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30 greatest college basketball players this century

By Cody Williams

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 23: J.J. Redick #4 of the Duke Blue Devils walks down the court during their Preseason NIT game against the Drexel Dragons at Madison Square Garden on November 23, 2005 in New York City. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)
NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 23: J.J. Redick #4 of the Duke Blue Devils walks down the court during their Preseason NIT game against the Drexel Dragons at Madison Square Garden on November 23, 2005 in New York City. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images) /
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2009 APR 06: Tyler Hansbrough (50) from the University of North Carolina waives to the Tar Heel fans after cutting down the net following the Division I Men’s Final Four Basketball Championship Game held at Ford Field in Detroit, MI. North Carolina defeated Michigan St. 89-72 to claim the championship title. Rich Clarkson/NCAA Photos via Getty Images. /

Still under two decades into this century, we’ve seen some all-timers in college basketball but which 30 players stand as the greatest since 2000?

College basketball is a brand of the sport unlike any other. At maximum, players arrive at their chosen school and stay for four years, though many of the best in the modern era leave well before that. What’s more, the players are just 18 years old (give or take) upon arrival, meaning that many are still developing and transforming as they mature. While there is still some of that at the next level, it’s at the forefront in college.

As a result of that, achieving a level of greatness in college basketball is a tremendous individual feat. It requires both rapid development and impact. What’s more, it also takes players doing something transcendent. Throughout the history of the sport, we know many of the great names, from Michael Jordan to Lew Alcindor and so on.

However, the modern era of college basketball is much different than the game was back then, with the one-and-done’s and style of play ultimately changing the landscape. Subsequently, it feels necessary to reassess and look at the greatest college basketball players since the turn of the 21st century.

In compiling this list and these rankings, the criteria were simple. The majority of the player’s collegiate career had to take place from 2000 and on (which eliminates a player such as Shane Battier). What’s more, inclusion in these rankings requires high levels of success, production and memorability, all of which factor in. What’s more, the length of time spent in college isn’t the deciding factor, but it was taken into account.

Before we get into the top 30 college basketball players of this century, though, let’s give a quick shoutout to five honorable mentions that deserve a bit of recognition:

  • Gerry McNamara, Syracuse
  • Malcolm Brogdon, Virginia
  • Reggie Williams, VMI
  • Alando Tucker, Wisconsin
  • Derrick Rose, Memphis

With that out of the way now, let’s get into the heart of all of this, diving into the 30 greatest players in the 21st century in college basketball, counting down to No. 1.