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College basketball has its share of overrated players, who on paper look great but end up underperforming by the end of the season.
There are cagers whom experts believe could make it big in the sport only to end up languishing on the bench for not being fitting n the team's system, falling out of favor with the coach or for unresolved issues on and off the court.
Here's our list of highly touted players who might underperform in the 2024-25 season.
Top 10 overhyped college basketball players who’ll be busts in 2024-25 season
#10 Jordan Sears, G, LSU
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LSU snapped up Jordan Sears from the transfer portal after the guard performed well in his last season with UT Martin.
The five-foot-11 guard out of Daytona Beach, Florida averaged 21.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game this past season, securing his second first-team All-Ohio Valley Conference honors.
Sears might suffer a dip in performance with the Tigers in the coming season due to its guard-heavy lineup. LSU will have nine guards and seven forwards in its 2024-25 roster and the tough competition his team will face in the Southeastern Conference.
#9 Justin Abson, F, Georgia
Shotblocking specialist Justin Abson transferred to Georgia after spending two seasons with Appalachian State. The six-foot-nine, 234-pound Abson played 34 games with the Mountaineers this past season, tallying 2.8 blocks (No. 5 in the nation), 7.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per contest.
Abson, who shot 61.9% in 2023-24, might find playing in the SEC tougher than the Sun Belt Conference and could affect his defensive stats in the coming season.
#8 Danny Wolf, C, Yale
Danny Wolf had a breakout year in Yale this past season, averaging 14.1 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.0 steals per game. His sudden rise to college hoops fame allowed him to transfer to Michigan for the 2024-25 season.
Wolf, who averaged 30.8 minutes per game, might get lesser playing time under Dusty May, as he will compete with fellow center Vladislav Goldin. That could mean lesser ball touches and lower statistical production for the seven-footer who hiked his points average in the 2023-24 season by more than five times his 2022-23 average.
#7 Frank Mitchell, F, Minnesota
Minnesota acquired six-foot-eight double-double machine Frank Mitchell from the transfer portal to boost its frontline in the coming season.
In his lone season with Canisius, Mitchell produced an impressive stat line of 12.1 points and 11.6 rebounds per game, which ranked fourth in the nation.
Mitchell shot 56.1% from the field but failed miserably from the free-throw line, making only 43.0% of his shots. The Golden Gophers play in the Big 10, and the athletic forward might encounter tougher competition, which could minimise his chances to crash the boards.
#6 Daniel Batcho, F, Louisiana Tech
Daniel Batcho impressed college basketball fans following his transfer from Texas Tech this past season. The six-foot-11 Frenchman played 28 games for the Bulldogs and averaged 15.2 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game.
Batcho shot 59.0% from the field and buried 66.9% from the free-throw line. The power forward might face stiffer competition in the 2024-25 season, causing his stats to dip a bit.
#5 Yaxel Lendeborg, F, UAB Blazers
Yaxel Landeborg performed well in his only season with UAB, averaging a double-double of 13.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 2.1 blocks per game. The six-foot-eight forward shot 51.3% from the field and 80.0% from free throws this past season.
Blazers' rivals in the coming season might place a bigger body on Lendeborg, preventing him to pull down the rebounds for the team. He could encounter a problem duplicating his stats from the previous season due to increased attention on the defensive end.
#4 Tyson Acuff, G, Rutgers
Rutgers added high-scoring guard Tyson Acuff from Eastern Michigan to add veteran presence to a young Scarlet Knights team, which feature Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey, Lathan Sommerville, Dylan Grant and Bryce Dortch. On paper, Acuff is an elite scorer who averaged 21.7 points per game last season to top the Mid-American Conference and seventh in the nation.
However, the six-foot-four guard might suffer a dip in playing time and performance after suffering a broken foot during practice in the last week of June. He's expected to miss three months, and that could affect his preparations for the coming NCAA season.
Expect his scoring numbers to decline due to the preseason injury and the presence of Harper and company.
#3 Jalen Blackmon, G, Miami
Jalen Blackmon hopes to bring his scoring abilities to the Miami Hurricanes in the 2024-25 season. The six-foot-three, 180-pound playmaker, was a standout in Stetson, averaging 21.3 points per game on 42.8% from the field this past season.
Blackmon scored in double-figures in 33 of 35 games and put up at least 30 points five times. Miami's play style might affect his ball touches, but it wouldn't mattter for the guard as long as he helps the team emerge victorious each outing.
#2 Deivon Smith, G, St. John's
Deivon Smith transferred to St. John's after a great season with Utah this past season.
The Red Storm is Smith's fourth school in five years, and the six-foot guard hopes to carry over his awesome stint with the Utes, where he tallied averages of 13.3 points, 7.1 assists and 6.3 rebounds in 28 games.
However, the point guard's performance might suffer in the coming season, as he will play alongside Kadary Richmond. His points and assists numbers might dip significantly in favor of helping St. John's perform better as a team.
#1 Saint Thomas, F, USC
Saint Thomas had a banner year with Northern Colorado, averaging 19.7 points, 9.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game in the 2023-24 season. His breakout season lured new USC coach Eric Musselman to pick him from the transfer portal, handing him an opportunity to play with the new-look Trojans.
Although his numbers have significantly picked up since his first two seasons with Loyola-Chicago, college basketball experts are having doubts on whether he could sustain it with USC, given the new competition the Trojans will face in the Big 10 Conference.
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