Jaedon LeDee – San Diego State
(CJ Dexter, Campus Correspondent): From seeing six minutes per game as a freshman at Ohio State to earning Third Team All-American honors as a senior at San Diego State, it’s been quite the journey for star forward Jaedon LeDee. LeDee, who came off the bench for the Aztecs’ 2023 squad, was a surprise breakout player this year in the world of college basketball, seeing his points per game skyrocket from 7.9 to 21.5. The reigning Mountain West Player of the Year has continued his impressive play on the biggest stage, leading his squad to the Sweet 16 behind 29 points and 8.5 rebounds per game on 66% from the field so far. LeDee will certainly be called upon to deliver another big game as the Aztecs are tasked with facing the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed UConn on Thursday.
Jamal Shead – Houston
(Cole Stefan, Senior Columnist): Shead has been the cog operating the Cougars’ high-powered offense. While he scores just 13.2 points per game, the Big 12 Player of the Year’s 6.4 assists per contest are 17th in the nation. Only once in his last 12 games has Shead recorded fewer than four dimes, and that was against the Iowa State Cyclones in the Big 12 Championship game on March 16. He has taken that blowout loss personally through two NCAA Tournament contests. Shead notably took over late in Sunday’s second-round contest as his teammates fouled out. The Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year scored five of top-seeded Houston’s 14 points in the extra period, preventing the ninth-seeded Texas A&M Aggies from pulling off a stunning upset. The Cougars have several quality candidates I could have selected: Baylor transfer LJ Cryer has been an effective scorer and sophomore guard Emanuel Sharp buried seven triples in Sunday’s overtime thriller. Despite each of their vital impacts, Houston does not make their fourth-straight Sweet 16 appearance without Shead’s leadership.
Terrence Shannon Jr. – Illinois
(Evan Rodriguez, Associate Sports Editor): It’s common knowledge that Terrence Shannon Jr. transforms this Illinois roster from a strong team to a feared squad in this tough field, and this current run for the Illini has showcased that. In the first two games of the tournament, the highly touted NBA prospect has dropped 26 and 30 points against Morehead State and Duquesne, respectively. While it’s not the highest level of competition he’ll see throughout March Madness, it’s undeniable that Shannon Jr. has been the heart of this offense with his ability as a three-level scorer. He’s been a key reason why Illinois has the most efficient offense in the country and a major problem as they head to the Sweet 16 against Iowa State. Shannon Jr. has the toughest challenge of the season in Boston, but if his current run in the tournament is any sign of what’s to come, the Cyclones are in for a long night.
DJ Burns
(Stratton Stave, Sports Editor) While he hasn’t been the highest scorer or the most aggressive rebounder, DJ “Beast Boy” Burns has won the hearts of college basketball fans all around the country. He has been the best player on 11-seed NC State’s Cinderella run to the Sweet 16, with improvements over his regular season production. Burns has tallied 40 points, 12 boards and four assists across the Wolfpack’s first two games, which includes a 24-11 line in their overtime victory against Oakland. The graduate student may not look like your typical star, but his efforts throughout his team’s five wins in five days in the ACC tournament, plus their tournament run so far have been MOP worthy. There’s also the added impressiveness of being the only double-digit seed left in the tournament, overcoming all the odds to make it as far as they have. Though Burns will have his hands full with Marquette, his impact on NC State’s first Sweet 16 since 2015 will be felt forever.