20 most important NCAA basketball players for the 2017-2018 season

Louisville is going through a lot right now, and the stain of the bribery scandal will be a narrative of the season. Lost in the mix is that this is a good team, and Adel is ready to step into the spotlight. In his sophomore season, Adel was more of an up-and-comer who'd explode for a big play that would tease what he could become. Over the last few weeks of the season, it seemed to click for him, and everyone is expecting him to become the man for the Cardinals this year. 

You all know him, and most of you don't like him. Allen's junior season crashed and burned as his temper, injuries and chemistry issues doused Duke's and Allen's high expectations. The senior is looking for a huge bounce-back season as the Blue Devils, again, look loaded for a Final Four run. Many peg Allen as the prototypical Duke player to hate, but he also may be the Duke senior who has a big year and leads the Blue Devils deep in the NCAA Tournament.

Bagley is a huge reason why Duke is a preseason favorite to win the national championship. The 2018 prospect reclassified to enter college this year, and he will be a beast from the start. A projected top two pick, he should be the next stud in a line of impressive one-and-dones for Duke. He has a great motor and all-around skills not usually found in a player this young. 

Bamba will be a defensive monster the second he walks on the court for the Longhorns. He is an excellent rim protector who will be key in Shaka Smart's chaotic defensive schemes. He may need to bulk up or risk getting pushed around by meatier big men. He'll remind many of a Nerlens Noel kind of player who will block a lot of shots as he develops an offensive post game. He's expected to be a true one-and-done player.

The defending national champions lost a lot from last year's team, but the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player will be back. Joel Berry was the straw that stirred the Tar Heels' drink the last two years, and the senior will be relied on to lead a young team that will feature a freshman-heavy frontcourt and a graduate transfer replacing All-American Justin Jackson. Not only will Berry take his role of running Roy Williams's up-tempo offense — when he returns to the lineup from a broken hand — he'll need to pick up his scoring as well if Carolina wants to head to a third straight championship game.

Bluiett is best known for his wild spring. He had a huge game in Xavier's upset win over Arizona in the Sweet 16 but followed up with a horrible game in a blowout loss to Gonzaga in the Elite Eight. He put his name in the NBA Draft early but eventually withdrew. In April, he was arrested for marijuana possession as well, which he hopes to put behind him. He is talented, and when he's hot he is so tough to stop (ask rival Cincinnati who saw him drop 40). He plays big and dreams big and wants to take Xavier to its first Final Four.

It's rather shocking that Bridges is even on this list because many figured him to be a one-and-done. He returned to East Lansing for his sophomore season to make Michigan State one of the early favorites to get to the Final Four. He was the Spartans' best player last year, averaging nearly 17 points and more than eight rebounds, and should only get better with a little seasoning. He's a freakish athlete and could become a national superstar this season.

Brown is one of those versatile guards who can handle the ball, create his own shot and defend both guard positions. He's a solid rebounder for his size (just 6-3) and is the kind of do-everything player that NBA scouts love and opponents struggle to contain. Unlike many college players, Brown is still a solid contributor even if he isn't making shots. 

One thing we can always count on is tough guards at Villanova. Brunson is yet another one — a crafty guard with NBA aspirations. He's won two Big East championships and a national championship in his first two seasons with the Wildcats and has his sights set just as high this year. He can score, he can pass and he has Jay Wright's full trust. 

You know you are pretty good when you are the preseason ACC Player of the Year. He's only 6-5 but has a long wingspan and can do just about anything on the floor. He can blow by you, hit a three, defend, block shots and be a playmaker. He led the ACC in rebounding last season and was the only player in the conference to average a double-double. Mike Brey leans on his upperclassmen to lead his Irish, and Colson is certainly up to the challenge.

While basketball has turned into small ball with teams chucking up threes, Delgado is a throwback: a big man with a back-to-the-basket game and a willingness to rough it up inside. Last season, he averaged 15 points and 13 rebounds for the Pirates, who made their second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. He hopes to make it a third in his senior season, only this time taking the Hall on a deeper run. 

Graham will be an on-ball playmaker this season now that Frank Mason III is gone. That's fine with Graham, who was a point guard disguised as a long-range gunner the last few years for the Jayhawks. There is the usual talent in Lawrence, but this should be Graham's show. The key will be for Graham to revert back to running the offense and setting up his talented teammates as well as keeping his scoring prowess as Kansas' top scorer.

Happ is one of the best big men in the nation. His passing and vision allow the Badgers to run their offense through him. He is a great post player who can score in a variety of ways in the paint. To get to the elite level, he must develop a jump shot of some type. He's worked on it this summer and hopes to have an all-around offensive game. If he can hit the midrange shot consistently, Happ will be nearly unstoppable, and Wisconsin could have Final Four aspirations.

Landale and the Gaels have high hopes for the upcoming season. With Gonzaga losing a lot from its national runner-up squad, Saint Mary's wants to seize the opportunity to contend for a WCC title. Landale is the next in a long line of skilled big men for the Gaels and a guy who could average 20 and 10. He's also stepped up his game defensively, which is how Saint Mary's likes it.

Porter Jr. went against the norm as the top-ranked player in the class of 2017 and decided to attend Missouri. He could be the top pick in next summer's NBA Draft with his 6-10 size and his ability to play anywhere. He hopes his season in college isn't like the last two players who went No. 1, hoping he actually gets to play in the NCAA Tournament. If Mizzou can get there, Porter will be the main reason why. 

Look, Richards isn't the most heralded of Kentucky's newest crop of freshman. He's not going to be the star, nor will he be one of the Wildcats' main scoring threats. But in the John Calipari era, the success of Kentucky has had a lot to do with the success of its big men, especially defensively. Richards will need to be that guy, one who will protect the basket, rebound the ball and block shots. His offensive role will develop with time, but his main job will be as the stopper Calipari craves in his big men.

Sexton will walk right in to Alabama as a freshman and have the keys to the program. He's so talented and will most likely have the green light to do whatever he can to get buckets in what is likely his one season for the Crimson Tide. Of course, fellow SEC schools have seen a big-time prospect come in only to have the team struggle to find success (looking at you, Mississippi State and LSU). Sexton and the young Tide are hoping to buck that trend.

Big things are expected for Shamet and Wichita State. The Shockers enter the AAC, where they open the season as a top 10 team and now have a conference affiliation that will help their seeding come tournament time. Shamet will be a big key to them getting back to the Final Four, especially with how he responds after having foot surgery this summer. Most people got a good look at Shamet in the Shockers' loss to Kentucky in the tournament last year and hope for bigger things this season. 

Trier has had a chaotic stay in Tuscon. The junior missed weeks of his freshman year due to a hand injury and sat for 19 games last year for a PED suspension. When he finally returned to the team, the Wildcats went on to win the Pac-12 Tournament and were a popular tourney pick. He spurned the NBA and decided to come back to Arizona and take another shot at a national championship. Trier is one of the best scorers in the nation on one of the best teams in the nation, and if he can stay on the court this season, the Wildcats are a serious title contender. 

Like Bridges, Williams shocked many ye returning to school for his sophomore season. If he can develop a perimeter game to rival his paint repertoire, he can be a big-time stud capable of carrying the Aggies to the tournament. That perimeter game would also cause his draft stock to rise (he could be one of those coveted "unicorns"), which is why he came back to college. Williams won't have the talent around him that Bridges does, but he could impress if he can carry Texas A&M this season.