This article is part of our Conference Preview series.
When discussing players who are not quite accomplished enough to make the Hall of Fame in various sports, some people like to discuss the Hall of the Very Good. The A10 is the conference of very good. The conference has consistently sent multiple teams to the NCAA tournament, including six in 2014, and has challenged the Big East for Tier 1 status at times. Last season, Dayton, Rhode Island, and VCU played during March Madness, but only the Rams were able to win a game by pulling off the 11-6 upset on the Mo Watson-less Creighton Bluejays. Only one member of the All-A10 team, Jaylen Adams, is returning, so there will be some reloading to do.
Top Three Players
Jaylen Adams (G)
Coming into his senior season, Adams has done it all individually. He has been an all-A10 performer for the last two seasons and led the Bonnies with 20.6 points and 6.5 assists as a junior. Adams will now attempt to boost St. Bonaventure into the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2012. The Bonnies have not won a game in March Madness since 1970. Adams took more 3-pointers and free throws in 2016-17 than he did in previous seasons, but he also suffered a poorer conversion rate in both shots. Adams and Matt Mobley may be the best backcourt tandem in the A10, but the Bonnies' season will depend on the development of some frontcourt pieces.
Payton Aldridge (F) 
Aldridge is also entering his senior season. In
When discussing players who are not quite accomplished enough to make the Hall of Fame in various sports, some people like to discuss the Hall of the Very Good. The A10 is the conference of very good. The conference has consistently sent multiple teams to the NCAA tournament, including six in 2014, and has challenged the Big East for Tier 1 status at times. Last season, Dayton, Rhode Island, and VCU played during March Madness, but only the Rams were able to win a game by pulling off the 11-6 upset on the Mo Watson-less Creighton Bluejays. Only one member of the All-A10 team, Jaylen Adams, is returning, so there will be some reloading to do.
Top Three Players
Jaylen Adams (G)Coming into his senior season, Adams has done it all individually. He has been an all-A10 performer for the last two seasons and led the Bonnies with 20.6 points and 6.5 assists as a junior. Adams will now attempt to boost St. Bonaventure into the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2012. The Bonnies have not won a game in March Madness since 1970. Adams took more 3-pointers and free throws in 2016-17 than he did in previous seasons, but he also suffered a poorer conversion rate in both shots. Adams and Matt Mobley may be the best backcourt tandem in the A10, but the Bonnies' season will depend on the development of some frontcourt pieces.
Payton Aldridge (F)
Aldridge is also entering his senior season. In his case, he has been able to draft off of Jack Gibbs for the past three years, but 2017-18 will feature the 6-foot-8 forward as the Wildcat go-to player. He is coming off a season in which he averaged 20.5 points and downed 40.9 percent of his 3-pointers. Aldridge is ready for the spotlight and topped 30 points four times last season. Down the stretch of the season, the senior became an iron man and missed just seven available minutes in the final seven games (including a pair of overtime games). Aldridge will likely vie with Adams for A10 Player of the Year and the conference scoring title.
B.J. Johnson (F) 
After two quiet years on the Syracuse bench, Johnson came home to Philadelphia and excelled in his first season with the Explorers. The 6-7 forward led the squad with 17.6 points to go with 6.3 rebounds and 1.1 steals. See what you missed out on, Jim Boeheim? Guard Jordan Price (15.3 points) has moved on, so more of the offensive onus will be on Johnson. He converted 83.8 percent of his free throws, but only attempted 4.5 freebies per game. The senior could slide into the aforementioned honors if he can be more aggressive around the basket and not settle for shots from the perimeter.
Top Newcomers
Issac Vann (G/F)
If VCU is going to extend its NCAA tournament streak to seven seasons, coach Mike Rhoades team will need to rely on a pair of transfers. Vann and Khris Lane come from smaller schools, but should be able to help Justin Tillman in the Ram frontcourt. Lane averaged 17.1 points and 7.3 rebounds with Longwood last season. Vann produced 16.4 points as a freshman at Maine in 2015-16. He hit 41.2 percent of his 3-pointers and added 5.8 rebounds and 1.6 steals. Vann was limited to 17 games as a Black Bear because of an ankle injury and is somewhat slight at 190 lbs, but he has a commendable range of skills.
Kostas Antetokounmpo (F) 
The Flyers thought they would have Giannis' younger brother on the roster, but he was a partial qualifier academically. Antetokounmpo was able to practice with the team and the 6-10 redshirt freshman may be a factor. The team will be without Ryan Mikesell, who had hip surgery, so depth will be needed. Antetokoumnpo had his own injury scare in Greece when he suffered a bone bruise in July, but was scheduled to be ready for September practice with the team. If he is able to take the court for Dayton, he could lead the team in rebounding and shot blocking.
D.J.Foreman (F) 
There is something about getting away from Rutgers which can do wonders for a college basketball player's career. It worked for Junior Etou at Tulsa and we may see a similar effect on the 6-8 Foreman. He spent two seasons with the Scarlet Knights and produced 7.9 points and 6.0 rebounds as sophomore in 2015-16. He should improve upon those numbers in the run-and-gun system of coach Travis Ford. The junior will have to battle Seton Hall transfer Rashed Anthony for minutes, but Foreman could be in for a career year.
Pair of Sleepers
De'Monte Buckingham (G)
The Spiders will look to replace the league's reigning Player of the Year, center T.J. Cline, who boosted many fantasy teams to titles last season. Who is going to step forward for Richmond? It could well be the 6-4 Buckingham, who started his freshman season in 2016-17 slowly, but was a wrecking ball by the end. The guard failed to score in double digits in his first nine games, then had a streak of eight straight 10+ scoring performances. He had a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds in the win over St. Bonaventure. For the season, Buckingham averaged 10.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists. He could be in for a big bump as a sophomore..
Yutu Watanabe (F) 
I have been tracking Watanabe since he was a rangy freshman with the Colonials three seasons ago. He has improved incrementally over his GWU career and could be in for a breakout as a senior. Watanabe is already at a pro level defensively. He can use his 6-9 frame to guard any opposing player and has enough quickness to keep up with guards. Despite hitting just 31.4 percent of his 3-pointers, the forward averaged 12.2 points to go with 4.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.1 blocks. Look for Watanabe to be more aggressive offensively and take significantly more than the 9.6 field goals and 3.3 free throws he did as a junior.
