College Hoops

2023 March Madness: Ranking the top 10 players in the Final Four

2023 March Madness: Ranking the top 10 players in the Final Four

It was this time last year when all eyes were on New Orleans and a Final Four packed with blue bloods and star power.

A total of six first-round picks in the 2022 NBA Draft played in last year’s Final Four, including the No. 1 overall selection: Duke‘s Paolo Banchero.

This year’s Final Four has quite a different look. There are no high school All-Americans — and likely no future top-10 NBA draft picks — playing in Houston this weekend. In fact, this is the first Final Four in the seeding era (since 1979) without a single McDonald’s All-American.

That is not to say there won’t be plenty of talent on the court when the Final Four tips off Saturday at NRG Stadium, with No. 9 Florida Atlantic up against No. 5 San Diego State, followed by No. 4 UConn battling No. 5 Miami (Fla.).

Here is a look at the top 10 players to watch in the Final Four, ranked 1-10.

1. Adama Sanogo, F, UConn

Sanogo is one of the most physically imposing big men in college basketball and has been a catalyst in the middle for the Huskies throughout the team’s Final Four run. The 6-foot-9 junior from Mali is averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds per game and has recorded at least one block in all four games in the Big Dance. His matchup against Miami’s Norchad Omier will be one of the most-anticipated matchups in the Final Four and will go a long way in deciding the outcome of the game. It will be fascinating to see how Miami defends Sanogo and handles his ability to slip middle-ball screens and roll to the basket.

Fun Fact: Sanogo is just the second UConn player since at least 1985-86 to post 80 points, five assists, and five blocks in a single NCAA Tournament (Emeka Okafor).

FOX Sports’ John Fanta on Sanogo: “He has a relentless motor, a knack for being in the right place to rebound the basketball and an improved ability to both score on the back-down and recognize a double-team to be able to dish it. The development of an elbow and even perimeter jump shot has added to Sanogo’s arsenal. He’s developed a tremendous feel for the game that makes him so difficult to stop.”

2. Jordan Hawkins, G, UConn

Hawkins is a lights-out shooter who has the ability to go for 25-plus points on any given night. He is the focal point of a UConn squad that is putting up 82 points per contest and has outscored opponents by an average of 22.5 points per game in the tournament. The 6-foot-5 guard, who is projected to be a first-round selection in June’s NBA Draft, has back-to-back 20-plus point efforts and…

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