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The 2024-25 NCAA men's basketball season will begin in November and there's a lot of fanfare already for the upcoming season. There were tons of transfers and recruits beefing up each college program, whose mission is to dethrone back-to-back national champion UConn.
A lot of players are returning for the 2024-25 season to settle unfinished business and boost their draft stock in the future. Some of them were prolific guards who came close to winning the title while others are coming back next season to polish their experience as they seek to reach the next level.
With this in mind, here are the top five guards to watch out for ahead of the 2024-25 NCAA men's basketball season.
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Top 5 guards to watch out for in the 2024-25 college basketball season
#5. Braden Smith, Purdue
With two-time National Player of the Year Zach Edey enlisting himself in the NBA draft, Purdue's leadership now rests on the shoulders of six-foot guard Braden Smith. In the 2023-24 season, Smith stood out as the team's top playmaker, averaging 12.0 points, 7.5 assists, 5.8 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game while shooting a 44.1% clip from the field, including 43.1% from the 3-point line.
He will be the primary offensive weapon for the Matt Painter-mentored squad that will still have returnees Fletcher Loyer, Trey Kaufman-Renn, Caleb Furst, Myles Colvin and Cam Heide on its roster. The Boilermakers will also have six recruits in four-star guards Kanon Catchings and Gicarri Harris and three-star players Raleigh Burgess, Daniel Jacobsen, CJ Cox and Jack Benter.
#4. Johnell Davis, Arkansas
Johnell Davis has emerged as a standout star for Florida Atlantic over the past two seasons, helping the Owls to two consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. Last season, Davis averaged 18.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg and 2.9 apg while shooting 41.3% from the 3-point area to become co-AAC Players of the Year.
He entered the transfer portal after the 2023-24 season and was picked up by the rebuilding Arkansas Razorbacks, under coach John Calipari. Davis joins a group of transfers that includes Jonas Aidoo, Zvonimir Ivisic, Boogie Fland, Karter Knox and Billy Richmond.
The six-foot-four guard is expected to score a ton of points and deliver assists for the Razorbacks, who suddenly emerged as one of the favorites in the SEC with their recruits.
#3. RJ Davis, North Carolina
After helping North Carolina make the Sweet 16 this past season, RJ Davis is back for another year with the Tar Heels. Davis, who won the ACC Player of the Year and was chosen as an Associated Press All-American, averaged 21.2 points and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 39.8% from the 3-point area in the 2023-24 season.
His return placed the Tar Heels among the top contenders for the 2024-25 national championship. He is expected to be North Carolina's top option on offense as he hopes to lead the team to its first title since 2017.
#2. Tucker DeVries, West Virginia
Tucker DeVries has decided to transfer to West Virginia after three seasons with Drake. The incoming fourth-year guard averaged 21.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 3.7 apg and 1.6 spg this past season to lead Drake to the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title and an automatic berth to the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
However, DeVries and the Bulldogs were ousted by Washington State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
DeVries is expected to score more points for West Virginia under the guidance of his father, Darian. The father and son tandem hopes to bring the Mountaineers back to the NCAA Tournament after a disappointing 9-23 mark in the 2023-24 season.
#1. LJ Cryer, Houston
LJ Cryer transferred to Houston in the 2023-24 season after three years with Baylor. From there, the 6-foot-1 guard became one of the main producers for the Kelvin Sampson-mentored squad. He played and started 37 games for the Cougars and was one of the team's top scorers, averaging 15.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 1.9 apg and 1.1 spg.
Cryer is expected to carry Houston's offense next season after the departure of Jamal Shead and lead the Cougars back to the NCAA Tournament along with key contributors J'Wan Roberts, Ja'vier Francis and Emmanuel Sharp.
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