This article is part of our College Basketball Waiver Wire series.
Sometimes it takes some time for young players to really come into their own. The start of February is typically right around the time we see a number of breakout stars who hope to lead their teams to the promise land. This week's top pickups features a number of players who have been producing in a big way over the last couple weeks.
Power Conferences
Johnny Furphy, G/F, Kansas
The 19-year-old Australian has arrived and given Kansas that fifth starter it has been looking for all season. Furphy is putting up 15.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.7 three-pointers over the last six games. Over that stretch, he is also shooting 65 percent from the field and 55 percent from deep. Furphy could become a household name in March and is already appearing on many first-round mock drafts.
Ryan Dunn, G/F, Virginia
Dunn is still only owned in roughly 20 percent of Fantrax leagues, but his production warrants much higher ownership than that. Dunn is one of the best defensive players in the country, averaging 2.2 blocks and 1.6 steals per game. The sophomore has notched five double-doubles this season and should continue to rack up more of them as ACC play rolls along. Virginia is on a six-game win streak thanks in large part to Dunn's play.
Ugonna Onyenso, F/C, Kentucky
Onyenso has outplayed freshman Aaron Bradshaw and earned the starting center spot for the Wildcats. In his first career start, the sophomore went off for 13
Sometimes it takes some time for young players to really come into their own. The start of February is typically right around the time we see a number of breakout stars who hope to lead their teams to the promise land. This week's top pickups features a number of players who have been producing in a big way over the last couple weeks.
Power Conferences
Johnny Furphy, G/F, Kansas
The 19-year-old Australian has arrived and given Kansas that fifth starter it has been looking for all season. Furphy is putting up 15.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.7 three-pointers over the last six games. Over that stretch, he is also shooting 65 percent from the field and 55 percent from deep. Furphy could become a household name in March and is already appearing on many first-round mock drafts.
Ryan Dunn, G/F, Virginia
Dunn is still only owned in roughly 20 percent of Fantrax leagues, but his production warrants much higher ownership than that. Dunn is one of the best defensive players in the country, averaging 2.2 blocks and 1.6 steals per game. The sophomore has notched five double-doubles this season and should continue to rack up more of them as ACC play rolls along. Virginia is on a six-game win streak thanks in large part to Dunn's play.
Ugonna Onyenso, F/C, Kentucky
Onyenso has outplayed freshman Aaron Bradshaw and earned the starting center spot for the Wildcats. In his first career start, the sophomore went off for 13 points, 16 rebounds, eight blocks and two steals against Florida. Onyenso has been one of the best defenders in the country averaging 3.7 blocks over the last seven games. With that kind of defensive production, if he can also contribute on the glass, Onyenso is going to keep starting and should be rostered.
Tramon Mark, G, Arkansas
Somehow Mark is still owned in less than 20 percent of Fantrax leagues and has been absolutely carrying this Arkansas team of late. Over the last seven games the Houston transfer is putting up 20.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.4 blocks per contest. Mark was always a great defender with the Cougars and now is being called on to take over on the offensive end. Davonte Davis has left the program, Trevon Brazile is dealing with a knee injury, other players are in and out of the Razorback lineup, so Mark is primed to have a huge close to the season.
Jaemyn Brakefield, F/C, Mississippi
Brakefield had a stretch of games in late-December and early- January where he went on a scoring tear. That production has tapered off a bit, but recently he has picked up in other areas. Brakefield is averaging 4.3 APG over the last four games, something we rarely see out of a center-eligible player. The senior is also averaging 12.8 points and 1.3 three-pointers during that stretch, both just north of his season averages. Jamarion Sharp seems to have been cut loose from the rotation, which should only increase Brakefield's minutes.
Daniel Skillings, G, Cincinnati
Cincinnati is an elite defensive team with a lot of size but needs someone to be a consistent outside scorer. That player is looking like Skillings, who has crossed the 20-point mark four times this season and is averaging 16.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 three-pointers and 1.0 blocks over the last four contests. Skillings may or may not start, but he's going to see close to 30 minutes a night have the green light from coach Wes Miller to keep firing.
Jaden Bediako, F/C, Seton Hall
The Santa Clara transfer seems to have found his zone in the Big East, as he is currently ranked sixth in rebounding (7.7 RPG) and third in blocks (1.9 BPG) in the conference. These last four games have been particularly fruitful for Bediako, with averages of 12.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks on 65 percent shooting. Seton Hall will continue to put four guards around Bediako and let him control the paint.
Moses Wood, F/C, Washington
Washington may sit at just 12-10, but the Huskies are one of the better offensive teams in the Pac-12. Wood has been a big reason for that after he averaged north of 14 PPG each of the last two seasons at Portland. Wood is putting up 14.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.1 three-pointers over the last seven games and hitting from deep at a 49-percent clip. Wood has looked much more free on offensive since Franck Kepnang went down with a knee injury.
Other Conferences
Kyle Rose, G, Fordham
Rose is coming off a game in which he led Fordham to a road win over Saint Louis by putting up a career-high 26 points along with four assists, three steals and two blocks. Rose is one of the best defenders in the A-10, averaging an even two steals per contest this season. The fifth-year senior is finally becoming a fantasy-relevant player, as he is averaging 13.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.4 three-pointers, 2.3 assists and 1.8 steals since the new year.
Jordan Riley, G, Temple
Temple has mixed up their starting lineup a lot this season, but whenever Riley is in the starting five he is putting up big numbers. The Georgetown transfer is averaging 14.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 1.0 three-pointers and 0.8 blocks per game in 14 starts this season. The Owls only have a couple tough matchups left before they close the regular season against some of the bottom teams in the American.
Kasean Pryor, F/C, South Florida
It took awhile for Pryor to get things going, but he has emerged as potentially the top breakout candidate in the AAC. Over the last seven games, the junior is putting up 18.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.0 three-pointers, 1.6 steals and 1.0 blocks per contest. Maybe not a coincidence is that the Bulls ended up winning all seven of those games. USF is a serious threat to be a bid-stealer if Pryor keeps rolling like this.
O'Mar Stanley, F/C, Boise State
Boise State is eyeing a return to the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year, and the St. John's transfer has a been big reason why. Stanley has four 20-point games this season and is putting up 15.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.4 three-pointers over the last five contests. Stanley has been remarkably efficient shooting 62 percent from the field, 70 percent from deep and 82 percent from the free-throw line during that stretch.
