Top Bowman U Best Men’s Cards to Collect
It’s finally March! The time when hoops go mad and big-time players step up, turning into unforgettable legends. As the men’s conference tournaments loom large on the horizon, basketball fans everywhere are gearing up for the heart of college hoops hysteria. With the 2023-24 season delivering one jaw-dropping moment after another, it’s been a wild ride, setting the stage for a run of legacy-defining battles. So why not usher in the Madness of March with a bit of Bowman U Best and a list featuring the top men’s players in the product and in conference tournaments throughout the country? ‘Tis the season!
Top Men’s Conference Tournament Hoopers
ACC: Jared McCain
A man of many interests and talents, McCain’s gone viral for his singing and pristinely painted nails. His game has also made the rounds on social media, which only adds to his marketability. The fearless freshman and projected 2024 first-round pick leads the Blue Devils in 3s made, ranks third on the team in points and will play major factor in Duke’s attempt to defend its ACC Conference Tournament crown.
Big East: Stephon Castle
After starring in UConn’s first two games, Castle missed a month due to injury. He returned with vengeance, living up to the hype as a projected lottery pick, breaking Syracuse legend and future Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony’s record for Big East Freshman of the Week nods and leading the conference’s rooks in points (11.2), rebounds (4.3) and assists (3.0). If the defending national champion Huskies plan on winning its first Big East Tourney since 2011, Castle’s name will ring like a doorbell. We’re betting on him shining.
Big Ten: Zach Edey
Leaving the reigning National Player of the Year off this list would be criminal. And let’s not mince words: Edey has a colossal chance of clinching NPOY honors once again. The 7-foot-4 senior currently ranks second in the nation in points (24.2) and third in rebounds (11.7), all while boasting an astonishing 61.9 percent shooting from the field. To keep it simple, he purely dominated. With Purdue poised to defend their title as Big Ten Tourney champs, anticipate a massive performance from the super-sized center.
Big 12: Jamal Shead
College basketball fans were optimistic about Houston’s prospects despite 2024 marking its inaugural season in the gauntlet known as the Big 12. However, few anticipated the Cougars clinching the regular-season title and ascending to the nation’s top spot as they head into their first Big 12 Tournament. Much of Houston’s success can be attributed to Shead, the engine driving the team’s performance and the recipient of the 2022-23 American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year award. Currently ranked second in the Big 12 in steals (2.3) and third in dimes (6.2), Shead’s impact on both ends has been instrumental in the Cougars’ success.
Pac-12: Cody Williams
Williams could be the draft’s top pick in 2024. That alone makes him the perfect candidate for this list. The 6-foot-8 younger brother of Oklahoma City star Jalen Williams is a stat-sheet stuffer who uses his relentless motor and elite skill to impact both ends of the floor. Colorado has work to do in regards to boasting its NCAA Tournament resume. Still, a massive performance from Williams in his first and probably only Pac-12 Tourney can only enhance the future of the Buffalos season and his top-pick odds.
SEC: Reed Sheppard
Sheppard’s lineage reads like a Kentucky basketball fairy tale, with both parents engraving their names in Wildcats history. His pops, Jeff Sheppard, earned 1998 Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors with the Wildcats, and his mom, Stacey Reed, topped 1,400 points in her career in Lexington. Following in their footsteps, Sheppard’s decision to join Kentucky in 2023 felt like a natural fit. And it has been, with the young floor general proving to be more than just a legacy, carving out his own path to UK greatness thanks to his elite playmaking and shooting. With multiple SEC Freshman of the Week awards under his belt and a prominent role as the pacesetter on a Kentucky team brimming with NBA prospects, Sheppard could lead the Wildcats back to the top of the conference and solidify his standing as a lottery pick.
