MADE Men In The College Ranks: Part 1
November 18, 2024 by Tex Greene
For over a decade, many MADE Hoops alumni have gone on to have extremely successful careers, whether at the collegiate or professional level. Every week during the 2024-25 college basketball season, we highlight 15 alumni who have MADE the most of their respective seasons:
Cooper Flagg–Duke
Against a good Kentucky team early in the week, Duke lost 77-72. However, Flagg put up 26 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks. Later, in a blowout against Wofford, Flagg’s stats were quieter, but he had a solid all-around game with 8 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 blocks, and 3 steals.
Dylan Harper–Rutgers
Harper’s showing early why he’s a consensus top-five draft pick in 2025. His scoring has translated to the college level seamlessly, as he put up 24 points against St. Peter’s on Monday and 20 points against Monmouth on Friday. He’s also been a solid defense presence so far, and the Scarlet Knights are 3-0 so far as a result.
Ace Bailey–Rutgers
The 6’10” forward made his long-awaited college debut against Friday, and he didn’t disappoint. In his first college action, Bailey dropped 17 points and 6 rebounds in a 17-point win against Monmouth. He’ll be an exciting prospect to watch as Rutgers’ schedule heats up in December. The tandem of Bailey and Harper is very difficult to defend against.
VJ Edgecombe–Butler
Edgecombe had a dominant showing against Sam Houston on Tuesday. The freshman guard put up a near triple-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals. While his outside shooting needs improvement, he’s been solid from inside the arc.
Tre Johnson-Texas
Johnson has proved to be everything people thought he was coming into college. The freshman is averaging 23.5 points per game, and has helped lead Texas to a 3-1 record to start the season. With the exception of one loss to Ohio State, the rest of Texas’ wins have all been resounding blowouts, showing the team’s dominance. Johnson is already predicted to be a lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and his stock will keep climbing higher and higher with great performances night in and night out.
Will Riley–Illinois
Riley and his Illinois squad are off to a solid start, currently 3-0. Riley is averaging 17.7 points and 6.0 rebounds per game and is projected to go in the mid-first round of the 2025 NBA draft. A good test that scouts will likely tune into will be the Illinois game against Alabama on Tuesday.
Brandon Garrison–Kentucky
The Oklahoma State transfer had a solid showing this week against Duke. While his stats were modest (8 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 1 steal), he shot 80% from the field and contributed to Kentucky’s victory. Kentucky currently sits at 3-0. Look to a big game from Garrison this upcoming Tuesday against Lipscomb.
Boogie Fland–Arkansas
Fland is currently averaging 15.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game for Arkansas. He had 17 points and 7 assists in a loss to Baylor, as well as 12 points and 7 assists in a win against Troy. If he continues to stay efficient with his shooting, Fland is another player who has the potential to jump up the 2025 NBA draft board.
Drake Powell–UNC
Powell’s another player who’s put up modest stats so far this season. However, stats don’t tell the full story. In UNC’s three-point loss to Kansas, Powell played 20 minutes, and contributed a lot with his defense. Against American, he had 7 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks, again showcasing his defensive potential.
Markus Burton–Notre Dame
Burton has picked up right where he left off after a solid freshman season. To start his sophomore campaign, Burton has helped Notre Dame jump out to a 3-0 record. He put up 19 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists against Buffalo on Monday, and 16 points and 5 assists in a win against Georgetown. He’s another efficient guard that will be fun to watch this season.
Thomas Sorber–Georgetown
Sorber is helping to rebuild Georgetown’s program after a string of bad seasons. This past weekend, Sorber put up 12 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists against Notre Dame. While they did lose, Georgetown’s record on the season is 2-1, and Sorber has been one of the go-to scorers for every game.
Mackenzie Mgbako–Indiana
Indiana is a perfect 3-0 start to the season, and Mgbako is a big reason why. The 6’9” forward averages 22.0 points and 7.7 rebounds per game on the season, including 17 points and 7 rebounds in a win against South Carolina this weekend.
Taylor Bol Bowen–Florida State
Although Florida lost to Florida State on Friday, Bol Bowen has shown promise throughout the season so far. He had seven points, seven rebounds, three steals, and a block against Florida State, and is playing a solid 23 minutes per game. However, that number could go up soon if he continues to produce.
Labaron Philon–Alabama
Philon has made an immediate impact on Alabama since starting his freshman year. The team is off to a 3-1 start, their only loss against #13 Purdue. In that loss, Philon put up 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists, a very solid showing. Look for him to have another big game early this week against Illinois.
Royce Parham–Marquette
Parham is a contributor on Marquette’s 4-0 squad, which Purdue will test on Tuesday. While Parham isn’t putting up the flashiest numbers at the moment, he’s still earning his minutes on the court. He put up 10 points in 13 minutes against Maryland, and if he can keep scoring efficiently, his minutes should see an increase soon.