Ten Stock-Up Players in College Basketball

We are about a month into the 2023-24 college basketball season. Feast Week has come and gone and most teams have played between six and nine games. We are starting to get a feel for players and their roles within their team construct. There is no doubt that the college basketball season has started with some exciting storylines, and a lot of parity.

Players take steps in the off-season. Situations change, coaches change, scenery changes; there can be several reasons across the college basketball landscape why a player performs above expectations. However, that is always a fun topic to discuss, the stock risers. Here are ten players across college basketball who have elevated their stock to start the season.

Let’s discuss these players listed in alphabetical order.

G Devin Carter, Providence

The Buzz: It was supposed to be Bryce Hopkins who led Providence in Kim English’s first year as the head coach. And Hopkins has been good, but it is Devin Carter who is leading the Friars in rebounds (8.1), assists (3.2), steals (1.4), and blocks (1.7) as they jump out to a 7-2 record. Carter’s 15.2 points is also second on the team while shooting 47.6 percent from the field. Carter is a tough, downhill guard who is not afraid of contact. Carter has scored in double figures in all nine games this season and the 6-foot-3 guard has recorded three double-doubles.

G RJ Davis, UNC

The Buzz: Coming into the season, there were questions surrounding UNC and who the alpha would be for the team. Quickly, RJ Davis answered those questions as he started the 2023-24 campaign in a very Joe Forte-like manner. Davis’ 21.0 points are leading the team and the 6-foot-0 guard has gone for 20 or more points in each of the last five games for the Tar Heels. Over those last five games, Davis is getting to the free-throw line 7.2 times per contest and shooting 47.8 percent from the field over the last four. 

C PJ Hall, Clemson

The Buzz: Clemson is now 8-0 and the Tigers are ranked among the top 25 teams in the country in the latest A.P. Poll. While the entire Clemson team has stepped up to find their roles, it is PJ Hall that this team is centered around. The 6-foot-10 center has started the year off, putting together All-ACC-type numbers. He leads the team in scoring (20.5) and blocked shots (2.3), and is second in rebounding (7.8) while shooting 41.7 percent from three. Hall’s toughness on the block has been a central piece to Clemson’s defense, and his ability to score outside-in has allowed for different offensive looks and spacing opportunities. 

F David Jones, Memphis

The Buzz: David Jones can score the basketball, but we know this. He scored it at DePaul (14.5 ppg) and then at St. John’s (13.2 ppg). This year, however, the 6-foot-6 wing has taken things up a notch. Through Memphis’ first eight games, Jones is averaging 19.0 points on 37.3 percent shooting from three. Jones is also leading the Tigers in rebounds (6.5) and steals (2.3). Jones reminded us all of his scoring prowess in the Battle of Atlantis with a 36-point outburst against Arkansas. And in two games since that, he went for 23 against VCU and 22 against Ole Miss. Jones is lengthy with a strong frame and is wired for production.

G Malik Mack, Harvard

The Buzz: Not only has Malik Mack been one of the top freshmen in the country, he has been one of the top players overall through college basketball’s first month. The 6-foot-1 guard from Washington (DC) St. John’s College is averaging 20.4 points and 4.4 assists on 47.9 percent shooting from three. In Harvard’s games against Indiana, UMass, and Boston College, Mack averaged 25.7 points. He has gone over 20 points in five games and dished out six, or more, assists in four. 

G Javian McCollum, Oklahoma

The Buzz: Oklahoma has jumped out to an 8-0 start to the year, and much of that has to do with their three-headed backcourt of Milos Uzan, Javian McCollum, and Otega Oweh. While Oweh could also be deserved of this list, it is McCollum who has been rock solid in each of the Sooners high major games. Against Providence, Oklahoma’s last game, McCollum finished with a team-high 19 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Against USC, McCollum was the team’s leading scorer at 18 points and added three assists. And against Iowa, he was the team’s second-leading scorer with 14 points and three assists. The Siena transfer has hit his stride averaging 16.5 points and dishing out 3.8 assists over his last four games. 

C Yves Missi, Baylor

The Buzz: Yves Missi reclassified up, and entered college as a part of the 2023 class. As a 2024, before the reclass, Missi had climbed into five-star status. The lengthy, 6-foot-10 center, originally from Cameroon, has natural timing and he moved so fluidly. With Baylor jumping out to an early 9-0 start, it is Missi who is leading the Bears in rebounds (6.6) and blocks (2.2). He started the season coming off the bench and has quickly moved into the starting lineup. Nine games in, Missi has seven starts and is playing 19.1 minutes per contest. 

G Tristen Newton, UConn

The Buzz: Over the past couple of weeks, Tristen Newton has been playing like one of the best guards in the country. Coming off a big win against UNC in the Jimmy V. Classic, the 6-foot-3 grad transfer is leading No. 5 ranked UConn in scoring (17.1), rebounding (7.6), assists (6.1), and steals (1.6). Newton has also been the guy with the ball in his hands as the shot clock runs down and the Huskies need a play. UConn sits at 8-1 with wins over Indiana, Texas, and UNC so far. Arkansas Pine-Bluff and Gonzaga are up next and then the defending national champions go into Big East play. 

G Isaiah Stevens, Colorado State

The Buzz: Isaiah Stevens broke onto the scene two seasons ago when Colorado State finished 25-6 and No. 24 in the Final A.P. Poll. While last season was a forgettable one for the Rams, Stevens has jumped out in 2023-24 right back on track. Colorado State is now 9-0 and they are No. 13 in the current A.P. Poll. Stevens is averaging 17.2 points, 8.0 assists, and 1.4 steals while shooting 40.6 percent from three. In wins against Boston College, Creighton, Colorado, and Washington, Stevens is averaging 17.5 points and 7.8 assists while shooting 50.9 percent from the field. He has been playing like one of the best true point guards in the country. 

G Bruce Thornton, Ohio State

The Buzz: Ohio State has jumped out to an 8-1 start this season, and much of that is in large part to the point guard play Bruce Thornton has brought the team. Thornton, a 6-foot-1 sophomore, is leading the Buckeyes in points (18.7), assists, (4.2), and steals (1.8) to start the season. These numbers include a 29-point and four-assist game in a win against Alabama, a 24-point and five-assist game in a narrow loss to Texas A&M, and 26 points and five assists in a win over Minnesota. A lot of eyes are on Ohio State as this season starts, and Thornton has taken control of the reigns.