 18 minutes. But Dante suffered a torn ACL in January and will miss the tournament.

Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, F, Villanova
Composite Rank: No. 16

The second-highest rated recruit of Jay Wright’s tenure and the highlight member of a loaded 2019 recruiting class, Robinson-Earl has lived up to his lofty recruiting expectations. Robinson-Earl leads the Wildcats with 15.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game while shooting 49.3% from the field. A fringe first-round prospect in the 2021 NBA Draft, Robinson-Earl is one of the more dynamic forwards in the country.

Bryan Antoine, G, Villanova
Composite Rank: No. 17

The other five-star in Villanova’s 2019 class, Antonie hasn’t had quite the same rise as his fellow sophom*ore on this list. A shoulder injury cost Antonie more than half of the Wildcats’ games this season. He didn’t make his debut until February 10^th and has only played in eight games this season entering the NCAA Tournament. Antonie is averaging 9.4 minutes per game and has attempted only 12 field goals this year.

Trendon Watford, F, LSU
Composite Rank: No. 18

LSU had some reloading to do if it hoped to make a run this year following the departure of starSkylar Mays.Watford stepped up, raising his per game scoring from 13.6 to 16.7 while averaging 5.6 rebounds per game and handling the ball more often – he’s almost doubled his freshman year assist total. Watford has done this while maintaining a field goal percentage around 49% and seeing his 3-point percentage jump from 26.9 to 32.1. Watford isn’t LSU’s leading scorer – another five-star on this list has that role – but LSU will go nowhere unless he’s playing well.

Isaiah Mobley, F, USC
Composite Rank: No. 20

The other Mobley on USC’s roster, Isaiah has had a pretty good sophom*ore season alongside his brother, Evan. Isaiah is averaging 9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. He’s also shooting a more than respectable 39.3% from beyond the arc. Few front lines have the size or athleticism of USC’s. The Mobley brothers are a huge reason USC is a top 20 defense nationally, per KenPom’s ratings.

Tre Mann, G, Florida
Composite Rank: No. 21

Florida had a huge hole to fill after Keyontae Johnson was ruled out for the season following a scary on-court collapse. Mann has stepped up in in Johnson’s absence as the Gators’ go-to scorer. And Mann has been on a tear recently. He’s scored 19-plus points in each of Florida’s last five games, including a 30-point effort against Tennessee in the SEC tournament. Mann is averaging 16 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game this season with electric 42.1% shooting from behind the arc. He’s pushed himself into consideration as a 2021 first-round pick.

Josiah-Jordan James, G, Tennessee
Composite Rank: No. 22 in 2019

James was the highest-rated signee of the Rick Barnes era at one point – he’s since been passed by several 2020 and 2021 prospects – and he’s largely lived up to that hype. James is averaging 8.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and two assists per game this season. He’s also one of the lynchpins of what KenPom ranks as the nation’s No. 4 overall defense. A long 6-foot-6 guard, James can guard multiple positions and he’s averaging 1.3 steals and 1 block per game.

Armando Bacot, F, North Carolina
Composite Rank: No. 27 in 2019

Bacot is playing the best basketball of his career. He’s averaged 17 points, 10.6 rebounds and two blocks across the Tar Heels’ last five games. That stretch, incidentally, coincides with some of the best basketball of North Carolina’s season. The Tar Heels are 3-2 in that stretch with their only two losses coming by a possession to tournament teams. Bacot is just a more efficient offensive player this year. His field goal percentage has jumped from 46.9 to 62.7, he’s a better free throw shooter and is turning the ball over less frequently. UNC has a really deep rotation. But Bacot, the team’s leading scorer, sets the tone.

Cade Cunningham, G, Oklahoma State
Composite Rank: No. 1 in 2020

The Big 12’s Player of the Year and the presumed No. 1 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Cunningham is must-see TV. A dynamic guard with wing size (6-foot-8, 220 pounds) Cunningham can do a bit of everything. He’s averaging 20.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. He’s shooting 41.2% from behind the arc and is also averaging 1.4 steals per game. No other player in the tournament can take over a game quite like Cunningham. He’s hot right now, too. The Cowboys have won 8 of their last 11 games, including wins over Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma (twice), Baylor and West Virginia. The fewest points Cunningham had during that stretch is 15 and he dropped 40 in an overtime win over Oklahoma. Go ahead and set a calendar alert for 6:25 p.m. ET on Friday. You’re going to want to watch Cunningham play against No. 13 Liberty.

Evan Mobley, C, USC
Composite Rank: No. 3 in 2020

If Cunningham doesn’t go No. 1 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, it’ll be Mobley. Isaiah’s younger brother, Evan is a tantalizing prospect at 7-foot, 210 pounds with legitimate guard skills as both a ball handler and shooter. Mobley is averaging 16.8 points this season to go along with 8.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. He’s shooting 59.6% from the field and a respectable 32% from 3 – remember, he’s freaking 7-feet tall. But no conversation about Mobley would be complete without mentioning his defense. Mobley is averaging 3.2 blocks per game, the sixth-best rate in the country. That’s more blocks per game than 149 D-I teams.

Scottie Barnes, G, Florida State
Composite Rank: No. 7 in 2020

Barnes doesn’t start, but he could be the second straight Florida State bench player, joining Patrick Williams, to go in the top 5 of the NBA Draft. A 6-foot-9, 227-pound guard with a plus-7-foot wingspan, Barnes is everything NBA teams want in an NBA prospect. Like Williams before him, Barnes is a plus defender who can guard multiple positions. Barnes isn’t a great shooter at this point. But he’s hitting nearly 50% of his field goals while averaging 11 points to go along with 4.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. Barnes is a good rebounder, a plus passer and a nightmare in transition. He’ll be key for any potential deep run by the Seminoles.

Greg Brown, F, Texas
Composite Rank: No. 9

Brown came to Texas with the buzz of the biggestShaka Smart's biggest recruiting win since Mo Bamba. Has he lived up to that level of hype? Eh, the results are mixed. Texas employs among the deepest and most talented front courts in the country – the Longhorns have three legitimate NBA prospects with Jericho Sims, Kai Jones and Brown – so Brown is perfect in his role as an energy guy (a rare role for a 5-star talent). A super athlete at 6-foot-9, 205 pounds, Brown is averaging 9.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. He makes a lot of mistakes and can hunt shots at times, but there are only a handful of players with Brown’s athletic ability in the tournament. When Brown is taking good shots and taking care of the ball, the Longhorns are really difficult to beat.

Jalen Suggs, G, Gonzaga:
Composite Rank: No. 11

Gonzaga is the nation’s best overall team, and Suggs is likely the program’s most talented player. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound freshman is averaging 14.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. He’s a do-it-all guard who scores efficiently (52 FG%, 37 3FG%) and is also a havoc creator on the defensive end with 2 steals per game. Suggs has been electric during the 2020-21 season, and he’s pretty firmly established himself as a top 5 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. He’s also a heck of a quarterback, too. Suggs could’ve been a two-sport athlete at places like Ohio State, Notre Dame and Georgia.

Caleb Love, G, North Carolina
Composite Rank: No. 14 in 2020

One half of a dynamic true freshman duo in Chapel Hill, Love has carved out an immediate role as an impact perimeter player for the Tar Heels. Love ranks second on the team averaging 10.5 points per game to go along with 3.6 assists and 2.6 rebounds. Efficiency has been an issue, however. Love is shooting just 31.6% from the field along with 3.3 turnovers per game. But when Love is playing efficiently, the Tar Heels tend to win. His best two games of the year came against Duke, both of which were UNC victories.

Day'Ron Sharpe, F, North Carolina
Composite Rank: No. 15 in 2020

Like Love, Sharpe has made an immediate impact in Chapel Hill. The 6-foot-11, 265-pound forward is averaging 9.7 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. That includes 51.7% shooting from the field. Sharpe is the Tar Heels’ fourth-leading scorer and second-leading rebounder behind Bacot. He’s part of one of the better defensive front lines in the country.

Jaden Springer, G, Tennessee
Composite Rank: No. 16

When Springer arrived in Knoxville, he did so as the highest-ranked signee in Tennessee history. He’s also the Vols’ leading scorer, averaging 12.5 points per game. Springer is shooting a scorching 44.4% from 3, and he’s also hitting 47% of his overall field goals. The 6-foot-4, 204-pound freshman didn’t play as much early, but he’s averaged 31.4 minutes per game since the start of February. Springer, a projected lottery pick by some, is Tennessee’s most dangerous scorer. When Rick Barnes lets him loose and he’s clean with the ball, the Vols’ offense transitions from plodding to dangerous.

Keon Johnson, G, Tennessee
Composite Rank: No. 19

Johnson, also a projected lottery pick, has seen his season track similarly to Springer. Johnson’s minutes were somewhat limited early in the year but since February he’s averaging 30 minutes per game. Johnson is the team’s second-leading scorer at 11.2 points per contest, and he’s averaging 3.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists. A great driver of the basketball and one of the better wing defenders in the SEC, Johnson is a key cog in one of the nation’s best defensive groups. When he’s hitting his jump shots, Johnson is one of the best all-around prospects in the country.

Bryce Thompson, G, Kansas
Composite Rank: No. 21

The Jayhawks have a pretty firmly established guard rotation of Ochai Agbaji, Marcus Garrett and Christian Braun. Each member of that group is averaging 30-plus minutes per game, which has limited Thompson’s time on the court. Thompson is averaging 17.1 minutes and 4.9 points per game on 38.5% shooting from the field.

Walker Kessler, F, North Carolina
Composite Rank: No. 22 in 2020

Kessler hasn’t had the same impact as the other five-stars in North Carolina’s 2020 class. He’s averaging just 8.6 minutes per game and ranks eighth on the team in points per contest. That said, Kessler has seen his role expand as the season has continued. After cracking the 10-minute barrier only twice before Feb. 12, he’s done so in eight of the team’s last 11 games. Kessler has been efficient averaging 4.5 points on 58.6% shooting.

Cameron Thomas, G, LSU
Composite Rank: No. 25 in 2020

The Power Five’s most potent scorer outside of Iowa's Luke Garza, Thomas is averaging a scorching 22.6 per game during his true freshman season. Thomas is also averaging 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists. His shooting percentages aren’t great – 38.4% from the field and 31.3% from the field – but he takes some tough shots and that’s sort of his role in the offense. Thomas’ 90.1 mark from the free throw line indicates he’s capable of being a much more efficient scorer down the line in the NBA. As for the NCAA Tournament, Thomas’ firepower gives the Tigers a chance in every game.