5) Conner Frankamp, Wichita State

This one could be a surprise to most. However, with a strong showing in the final month of last season, Frankamp showed college basketball fans what he has always been capable of. He’s a lights-out shooter who just needs some aggressiveness. He improved his shot fake and drive to the hoop to complement his high-volume three-point shooting. Frankamp will average in the double digits in points for the first time in his career and boost his 44-percent three-point percentage from last year even higher.

4) Jacob Evans, Cincinnati

Evans is a veteran leader on what should be a hard-nosed, competitive team all season long in Cincinatti. Evans is likely to lead the Bearcats in scoring, even though they have a balanced attack and are built off of defense and physicality. Evans is one of the vehicles that makes this team go. Expect him to lead the Bearcats to a great seed in the NCAA Tournament.

3) Jalen Adams, UCONN

Adams was rated as the 25th best recruit of 2015 by ESPN. This kid can flat out play. He’s explosive off the dribble and stands a sturdy 6’3, 195. He’s hard to guard and could very well score at will this season. He averaged more than 14 points, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds per game last season. Expect him to improve on those numbers as a junior. UCONN has a lot of talent and shouldn’t be taken lightly in the AAC.

2) Shake Milton, SMU

Shake MIlton is without a doubt the most talented guard in this conference. Coach Tim Jankovich wants the Mustangs to be competitive in what is projected to be somewhat of a rebuilding year for the program. Milton is too good of a player to not make something out of this season. He’s a sure-fire NBA talent because of his 6’6 size and ability to score in multiple ways. He can also rebound and assist with the best of them. Milton could raise his stock and get drafted in the first round in 2018 if he leads the Mustangs to another 25-plus-win season.

1) Landry Shamet, Wichita State

Shamet may not have the most flashy stats on this list, but his skillset, leadership, and big-game ability set him apart from the competition. Of course he’s nursing that broken foot from back in July, but his recovery seems to be going smoothly. Expect Shamet to put up big numbers, starting with the Maui invitational Thanksgiving week. He is the most important player for a Wichita State team with Final Four aspirations. If the Shockers want to justify their preseason top-10 ranking, Shamet has to be on. Look for his jumpshot to fall with more consistency this season as well.