This season, there were exactly 300 European players on NCAA rosters. With March Madness approaching and the regular season coming to an end, it seems like a good time to discuss this season’s best European performers. I will name a Team of the Year consisting of the five best players, discuss the top freshman, and highlight specific players to watch for next season.

TEAM OF THE YEAR

Before I discuss my selections for Team of the Year, I want to emphasize that these players are not necessarily the best prospects in NCAA. I selected the players based on their performance this year and not on their potential at the professional level. With that out of the way, let’s get into the selections.

Joel Ayayi – Gonzaga

11.8 PTS, 7.0 REB, 3.0 AST, 1.2 STL, 58.3 FG%. 39.7 3P%

Even though he might not have blown many people away with his performance this year, Ayayi put up good numbers on this season’s only remaining undefeated team and highest scoring offense in the NCAA. He was fourth on the team in scoring, third in assists, and second in steals. The most impressive part of his performance this season has been his rebounding and shooting efficiency. Ayayi is the fifth best rebounder in his conference, and he is doing this as a 6’5 guard. He also ranks third in FG% and eighth in 3P% in his conference, which makes him one of the best shooters in the West Coast Conference. Ayayi’s offensive rating was seventh in the nation. It should be noted that his numbers could have been more impressive if he was not the secondary playmaker due to sharing the backcourt with potential top-5 pick Jalen Suggs.

Franz Wagner – University of Michigan

12.8 PTS, 6.2 REB, 2.9 AST, 1.4 STL, 1.1 BLK, 49.3 FG%, 38.4 3P%

Wagner has played a key role for a Michigan team that is a first seed in the upcoming NCAA tournament. He is third on the team in scoring, second in rebounding, second in assists, and his shooting improved after starting the season off slowly. His biggest impact is on the defensive end, where he helped Michigan be the ninth best defense in terms of opponent FG% in the country. Due to his combination of size, Wagner is 6’9, and defensive versatility, he ranked fifth in the Big Ten conference in steals and was among the best shot blockers on the team. Wagner was also the NCAA leader in defensive plus/minus, which led to his nomination for Defensive Player of the Year. Overall, Wagner had a strong season and was second in box plus/minus in the NCAA.

Oscar da Silva – Stanford

18.5 PTS, 6.7 REB, 2.4 AST, 0.9 STL, 1.0 BLK, 56.9 FG%, 31.1 3P%

Despite missing the last few games of the season due to injury, Oscar da Silva had a strong final collegiate season and was named to both the All-PAC-12 First Team and All-Defensive Team. The German was second in conference scoring, fourth in FG%, and sixth in rebounding. He was also Stanford’s leading shot blocker, ranked third in assists, and shot 30.2% from behind the arc. Unfortunately, da Silva was unable to make it to the NCAA tournament in his last collegiate season.

Sandro Mamukelashvili – Seton Hall

17.5 PTS, 7.6 REB, 3.2 AST, 1.1 STL, 0.6 BLK, 43.4 FG%, 33.6 3P%

Mamukelashvili was named co-winner of Big East Player of the Year after finishing in a three-way tie. This recognition is well-deserved after a strong senior season in which he was the second leading scorer in the conference and ranked sixth in rebounding. A big reason for the Georgian native’s success this year is his versatility on the offensive end. Mamukelashvili took on a leading role on offense this season and thrived thanks to his ability to score inside and shoot from beyond the arc. Standing at 6’11, he ranked third on the team in 3P%. 

Neemias Queta – Utah State

15.1 PTS, 10.0 REB, 2.5 AST, 1.1 STL, 3.2 BLK, 55.7 FG%

Queta has been amongst the best defense players in NCAA according to advanced defensive metrics and led his team to the NCAA tournament. He leads the team in multiple offensive and defense categories and was named to the All-Mountain West First Team. Queta was the conference leader in both rebounding and blocks, and his advanced metrics were even more impressive. Across the entire NCAA, the Portuguese ranked fifth in Block Percentage, second in Defensive Rating, first in Defensive Win Shares, second in Defensive Box Plus/Minus, and eighth in overall Box Plus/Minus.

Honorable Mention:

Santiago Aldama – Loyola (MD)

21.2 PTS, 10.1 REB, 2.3 AST, 1.0 STL, 1.7 BLK, 51.3 FG%, 36.8 3P%

Despite Aldama having a dominant season, I decided not to include him in the Team of the Year. The main reason for this is the lower quality of his conference, the Patriot League, compared to the other players and the overall performance of his team. However, his individual performance deserves to be highlighted. Aldama dominated opponents all year with his versatile offensive game. He shoots threes at a high rate, can score inside, and has good court vision for his position. His interior skillset could still use some development, but he has a great touch around the rim. Aldama put up good defensive numbers this season, but will have to get stronger and improve as a paint protector in order to be successful at a higher level. As a sophomore, he was the only non-senior to be selected to the All-Patriot League First Team and led Loyola (MD) to the conference title game as a ninth seed. With his potential and current skillset, Aldama will be the heavy favorite to win Player of the Year in his conference next season.

Other Honorable Mention: Joshua Mballa, Buffalo

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR

Azuolas Tubelis – Arizona

12.2 PTS, 7.1 REB, 1.2 AST, 0.6 STL, 0.6 BLK, 49.8%, 31.0 3P%

Tubelis put up good numbers during his first collegiate season and was clearly the most impactful European freshman. He led the team in rebounding and was the second highest scorer. Despite missing out on PAC-12 Rookie of the Year to Evan Mobley of USC, Tubelis did make the All-Rookie Team. His ability to stretch the floor on offense and growing versatility on defense, makes him an interesting player to watch the next few years. His interior defense and playmaking need some work, but Tubelis seems to have a bright future ahead of him.

Honorable Mentions: Mustapha Amzil, Dayton; Pelle Larsson, Utah

PLAYERS TO WATCH

There is a lot of European talent in the NCAA and next season should be an exciting one. Azuolas Tubelis is not the only player to keep an eye on at Arizona. His teammate Kerr Kriisa has shown flashes after joining the team late, and Daniel Batcho should be ready to contribute after redshirting this season.

Current freshmen Mustapha Amzil (Dayton), Pelle Larsson (Utah), and Andrej Jakimovski (Washington State) will hopefully continue to improve during their sophomore year. Larsson’s teammate Mikael Jantunen could take on a more leading role for Utah next season. Someone who took on more responsibility this year and will look to build on it is Toumani Camara of Georgia. The Belgian impressed on both the offensive and defensive end and is a player to keep an eye on. Due to his dominant performances, it is easy to forget that Santiago Aldama is only a sophomore. It should be exciting to see how more dominant he can be for Loyola (MD) next year.

The incoming class of European freshmen might be the most intriguing players to watch next season. It includes top prospects who were heavily recruited by the best programs in the country. The biggest standouts are Paolo Banchero (Duke), Moussa Diabate (Michigan), and Jeremy Sochan (Baylor).