5 Players Who Can Pull a ‘Kemba Walker’ in March Madness, Including UNC’s RJ Davis

Kemba Walker is a legend, especially when mentioned in the context of college basketball. There are very few players in history who can be mentioned in the same breath as him.

Kemba put the 2010-2011 Connecticut Huskies on his back in not just the NCAA tournament, but also the Maui Invitational and the Big East tournament to crown UConn as champs in all three.

When looking at the current NCAA tournament field, it's hard to see many players who can match what Kemba did that season, but they could lead their respective teams to the promised land.

In the following breakdown, I considered how much of a chance these players actually had of winning the championship. There are plenty of phenomenal players on lower seeds who could lead a Cinderella run but be knocked out shortly thereafter.

Without further ado, here are the potential Kemba Walkers of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

Zach Edey (Purdue)

This is the only center on this list, but Edey is one of the most dominant players in NCAA history. This is what he could get away with against the second-best team in the Big Ten:

Edey may not be a guard or have the agility of some of the March Madness heroes I wrote about a month ago, but he has the ability to take over a game with the likes of any college basketball player we've seen in recent years.

On the season, Edey is averaging 24.2 points, 11.7 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and two assists per game. When he has the ball, most teams converge on him, and he has the awareness to kick the ball out to Fletcher Loyer or Braden Smith for a 3.

Even if he's not scoring, he's the focal point of this offense and can dish to create a shot for others. This is the main reason why Purdue has been a mainstay at the top of the polls for so long.

Not many players are the MVP on KenPom, Evan Miya and other noteworthy analytic basketball websites by this wide of a margin.

Now, there are plenty of jokes about Purdue's Fairleigh Dickinson loss, but this team is battle tested and has a more experienced backcourt. If the Boilers do make a run, Edey could become even more of a legend in college basketball than he already is.

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Jamal Shead (Houston)

I wrote about Shead in this article because he's been on my radar since last season. He's one of those guards who doesn't force the issue and shows the patience to take the right shot or make the right pass.

Per Evan Miya, Shead ranks as the second-most indispensable player in college hoops behind Edey, and if you've watched Houston play, you would understand why.

No, he doesn't have stats that will blow you away, but this is because he doesn't need to take every shot. He averages over six assists per game against two turnovers. He also averages 13 points per game and has incredibly quick hands that leads him to at least two steals a night.

He can also hit a big shot to help bury his opponent.

Houston is the favorite to win the South Region, and this team has shown time and time again that it belongs in the best conference in basketball.

If the Cougars make a run, Shead will be the main reason why.

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RJ Davis (UNC)

RJ Davis is no stranger to the NCAA tournament. In addition to Armando Bacot, Davis was a massive reason why UNC went to the title game in 2022.

The Heels took a step back last season, but they're back to the top of the rankings again. This time, they'll be a No. 1 seed in the West Region.

Davis might also be one of the most improved players in college basketball. He averages over 21 points per game with more than three rebounds and assists.

The biggest part of his game that's taken a leap, though, is his 3-point shot (over 40% on the season). He's one of the best shooters in all of college hoops, and he's right there as a player who can resemble Kemba in this tournament.

Davis is not putting up the same numbers, but he shoots better than Walker from outside. He's also almost the exact same size.

When Davis hits a few of these in the NCAA tournament, you'll see why he could be the next Walker.

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Reed Sheppard (Kentucky)

As far as higher seeds go, Kentucky is definitely one of the weaker defensive teams in this tournament. However, it has such a dynamic offense that a national title may not be out of question.

Reed Sheppard is going to be an NBA lottery pick, and he's showcased why. This is a freshman guard who's shooting 54% from the field and 52.6% from 3-point range. Paired with those wildly impressive numbers, he's also averaging over 12 points and 4.5 assists per game.

He's the youngest player on this list, but he might be one of the most composed players on here, too.

Kentucky is more of a long shot for a title, but the offense is there. Kentucky will likely slug out a couple of games with 90+ points, but it's not out of the question that Sheppard could lead the Cats to the finals.

Baylor Scheierman (Creighton)

Scheierman has been around the block in the college basketball scene, and in his fifth season, Creighton has the makings of a national title contender.

Like the other players on this list, he's the main reason why. Scheierman has proven time and time again that he's one of the most dynamic players in the country. He shoots about 38% from outside, while averaging 18.5 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.

He does everything, and when Creighton is in a bind, he's the guy to bail it out (à la Kemba Walker). Per Evan Miya, he ranks in the top 10 in MVP rankings.

He has the build of an NBA guard and profiles well for a future in basketball, but he also has an ability to do everything at once, similar to some others on this list.