As the college basketball season finishes up the second week of the regular season, we are getting a better look at the players that have come to play this season. There is a handful of players that I didn’t expect to be breakout stars, but here we are with them leading their teams to top-25 rankings and for most, undefeated seasons. Here are the top four breakout stars this season after the second week.
Dalton Knecht, Tennessee Volunteers
Dalton Knecht is one of the least likely players that I would have seen on a list like this, but after the first week of play, he has the Tennessee Volunteers undefeated and jumping from the No. 9 rank to start up to the No. 7 rank in one week. Knecht started out his collegiate career at the University of Northern Colorado where he averaged 20.2 points per game in his sophomore season making the jump from 8.9 ppg in his freshman year. Knecht then used the transfer portal to his advantage landing at a Top-10 program and a major basketball contender. In just three games this year, Knecht is already averaging 19.7 points per game with 3.7 rebounds with just 1.3 turnovers per game leading his team in scoring.
Wooga Poplar, Miami Hurricanes
Wooga Poplar wasn’t a player who came from a small school and transferred into a top-25 program. Poplar started at and has grown under Jim Larranaga. In his first year at Miami, Poplar rarely played, seeing just 8.6 minutes per game and putting in 2.3 points per game. His role on the team grew tremendously in his sophomore year as he saw 23.6 minutes per game but translated that to just 8.4 points per game. This year, he is breaking out. He is seeing almost 30 minutes per game and is leading the team in scoring averaging 20.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game with one block and one steal as well.
Donovan Clingan, UConn Huskies
Donovan Clingan came to UConn as a recruit last year being his freshman season. He spent most of the year in a reserve role for the dominant, now Chicago Bull, Adama Sanogo. This year, his sophomore season, Clinton has the opportunity to take the big man role at UConn to a whole new level. The 7-foot-2 center, is averaging 15.0 points and 6.7 rebounds with almost two blocks per game. He is averaging that in just three games this season where he has seen just 18 minutes per game. If he were to average that at a full-scale game, he could be averaging 30 points, 15 rebounds, and four blocks per game which would put the big man in contention for the Pete Newell Award at the end of the season.
Kylan Boswell, Arizona Wildcats
Kylan Boswell, like Clingan, came into Arizona as a freshman last season. The forward spent much of his time split with Cendric Henderson Jr., who now plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers. In his freshman season, Boswell was no threat to any team playing just 15 minutes per game and dropping 4.6 points per game. The new and improved Boswell is now on every team’s radar as they prepare to face the No. 3 team in the nation. Boswell is averaging 13.3 points per game with 5.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.3 steals per game. He might not be the most dynamic scorer in the NCAAB, but he is an electric player who can clamp down on defense on one end and dish or score on the other.
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