1. Grayson Allen- Duke
Anyone who says they won’t miss Grayson Allen is lying. You’ll either miss hating him or miss cheering like crazy for him (if you’re a Duke fan). He was one of the most polarizing figures in the country for four years. He will be missed for his clutch three point shooting, and he may even be missed because of his tripping incidents. Although often forgotten, his championship performance as a freshman was unbelievable. But one things for sure, Allen was a total competitor and an elite player.
2. Jevon Carter- West Virginia
Big 12 coaches will definitely not miss Carter considering he harassed their point guards for 90 feet, wreaking havoc and forcing turnovers, but fans will surely miss him. There’s not many players in the country as tough as Carter. He seemed to have unlimited stamina and he meant everything to West Virginia. He could do a little bit of everything whether it was passing, scoring, rebounding, and of course forcing turnovers. Carter will go down as one of the best defenders the Big 12 has ever seen.
3. J.P. Macura- Xavier
J.P. Macura may not have been the best senior on his own team, but he brought an edge to the game that only a handful of players could emulate. Opposing teams fans hated him with a passion. Macura seemed to knock down every open three and get every lose ball. He was willing to give up his body and take a charge, but most of all Macura was unselfish and simply wanted to win. Macura will go down as one of the most beloved players in Xavier history.
4. Devonte’ Graham- Kansas
Graham was once committed to Appalachian State because he was brutally under recruited . If Appalachian State hadn’t released his letter of intent Graham would’ve had to sit out a year and he may not have went to Kansas. Graham always carried a chip on his shoulder, but his first three years he played mainly off the ball and he saw Frank Mason become the star for Kansas. Finally he got his chance to be the man this year, and he took full advantage scoring over 17 points per game, and forcing his name into National Player of the Year discussions.
5. Joel Berry- North Carolina
Berry and the Tar Heels may have gotten eliminated earlier than expected in this year’s tournament, but that certainly doesn’t define Berry’s collegiate career. Berry will be remembered for starting in two National Championship games and winning one. If it weren’t for Kris Jenkins, Berry would most likely have two rings. Berry was clutch and the leader of North Carolina for two seasons. He even passed Michael Jordan in scoring. Berry’s career cannot be defined by his last game. It should be defined as one of the best winners in North Carolina history.
6. Bonzie Colson- Notre Dame
Because of the injuries in his senior season and because Notre Dame did not make the tournament this year, Bonzie Colson is often forgotten by the common college basketball fan. But before he got injured Colson was on track to be an All-American. Colson went from a chubby looking freshman to one of the best players in the nation. He could do it all. He could step out and hit threes and was an elite rebounder. It’s unfortunate that Colson got injured this year, but ultimately Colson had an incredible career at Notre Dame.
7. Isaac Haas- Purdue
Haas was the centerpiece in Purdue’s outstanding 4-man senior class. While Dakota Mathias and Vincent Edwards also had excellent careers, Haas will be the most memorable of the four boilers, mainly because he was a giant. Standing at 7-foot-2, Haas made other centers in the Big Ten look small. Although he will mainly be missed for his pure size, Haas was actually extremely skilled. He had a killer right handed hook shot and was also a solid free throw shooter unlike some other bigs. Unfortunately for Purdue, Haas broke his elbow on a terrible fall ending his season prematurely.
8. Angel Delgado- Seton Hall
Very much like Purdue, Seton Hall had a tremendous senior class. In this case, Angel Delgado was the centerpiece. Delgado will be known as one of the best rebounders of the modern game. He’s actually 7th all time in rebounding in the post 1973 era, only trailing all time college greats including Tim Duncan, Ralph Sampson, and Kenneth Faried. Delgado will be remembered for his passion on the court. In his last game, Delgado recorded 24 points and 23 rebounds.
9. Rob Gray- Houston
Gray was the heart and sole of one of the most underrated teams in the nation. Although Houston blew a late lead to now final four bound Michigan, it certainly wasn’t Gray’s fault. Gray accounted for 47.6% of Houston’s scoring in the tournament. He was one of the most clutch players in the nation. Against San Diego State in the first round of the tournament, Gray hit a game winner with 1 second left. He was never afraid to take the big shot, hush the crowd, or yell at a teammate to fire them up.
10. Trevon Bluiett- Xavier
Bluiett at number 10 does seem low, however, it’s not a knock on Bluiett, it’s a testament to how good this year’s senior class was. Bluiett scored 2,261 points vaulting him to 7th place in scoring in the Big East’s history. Whenever Xavier needed a clutch shot, him or JP Macura would find a way to score. Bluiett will go down as one of the best scorers in Big East history.
Honorable Mentions:
Keenan Evans, Jock Landale, Gary Clark, Jaylen Adams, Kelan Martin, Yante Maten, Ben Lammers
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