The 30 best men’s college basketball players of the decade, ranked

These are the players that defined college basketball in the 2010s.

Determining the best men’s college basketball players of the decade is no easy task. As we reflect back on college hoops in the 2010s, we wanted to put together a list of the best players the sport has seen over the last 10 years with an emphasis on two things: individual dominance and impact on winning.

This list weighs contributions from men’s college basketball players between the 2009-2010 season and the 2018-2019 season. It features one-and-dones like John Wall and Trae Young whose single-season impact on college basketball earned them a spot on this list. It features four-year players like Draymond Green whose body of work includes both dominance and longevity. It includes two players who won multiple national championships.

This ranking doesn’t include the long list of spectacular contributions from women’s college basketball. From Breanna Stewart and her four national championships at UConn to Kelsey Plum’s star-studded career at Washington to Arike Ogunbowale’s big shots at Notre Dame, women’s college basketball players provided so many indelible moments this decade. Read Matt Ellentuck on the four best seasons in women’s college basketball in the 2010s.

30. Caleb Swanigan, PF, Purdue

“Biggie” entered Purdue with sky-high expectations as the program’s first Mr. Basketball from Indiana since Glenn Robinson. He exited after two years with a Big Ten Player of the Year award and an All-American nod to his name. A double-double machine who was immediately unstoppable as an interior scorer and rebounder, Swanigan eventually expanded his skill set to add a three-point shot to his arsenal as a sophomore, when he finished the season averaging 18.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game on sparkling 62 percent true shooting.

29. Grant Williams, F, Tennessee

Williams was an unheralded recruit with eyes on the Ivy League before Rick Barnes took a chance on him at Tennessee. He turned into one of the great players in the history of the program during his three years in school: a two-time SEC Player of the Year, a consensus All-American, and the leader of a team that tied the record for most wins (31) in program history. Williams was an ace defender and rebounder who doubled as a smart passer and primary scoring option. Big men this accomplished with such high-level skill and smarts don’t come around often.

28. Bonzie Colson, F, Notre Dame

Colson would have led Notre Dame to the NCAA tournament all four years he was in school if not for a foot injury his senior season that caused him to miss two months and tanked the Irish’s at-large chances. At his best, Colson was something like Draymond Light, an undersized big man whose incredible rebounding and defensive chops mixed with crafty scoring ability made him a unique weapon for Mike Brey. He was a lock to be an All-American and contender for the Wooden Award as a senior before the injury.

27. Monte Morris, PG, Iowa State

Morris led all of college basketball in assist-to-turnover ratio from the moment he stepped on the court as a freshman at Iowa State — then he did it again the next three years. In addition to being the preeminent “pure point guard” in the country, Morris was also a double-figure scorer every season after his freshman year. While his teammate Georges Niang (who was also considered for this list) put up bigger raw numbers, there’s a case to be made with superior box score plus-minus and win share numbers that Morris had a greater impact on the Cyclones.

26. Trae Young, PG, Oklahoma

Young grew up in Norman and chose to play for his hometown school at Oklahoma over offers from bluebloods. With the team built around him from day one, Young put together some of the most incredible single-season numbers of the decade: 27.4 points and 8.7 assists per game built on a barrage of three-point shooting that drew comparisons to Steph Curry. Young’s production slipped a bit during the second half of his freshman season under the weight of needing to carry the offense on every possession, but his most brilliant moments — four 40+ point games, 11 double-digit assist efforts — helped make him one of the most dazzling one-and-dones in recent memory.

25. Josh Hart, G, Villanova

Villanova averaged 32 wins per season during Hart’s four years in school. Add in a national championship, a Big East Player of the Year award, two Big East tournament MOPs, and a nod as a first team All-American, and Hart’s resume is unassailable. A defensive-minded wing who eventually grew into a primary offensive option, Hart put up huge BPM and win shares numbers all four years with the Wildcats. He was the type of player every coach would love to build their program around.

24. John Wall, PG, Kentucky

Wall was so big and so fast that he felt like he arrived straight out of the future when he showed up at Kentucky. Already blessed with a signature dance and mountains of NBA hype by the time he got to campus, Wall more or less lived up to the hype. He led John Calipari’s first stacked freshman superteam at Kentucky alongside DeMarcus Cousins and Eric Bledsoe, taking the Wildcats to the Elite Eight before falling to West Virginia. Wall was named a first time All-American and SEC Player of the Year before going on to be the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.

23. Fred VanVleet, G, Wichita State

A two-time Missouri Valley Player of the Year, VanVleet was the hard-nosed point guard who led Wichita State during its golden age under Gregg Marshall. VanVleet was a reserve on the 2013 team that ran all the way to the Final Four before becoming a star as a sophomore the next year on a team that entered the NCAA tournament undefeated at 34-0. The Shockers fell victim to a tough draw against Julius Randle and Kentucky in the round of 32, but FVV would take them back to the Sweet 16 the next year and win another tournament game as a senior. VanVleet and Wichita running mate Ron Baker survive as the decade’s most iconic mid-major superstar duo.

22. Gordon Hayward, G, Butler

Hayward’s college career will mostly be remember for a shot he missed, the halfcourt heave that would have stunned Duke in the national title game were it not a tad long. Hayward was already a bonafide scorer as the Horizon League’s Player of the Year even before Butler’s mesmerizing tournament run, but his offensive performances against talented Kansas State and Michigan State teams made him a national star. It was always destiny that Brad Stevens and Hayward would link up together once again in the NBA on the Boston Celtics.

21. Jared Sullinger, C, Ohio State

Sullinger was a consensus top-three recruit entering Ohio State and lived up to every bit of hype. One of four players this decade to twice be named a consensus All-American, Sullinger was a monster inside scorer and forceful rebounder who averaged a double-double as a freshman and just missed it as a sophomore. Flanked by Aaron Craft and Deshaun Thomas, Sullinger helped lead Ohio State to the Final Four in his sophomore year before jumping to the NBA. Before he was plagued by back issues, Sullinger felt like the most dependable offensive big man in America.

20. Shabazz Napier, G, UConn

The 2014 UConn Huskies were the most unlikely national champion of the decade and it only happened because Shabazz Napier willed it into existence. A No. 7 seed heading into the tournament, UConn rode Napier’s tough shot-making off the dribble all the way through the field, with his 22 points against Kentucky sealing the title. Napier must have been studying Kemba Walker when he came off the bench to help UConn win the national championship as a freshman. In addition to his two rings, Napier was also a consensus All-American, the AAC Player of the Year, and the Most Outstanding Player of the 2014 NCAA tournament.

19. Denzel Valentine, G, Michigan State

Valentine’s senior year numbers at Michigan State — 19.2 points, 7.8 assists, 7.5 rebounds per game — have never been equaled since sports-reference started tracking data for the 1992-1993 season. Valentine’s breakout junior year helped Michigan State reach the Final Four, setting the foundation for final season that nearly saw him steal the national player of the year award from Buddy Hield. Valentine felt like he was in complete control of every game he played for the last two years, orchestrating the offense, draining better than 40 percent of his threes, and making an impact on the glass. The Spartans’ first round loss to Middle Tennessee during Valentine’s senior season felt like the biggest upset in tournament history until that whole UMBC thing happened a couple years later.

18. Malcolm Brogdon, G, Virginia

Here’s a brief list of Brogdon’s accomplishments at Virginia: he was a two-time consensus All-American, the ACC Player of the Year, the NABC Defensive Player of the Year, and still earned his master’s degree in public policy during his four years in school. Brogdon was never the most athletic lead guard, but he made up for it as a knockdown shooter and heady passer who made his biggest impact on defense. Virginia has already retired his number. UVA’s charmed run to a national championship in 2019 never could have happened without players like Brogdon to lay the foundation of the program under Tony Bennett.

17. Karl-Anthony Towns, C, Kentucky

A young Karl Towns was such a big deal as a recruit that a) he was good enough to play on the Dominican Republic’s national team as a 16-year-old, and b) John Calipari agreed to coach DR teams for two years as a way to get closer to him. Calipari’s persistence would pay off when Towns arrived at Kentucky and led the team to an incredible 38-0 start before losing to Wisconsin in the Final Four. The Wildcats were so stacked with talent that season Calipari resorted to a platoon system to get everyone on the floor, but there was never any doubt Towns was the group’s biggest star. Calipari made it his mission to turn Towns into a post scorer, essentially forbidding him to take the three-pointers that he’d make a critical part of his offensive arsenal in the NBA. Despite only finishing fifth on his own team in field goal attempts per game, Towns feels like one of the greatest pure talents to come through college hoops in a long time.

16. Frank Mason III, G, Kansas

Perhaps we should have known Mason would turn into a legend when he got his own theme song shortly after arriving at Kansas. Initially the forgotten man in a Jayhawks recruiting class that also included McDonald’s All-Americans Joel Embiid, Andrew Wiggins, and Wayne Selden, Mason would eventually grow into dynamic 5’11 point guard who could shoot from anywhere and played with a toughness that belied his size. After averaging 21 points and five assists as a senior, Mason swept the national player of the year awards in 2017. ‘

15. Doug McDermott, F, Creighton

All Doug McDermott did during his four years at Creighton was rewrite college basketball’s record books while drawing comparisons to Larry Bird. At 6’8, McDermott was a prolific and efficient scorer who used his combination of size and elite shooting ability to punish opponents. He left Creighton as college basketball’s No. 5 all-time leading scorer and as the sport’s first three-time All-American since Patrick Ewing.

14. Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke

Jahlil Okafor was a man born in the wrong decade for the NBA, but his incredible post-scoring touch still worked to devastating effect during his one college season at Duke. It’s possible college basketball hasn’t seen an interior scorer this gifted since Shaq. A massive 270-pound center with huge hands, long arms, and soft touch, Okafor was damn near automatic when he established deep paint position on offense. The gravity of his post-ups allowed his Blue Devils teammates to thrive. Behind Okafor, Duke outlasted Wisconsin to win the national title with 60 of the team’s 68 points coming from four freshmen.

13. Frank Kaminsky, C, Wisconsin

Kaminsky was only considered the No. 11 recruit in the state of the Illinois when he entered Wisconsin as a three-star prospect. He would go on to have perhaps the most impressive career of any player in the program’s esteemed history. A 7-foot shooter who felt like he was born to play in Bo Ryan’s offensive system, Kaminsky made a major jump to become a First Team All-Big Ten player as a junior before blossoming into the national player of the year as a senior. He took the Badgers all the way to the national championship game, a run headlined by knocking off a 38-0 Kentucky team in the Final Four.

12. Jimmer Fredette, G, BYU

Jimmer Fredette was something like college basketball’s answer to Tim Tebow at the turn of the decade: a legitimate national sensation who felt like he was plastered across every television in the country. Fredette used impossibly deep shooting range to go some remarkable scoring tears: in his last 20 games as a senior, he put up three 40-point games and one 52-point performance in the conference tournament on his way to averaging 29 points per game for the season. He led BYU to the NCAA tournament all four of his years in school, including the program’s first run to the Sweet 16 since 1981.

11. Victor Oladipo, G, Indiana

Oladipo entered Indiana as a three-star recruit outside the top-100 of prospect rankings before blossoming into an explosive two-way guard during his three seasons at Indiana. He first earned minutes under Tom Cream as a defensive stopper as a sophomore. By his junior year, he was regularly carrying the scoring load for the top-ranked Hoosiers and stunning crowds with his above-the-rim acrobatics. By leveraging his incredible athleticism on both ends, Oladipo turned into one of the most impactful players of the decade. He put together the best box score plus-minus for a guard and fifth-best overall since 2010-11.

10. Brandon Clarke, F, Gonzaga

Clarke’s transfer from San Jose State to Gonzaga felt like an afterthought nationally until the entire basketball world realized how breathtaking his talent was. Despite not even being the biggest name on his own team during his one season in Spokane (that would be Rui Hachimura), Clarke established himself as the best defensive player in the country while also being a historically efficient scorer. A truly elite athlete, Clarke’s pogo stick hops made him an intimidating shot blocker and mesmerizing alley-oop threat. His massive two-way impact was illustrated in his sterling box score plus-minus rating, which surpassed even Anthony Davis to be the second highest of the last 10 years behind only Zion Williamson. Expect Clarke to be productive from day one in the NBA with the Memphis Grizzlies.

9. Evan Turner, G, Ohio State

Here’s how good Turner was during his final season at Ohio State as a junior: his numbers — 20.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, and six assists per game — have never been matched since sports-reference’s data sample started in 1992-1993. His rare combination of size, inside-out scoring, and the ability to run the team as a de facto point guard made him arguably the most complete college guard of the last 10 years. Buckeyes fans will never forget his deep buzzer-beater to stun Michigan in the Big Ten tournament. Turner has had a long but unspectacular pro career after riding his monster junior season to become the No. 2 overall pick in the NBA, but at the college level it felt like he could do it all.

8. Russ Smith, G, Louisville

Few nicknames in the modern age have ever felt as fitting as “Russdiculous” did for Russ Smith. Known for his signature speed and high-flying forays to the rim, Smith was the catalyst for Rick Pitino’s best Louisville teams, including the 2013 national champions. In addition to leading being the Cardinals’ No. 5 all-time scorer, Smith is also the program’s all-time leader in steals. While Smith was never national player of the year, he was a consensus All-American as a senior and was twice named KenPom’s player of the year. No one summed up the two-way intensity of the Pitino years in Louisville better than Smith.

7. Buddy Hield, G, Oklahoma

There was a time when Buddy Hield put on the best show in college basketball. After productive sophomore and junior seasons at Oklahoma, Hield’s star exploded as a senior. His deep shooting range and explosive scoring outbursts became the stuff of legends by the time he dropped 46 points at Kansas and drew a standing ovation from the away crowd. It was merely a precursor for the damage he’d do in March, first hanging 39 points on Iowa State in the Big 12 tournament, and then 36 points on VCU and 37 points on Oregon to push the Sooners into the Final Four. Even beyond being the national player of the year and a top-10 NBA draft pick, Hield was perhaps most memorable for briefly making every game feel like an event. It was impossible not to love Buddy.

6. Trey Burke, PG, Michigan

Though he only stood 6’1, Trey Burke was a giant on the court during his two seasons at Michigan. After a productive freshman season as a day-one starter, Burke blossomed into the best player in America as a sophomore, leading the Wolverines to the national title game and sweeping the player of the year awards. Burke had the total package for a point guard. He had deep shooting range (just ask Kansas), the quickness and power to burn anyone off the dribble, and the skill to set up his talented teammates. Michigan had five players in the rotation from its 2013 team who would go on to have NBA careers, there was never any doubt Burke was the engine.

5. Draymond Green, F, Michigan State

Long before he was the glue of the NBA’s newest dynasty, Green was a four-year marvel at Michigan State whose game refused to be put in a box. Green was a role player on Final Four teams as a freshman and sophomore before eventually growing into one of the best players in the country. As a senior, Green was Big Ten Player of the Year and a consensus All-American who owned the glass as a rebounder, passed like a guard, and led his team with 16 points per game while still being arguably the best defensive player in the country. Green’s impact has never been fully captured by statistics or accolades. Just know you want him on your team.

4. Kemba Walker, PG, UConn

Walker was a talented but enigmatic scorer during his first two seasons at UConn. As a junior, he turned into a legend. Walker went on a run for the ages at the 2011 Big East tournament, hitting an iconic buzzer-beater against Pitt in the quarterfinals and powering the Huskies to the conference tournament title by averaging 26 points per night over the five-game run. It was a prelude to an even more memorable tear in the Big Dance. Walker hung 33 points on Cincinnati and 36 points on Kawhi Leonard and San Diego State to help put his team to the Final Four. There, he knocked off John Calpiari’s Kentucky team and then Brad Stevens, Gordon Hayward and Butler to bring a national championship to Storrs. Walker didn’t win that title single-handedly, but it sure felt like he did.

3. Jalen Brunson, PG, Villanova

Brunson spent three seasons at Villanova becoming the most accomplished college player of the decade. He entered the program as a McDonald’s All-American and quickly established himself as a freshman starter on the 2016 team that went on a wild run to the national championship, capped by Kris Jenkins’ buzzer-beater shot. Two years later, Brunson led the Wilcats to another national title, this time as the best player in the country. No one else on this list has two titles and a Wooden Award. Brunson’s resume speaks for itself.

2. Anthony Davis, C, Kentucky

Anthony Davis was the best player in the country by a mile during his one season at Kentucky, yet it always felt like he was capable of so much more. Davis led the decade’s most dominant national champion back in 2012 when he powered the Wildcats to a 38-2 record while winning every national player of the year award and eventually becoming the first pick in the NBA draft. What’s incredible is that Davis was only No. 7 on his own team in usage rate. Despite a sometimes limited offensive role, Davis was the singular reason for Kentucky’s success, a preposterously long and athletic big man who maintained the agility and ball skills of a guard after a late high school growth spurt. The Wildcats had other players who could carry the scoring load for the night, but it was Davis who keyed their supremacy on both ends. His numbers were still excellent — 14.2 points and 10.4 rebounds per game on 65 percent true shooting -- but his impact was even greater.

1. Zion Williamson, F, Duke

Years of mixtape hype made Williamson a household name well before he ever put on a Duke uniform, but it also failed to prepare the world for just how good at basketball he would be. Williamson proved to be so much more than just a dunker during his one and only year in Durham: he was an unstoppable finisher, a defensive wrecking ball, and a selfless teammate who played every possession with a non-stop motor. Though his Blue Devils lost in the Elite Eight, Williamson combined historic efficiency with unprecedented impact to put together one of the sport’s most bulletproof statistical profiles ever. No college player this decade had a higher box score plus-minus and no one in the modern era has ever matched his sterling 70.2 percent true shooting percentage while averaging at least 13 shots per game. College basketball has seen plenty of freshman phenoms, but it has never seen one quite like Zion.