March Madness is a tournament where the top players become household names and we have several March Madness players to watch.
The premiere tournament in college basketball pits the best 68 teams in the country against each other in a single elimination format.
Many of the stars of the sport are looking to become the best players in March Madness 2025, like Duke’s Cooper Flagg and Auburn’s Johni Broome.
Cooper Flagg leads Duke in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks per game. The do-it-all 6-foot-9 guard is an all-around player and he’s only a true freshman.
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Here is our March Madness players to watch list:
Cooper Flagg | Guard | DukeCooper Flagg has taken the college basketball world by storm and he is easily one of the top players in March Madness 2025.
Flagg leads Duke in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks per game. The do-it-all 6-foot-9 guard is an all-around player and he’s only a true freshman.
In part due to Flagg, Duke has very favorable March Madness odds and odds to make the Final Four.
Duke fans would like Flagg to come back to the Blue Devils next season, but Flagg could be one of the top players taken in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Flagg averages 19.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. He shoots nearly 50% from the field as well.
If you don’t know Flagg’s name by now, make it a point to watch him play. He could be the reason why Duke could go far in the March Madness bracket.
Flagg is also one of the most searched college basketball players nationwide.
March Madness MVP Odds: N/A
Johni Broome | Forward | AuburnAuburn senior forward Johni Broome is on our best players in March Madness 2025 list.
The 6-foot-10, 240-pound Broome averages a double-double per game. Broome is approaching 20 double-doubles on the season.
He scores 18.4 points per game and grabs 10.8 rebounds per game. Broome also shoots 50.5% from the field.
He is having his best season of his five-year college career. Broome is averaging more points, rebounds, assists and less turnovers this season than any of his previous seasons.
He is also developing his 3-point shot after he rarely shot from beyond the arc in his two years at Morehead State.
Broome is the top player for Auburn, which is a top contender in March Madness odds and Final Four odds right now.
For the Tigers to reach their first Final Four in six years, Broome will need to carry a fair share of the load.
March Madness MVP Odds: N/A
Mark Sears | Guard | AlabamaAlabama has an elite offense which is led by Mark Sears, who is one of the best players in March Madness 2025.
The senior guard has a boatland of college basketball and March Madness experience. Sears has played in 10 career March Madness games, including one Final Four game last year.
In last year’s March Madness tournament, Sears averaged 24.2 points per game in five games played. He scored 24 points in the Final Four game.
While Sears put up better numbers last season, he is still a 38% career 3-point shooter. Sears is scoring 19.1 points per game this season and he is dishing out five assists per game.
Last season, Sears averaged 21.5 points per game. He shot just over 50% from the field and 43.6% from 3-point range.
If Sears can replicate those numbers in March Madness, the rest of the country needs to look out.
March Madness MVP Odds: N/A
Braden Smith | Guard | PurduePurdue’s Braden Smith is one of the best point guards in the nation and he is one of many March Madness players to watch.
Smith is second in the country in assists per game. Smith dishes out 8.7 assists per contest and he is the player that really gets the Boilermakers going offensively.
Smith isn’t the tallest guard at 6-foot, but he gets away with it because his court vision is excellent.
His numbers have improved each year as well. Smith’s points have gone from 9.7 per game to 12.0 to 16.0.
He averaged 4.4 assists per game in his first season and that improved to 7.5 last season and 8.7 this season.
While Purdue is a longshot in March Madness odds and Final Four odds, if Smith can get going, the Boilermakers have enough talent to turn some heads in this tournament.
March Madness MVP Odds: N/A
Josh Hubbard | Guard | Mississippi StateJosh Hubbard is not a household name yet, but he is one of the best players in March Madness 2025.
The Mississippi State guard is a really good scorer, especially considering he’s just a sophomore.
The 5-foot-11 Hubbard averaged 17.1 points per game last season and he improved to over 18 points per game this season.
Hubbard shoots a heavy volume of 3-pointers, about nine per game to be exact. If Hubbard can get hot from deep in March Madness, Mississippi State could make a deep run.
However, Hubbard has redemption on his mind. He shot 6-for-18 and 3-for-11 from downtown in Mississippi State’s March Madness first round loss last year.
Hubbard needs to perform better on the big stage if he wants to be considered for March Madness MVP. He is certainly capable of doing so with his elite playmaking and scoring ability.
March Madness MVP Odds: N/A
RJ Davis | Guard | North CarolinaIf North Carolina makes the tournament, watch out for RJ Davis as one of the top players in March Madness 2025.
Davis has spent his entire college basketball career at North Carolina, which seems a bit uncommon in an age where transfers are so prevalent.
Davis averages an impressive 17.2 points per game this season. He leads the Tar Heels in points per game and in free throw percentage at 87.8%.
His March Madness experience should serve him and the Tar Heels well. Davis has played in 10 March Madness games in his five seasons with North Carolina, including a Final Four game and the National Championship Game in 2022.
For Davis to be a contender in March Madness MVP odds, North Carolina would need to go deep in the tournament. The Tar Heels’ hopes fall a lot on the shoulders of Davis.
March Madness MVP Odds: N/A
Hunter Dickinson | Center | KansasKansas center Hunter Dickinson is another one of our March Madness players to watch.
The 7-foot-2 Dickinson has been a college basketball mainstay for several years now. He spent three seasons at Michigan before transferring to Kansas.
Dickinson is in his second season with the Jayhawks. He is averaging about 17 points per game and about 10 rebounds per game.
Dickinson leads Kansas in those two stat categories.
Despite being super tall, Dickinson is a smooth shooter and is very efficient. He is a 55.7% career shooter and has a career 3-point shooting percentage of 33%, which is respectable.
His March Madness experience should help this Kansas team, which is having a down year for its standards.
Dickinson has played in nine career March Madness games and has scored in double figures in all of them.
If Kansas goes far in March Madness, it will be because Dickinson plays at the top of his game.
March Madness MVP Odds: N/A
Keshon Gilbert | Guard | Iowa StateIowa State guard Keshon Gilbert is also included in our March Madness players to watch list.
After spending two seasons at UNLV, Gilbert has been a big time contributor for Iowa State. He has averaged over 13 points per game in his two years with the Cyclones.
Gilbert is having his best shooting season of his college career. He is shooting nearly 50% from the field.
Gilbert’s height is also a key aspect of his game. He stands at 6-foot-4, which gives him a nice height advantage over most defenders.
He only has three games of March Madness experience under his belt, but Gilbert scored in double digits in each of those games.
Iowa State has a good chance in odds to win March Madness and Final Four odds, but if the Cyclones go all the way, it will be because Gilbert shoots the ball at a very efficient rate, like he has done all season.
March Madness MVP Odds: N/A
Tre Johnson | Guard | TexasTre Johnson is an elite scorer, making him one of the best players in March Madness 2025.
Johnson is knocking on the door of the top 10 in the country in scoring. He is averaging over 20 points per game this season with a 44% field goal percentage.
Johnson also has a big height advantage for being a guard. He stands at 6-foot-6 and he’s just a true freshman.
If the Longhorns make the tournament, Johnson is the type of guy that opposing teams can’t let get hot.
In addition to his really good field goal percentage, Johnson shoots 39% from 3-point range and 88% from the free throw line.
He has scored in double figures in every game this season, except one.
Without Johnson, Texas might not be in the March Madness discussion. However, if Johnson can play to his potential, the Longhorns have a chance to be a March Madness Cinderella team.
March Madness MVP Odds: N/A
Grant Nelson | Forward | AlabamaAlabama has another player on our March Madness players to watch list.
Forward Grant Nelson is a really good two-way player for the Crimson Tide. He is averaging 11.8 points per game this season and he is adding 1.3 blocks per game on the defensive end.
Nelson is also the top rebounder for Alabama. He grabs about eight boards per game.
Nelson had an excellent three years at North Dakota State before he transferred to Alabama, but he didn’t play in March Madness with the Bison.
He played in five March Madness games last season and recorded a double-double in two of those games.
The 6-foot-11, 230-pound Nelson has great length, which should bode well as the Crimson Tide are looking to make another deep run in March Madness.
Alabama is well-positioned in March Madness odds and Final Four odds thanks partly to the play of Nelson on the offensive and defensive end.
March Madness MVP Odds: N/A
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