Big East Preview: Preseason Player of the Year and First and Second-Team Predictions

It’s Big East week here at On3, and we keep the content rolling with the 2024-25 basketball season previews. In this article, let’s discuss On3’s Big East Preseason Player of the Year and break down On3’s first and second-team All-Big East performers.

Big East Preseason Power Ranking

Big East Preseason Player of the Year

7-1 Sr. C Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton

2023-24 Stats: 17.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 3.1 blocks, 64.6% FG

Ryan Kalkbrenner will be a front-runner for National Defensive Player of the Year. The 7-foot-1 center is the three-time reigning Big East Defensive Player of the Year. His 3.1 blocks per game last season finished second in the country. Kalkbrenner proved to be more than a defensive presence, finishing sixth (17.3) in the league in points and fifth (7.6) in rebounds.

Creighton will be an interesting team this season. They lose their top two scorers and creators with Baylor Scheierman and Trey Alexander. But they do return three starters. This team will undoubtedly be centered around Kalkbrenner. While they add Pop Isaacs, who averaged over 14 shots per game last season, and return Steven Ashworth, 11.1 points on almost 8.8 shots per game, the Bluejays should run a four-around-one-type system with a good bit of spacing for Kalkbrenner to operate out of various sets and reads.

Even if the efficiency does drop a little, Kalkbrenner averaged 17.3 points on 64.6 percent shooting last season, the usage, only 10.7 shots per game, should rise. His defense will always be consistent.

First-Team All-Big East

Sr. C Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton

2023-24 Stats: 17.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 3.1 blocks, 64.6% FG

Jr. G Kam Jones, Marquette

2023-24 Stats: 17.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.1 steals, 50.1% FG, 40.6% 3P

The Buzz: Even playing with two draft picks last season, Kam Jones was Marquette’s leading scorer. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard is back, and he will be the undoubted focal point of what Marquette tries to do on offense. Jones has consistently raised his scoring output each season in college, while also tightening up his field goal percentage. Last season, Jones shot over 40 percent from three.

Jr. F Alex Karaban, UConn

2023-24 Stats: 13.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.9 blocks, 0.8 blocks, 49.5% FG, 37.9% 3P

The Buzz: Alex Karaban is the lone starter remaining from the back-to-back national championship-winning team. The other four starters were all drafted. Karaban is an efficient player, playing balanced and off two feet, getting off the ball and relocating. He has a good sense for the game, he is not afraid to mix it up and do the tough guy things, and he can consistently knock down shots at a listed 6-foot-9 height. While he might not be the most dynamic offensive presence, he should find himself as the final piece to a lot of quick-hitter sets/reads drawn up from Dan Hurley this season.

Sr. G Kadary Richmond, St. John’s

2023-24 Stats (Seton Hall): 15.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 2.2 steals, 0.6 blocks, 44.1% FG, 27.0% 3P

The Buzz: Even with the questionable shooting numbers, Kadary Richmond was one of the most impactful players in the Big East last season. The 6-foot-6 guard made a lot of his bones, on both ends of the floor, at the point of attack. He used his length and anticipation in the passing lanes (second in the Big East in steals) and he has an aggressive handle that gets him into the paint. Where Richmond developed last season was with the reads. While he can still play a little out of control at times, his ability to put consistent pressure, on both ends of the court, should set the tone for what Rick Pitino wants his team to be like in year two at St. John’s.

Sr. F Eric Dixon, Villanova

2023-24 Stats: 16.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.8 steals, 46.5% FG, 34.6% 3P

The Buzz: Even for as mediocre as the Villanova team was last, Eric Dixon found his stride and continued to produce. The 6-foot-8 forward upped his totals to 18.0 points per game in league play. Dixon is a strong, but skilled force facing the basket. He has good feet and he understands angles to get to his left hand consistently. Even with Villanova losing its other four starters, the additions of players like Wooga Poplar and Jhamir Brickus should help with the spacing to give Dixon more room to operate.

Second-Team All-Big East

Jr. C Zuby Ejiofor, St. John’s

2023-24 Stats: 4.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.4 steals, 1.1 blocks, 48.9% FG, 37.5% 3P

Zuby Ejiofor is a strong and powerful post presence who has the runway to become a two-way threat and a potent rebounder for this season’s St. John’s team.

Sr. G Ryan Conwell, Xavier

2023-24 Stats (Indiana State): 16.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.1 steals, 48.2% FG, 40.7% 3P

Ryan Conwell put up well-rounded stats for Indiana State last season. The former USF transfer showed prolific shooting (104 made threes at 40.7%) and a solid scoring touch for the 32-win Sycamores.

Sr. F Bryce Hopkins, Providence

2023-24 Stats (14 games): 15.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.0 steals, 42.9% FG

Bryce Hopkins was on his way to a first-team-type season before an injury cut it short mid-season. Hopkins is back, and he will have help from four new teammates out of the portal.

Jr. G Aidan Mahaney, UConn

2023-24 Stats: 13.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.8 steals, 38.6% FG, 35.5% 3P

Aidan Mahaney will have the ball in hand and will be asked to orchestrate the offense for the defending back-to-back champions. He will need to tighten up his efficiency from last season, but his usage will not need to be as high.

Jr. G Jayden Epps, Georgetown

2023-24 Stats: 18.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.2 steals, 39.2% FG, 30.5% 3P

Yes, Jayden Epps will need to clean up the efficiency, but perhaps no player in the country carries more confidence than the 6-foot-2 guard.