March Madness is kicking off today, and the first games of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) basketball tournament are set to keep us in front of our screens. We have curated a list of five Black top NCAA basketball players you should be looking out for.
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5 Black Top NCAA Basketball Players
Oscar Tshiebwe
Oscar Tshiebwe is a Congolese college basketballer that currently plays in the Center forward position for Kentucky Wildcats. He played for West Virginia Mountaineers from 2019 -to 2021 before moving to Kentucky. Oscar is the country’s top rebounder, with 15.3 rebounds per game while averaging 16.4 points per game.
Oscar was named Sporting News’ College Basketball Player of the Year for the 2021-22 season and the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year. He was also NCAA’s national player of the week after bagging a 27-point, 19-rebound double-double in a game defeating Florida.
He has other awards and recognitions, including Nike Hoop Summit, McDonald’s All-American in 2019, and Second-team All-Big 12 and Big 12 All-Newcomer Team in 2020.
Jabari Smith Jr.
Jabari Smith Jr. plays forward for the Auburn Tigers. He averages 15.2 points per game and shoots about 40 percent from three on five attempts each game. The 19-year-old has an undeniable confidence and talent range, helping Auburn sit on the number one spot for three weeks.
He has recognitions such as Mr. Georgia Basketball, Georgia’s Gatorade Player of the Year, and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Boys Basketball Player of the Year. His father, Jabari Smith Snr., is a former NBA player.
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Ochai Agbaji
Ochai Agbaji is a college basketballer playing Shooting Guard for the University of Kansas. He averages 11 points in each game this season. As one of the best shooters, he led the Jayhawks to win the Big 12 season. He also led a win over Baylor with 19.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game.
He was named Big 12 Basketball Player of the Year and is recognized by the First-team All-Big 12.
E.J. Liddell
E.J. Liddell plays Power forward for the Ohio State Buckeyes. He averages about three assists, 2.5 blocks, and 20.1 points per game, having more than 10 points over the second-highest scorer for the Buckeyes. Not surprisingly, he is the team’s top scorer, rebounder, and shot-blocker.
Liddell was honored with the First Team All-Big Ten and Illinois’ Mr. Basketball in 2018 and 2019.
Jaden Ivey
Jaden Edward Ivey plays for the Purdue Boilermakers in the Shooting Guard position. He played for Marian High School from his freshman to junior year and La Lumiere School in his senior year.
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He started playing at Purdue in 2020 and has led the team to bag 17.4 points each game. Purdue ranks top in efficiency, and Jaden is one of the masterminds of this feat.
Jaden is skilled with dominating and netting the ball, perhaps because he grew up with a mother, father, and grandfather who are incredibly skilled in basketball. He was named to the First Team All-Big Ten as well as the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in 2021.
