2023/24 Men's College Basketball season: Top 10 players to watch

The 2023/24 NCAA Men's College Basketball season starts Monday and there is plenty of talent across the landscape.

The AP Top 25 poll has been posted. Preseason All-Americans and conference award winners have been named.

With that in mind, as more than 350 Division I schools around the country get ready to tip off, here are 10 players you should know to begin this season. 

Zach Edey, Sr., Center, Purdue

Edey has blossomed during his time in West Lafayette, culminating with his recognition as the 2022-23 Big Ten Player of the Year as well as the John Wooden Award winner as the nation's Player of the Year. The 7-foot-4 Toronto native averaged 22 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks a game. 

Edey is a force inside and will again pair with Purdue's improving backcourt duo of Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer.  The big man is the favorite for the Wooden Award for the best college basketball player at +160.

View the latest odds to win the Wooden Award here.

Kyle Filipowski, So., Center, Duke

The latest Duke phenom is Filipowski, who was named ACC Freshman of the Year as well as ACC Tournament MVP for the Blue Devils in the first year of the Jon Scheyer era. 

Filipowski averaged 15 points and nine rebounds as he was named both ACC Freshman of the Year as well as ACC Tournament MVP. He is +750 to win the Wooden Award.

Hunter Dickinson, Sr., Center, Kansas

Dickinson, the two-time first-team All-Big Ten pick, as well as a former second-team All-American, transferred to Kansas this offseason after averaging 17 points and eight rebounds in 94 games over three years for Michigan. 

Dickinson posted 18.5 points and nine rebounds a game for the Wolverines last season and has already been named the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year. The 7-foot-2 center is +1000 to win the Wooden Award.

Armando Bacot, Sr., Forward, North Carolina

Bacot was a third-team All-American in 2022-23 after averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Tar Heels. 

North Carolina's leader was also named All-ACC for the third time in his career a year after leading the Tar Heels to the championship game in 2021/22. After a disappointing 2022/23 in Chapel Hill, Bacot is +1800 to win the Wooden Award in his fifth year.

Donovan Clingan, So., Center, Connecticut

Clingan made a name for himself as part of a Huskies squad that absolutely steamrolled their competition en route to its fifth NCAA Tournament championship last year. A projected increase and playing time has him entering the season at +5000 to win the Wooden Award.

The 7-foot-2 Clingan averaged 7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks a game as a freshman in a reserve role that yielded 13.1 minutes per game. But much more will be asked from the preseason Big East Player of the Year candidate with the NBA departures of standouts Adama Sanogo and Jordan Hawkins.

Oumar Ballo, Sr., Center, Arizona

Ballo, a native of Mali, followed Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd from Gonzaga two years ago and saw his production explode in 2022-23. He is +2800 to win the Wooden Award.

The Pac-12's Most Improved Player, Ballo averaged 14.2 points and 8.6 rebounds to earn first-team All-Pac-12 and All-Pac-12 Tournament honors. He is part of Lloyd's international parade in Tucson, and he will get additional help in the backcourt from North Carolina transfer Caleb Love. 

Max Abmas, Sr., Guard, Texas

Abmas already popped up on fans' radars as he led Oral Roberts to a Sweet 16 appearance in 2021. 

After averaging 21 points over four years for the Golden Eagles, Abmas transferred to Austin and was named a preseason first-team All-Big-12 selection for Texas. 

Tyler Kolek, Sr., Guard, Marquette

Kolek was named the 2022-23 Big East Player of the Year after leading Marquette to the league's regular season and tournament titles. He has the joint-fifth-shortest odds to win the Wooden Award at +2800, giving him the shortest odds among guards.

Kolek, who averaged nearly 13 points and 7.5 assists, was also named a third-team All-American as the Golden Eagles won 29 games while advancing to the NCAA Tournament's second round. 

Isiah Collier, Fr. Guard, USC

Every year, a host of freshmen arrive and make plays that get the College Basketball world talking. Collier may just be that guy this year, and he is +3500 to win the Wooden Award in his debut campaign. 

The 6-foot-5, 210-pound Atlanta native was regarded as the consensus No. 1 national recruit and he has already been named to the preseason Pac-12 first team as coach Andy Enfield looks to him to take the Trojans to the NCAA tournament for a fourth consecutive year. 

Jahmir Young, Sr., Guard, Maryland

Last year, Connecticut was ranked 21st in the preseason. Will Maryland be this year's overlooked sleeping giant? 

The Terps went 22-13 and reached the NCAA Tournament's 2nd round and have added a two top-75 recruits in DeShawn Harris-Smith and Jamie Kaiser. However, Young moves the needle in College Park, which is why he is +5000 to win the Wooden Award.

The Charlotte transfer averaged 16 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists in earning second-team All-Big 10 honors.