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Five best players in college basketball to open the 2021-22 season

Several NCAA tournament standouts returned after helping their teams making runs last season.

By Marcus Fuller

November 8, 2021 at 5:13AM

UCLA guard Johnny Juzang (3) took a shot during last season’s regional final in Indianapolis. (Michael Conroy, Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Dream team

Marcus Fuller's 2021-22 college men's basketball dream team:

GUARDS

Max Abmas, junior, Oral Roberts

Made a Steph Curry-like impression in the 2021 NCAA tournament after combining for 80 points in games against Ohio State, Florida and Arkansas in leading Oral Roberts to the Sweet 16.

Johnny Juzang, junior, UCLA

The Bruins were a victory away from the national championship game last season behind Juzang averaging nearly 23 points and scoring 137 total points in the NCAA tourney, third-most in UCLA history.

FORWARDS

Drew Timme, senior, Gonzaga

The Big Three of Timme, Jalen Suggs, and Corey Kispert led Gonzaga to a 31-1 record last season. The Zags' scoring and rebounding leader returned to share the frontcourt with freshman star Chet Holmgren.

Paolo Banchero, freshman, Duke

Word out of Cameron Indoor Stadium is that the 6-10, 250-pound Banchero is Duke's most impressive freshman prospect since Zion Williamson. And he arrived just in time for Coach K's farewell season.

CENTER

Kofi Cockburn, sophomore, Illinois

The 7-foot Cockburn withdrew from the NBA draft this summer with goals of becoming one of the best players in Illini history. He was named the preseason Big Ten Player of the Year.