Hello and welcome to the seventh annual College Basketball Names Bracket. It’s an even-numbered year, so we are back to a men’s bracket. 2024 college basketball rosters were more balanced, creating a deeper field than ever, but perhaps lacking a glut of top-tier names. Early returns indicate the Names Bracket faithful are pleased, but we will wait and see how the voting momentum holds up. However you feel, there are no years off with The Names Bracket, so deal with it. Searching rosters from Northern Illinois to Southern Nazarene, here are the best names men’s college basketball has to offer in 2024.
The theme of this season is simplicity. Are there long, confusing names out there I can barely pronounce? Sure. But, if history has taught me anything, it’s that the people don’t want to think; they want to laugh. For every Gabe Wiznitzer of yesteryear, there is a David Pickles in 2024. Along with Pickles, there are Dickmen, ‘Cocks, and Bootys abound, so all of you 30-something-year-old juveniles can giggle along with me as we check out the regions Sackrider, Kockenmeister, Beerwinkle, and Blue.
Our returning players policy is documented below. You are eligible to return if:
- You play D-I basketball and I like your name
- You play D-I basketball and I don’t particularly like your name but it could be used in a funny matchup.
- You play lower than D-I, but have a legitimate shot according to the seeding committee of winning the entire tournament.
Returning players will be marked with one asterisk per year they’ve already competed. It is a small list this year, with defending champion Ali Salami, unfortunate 2022 first-round-loser Biggz Johnson, and the McCorkle boys leading the way.
You can find the full, printable version of the bracket here: 2024 Names Bracket
And here is the link to first round voting: 2024 Names Bracket Voting
Bracket and voting updates will be added to the Names Bracket Official Twitter account, so please follow HERE.
Names to Watch
Ali Salami (Michigan-Dearborn) – #1 seed, Jalyn Sackrider Region. Occupying a popular slot for defending champions and strong returning players, the conversation may begin and end with Salami in 2024. It’s going to take a lot to stop this name if it carries its momentum over from 2022.
Johnny Furphy (Kansas) – #5 seed, Jalyn Sackrider Region. Playing for the most storied basketball school appearing in the bracket this year, Johnny Furphy doesn’t have a lot of style, but instead, substance. You know he’s got the goods on the court, and this slight spin on an extremely common name seems to be a solid bet to win a matchup or two.
Landon Seaman (Menlo) – #11 seed, Jalyn Sackridger Region. A man of both the land and the sea, there is a 90% chance this name is just too clever and layered for the demographic voting on these matchups.
Rob Banks (Texas A&M-Commerce) – #2 seed, Kim Kockenmeister Region. I hope I’m not the only one who appreciates the simplicity, purity, and old-school sound of Rob Banks. Easy to look past in the selection process, Banks is holding my heart hostage.
Jamaine Mann (Georgia State) – #3 seed, Kim Kockenmeister Region. Another fairly simple name, Jamaine might become everyone’s ‘maine man if they take a couple extra seconds to appreciate the authoritative sound. I would consider this one of the strongest candidates for a huge momentum run to the Final Four.
PJ Pounds (Augsburg) – #5 seed, Kim Kockenmeister Region. In the men’s bracket’s first ever year without PJ Pipes, a newer, younger PJ has stepped up to take his place. Will all the groundwork laid by Pipes tilt the scale in favor of Pounds in his tournament debut? I think yes.
Always Wright (Rhode Island) – #2 seed, Sayler Beerwinkle Region. This is just an elite seizing of the opportunity by the Wright parents.
Biggz Johnson (Malone) – #4 seed, Sayler Beerwinkle Region. Biggz is back. Hands down, the most controversial under-seeding in tournament history, his draw against Ali Salami in the first round of 2022 generated legitimate hate letters that cannot be shared on this platform. Well, I’ll tell you what… the seeding committee listened. Earning a respectable #4 seed, Biggz is set up for bigger and better things this time around.
Stravis Lutchman (New England College) – #3 seed, Deja Blue Region. The evil twin of hypothetical name Travis Dutchman, Stravis Lutchman seems craftier, more aggressive, and certainly more confident. Perhaps more of a likely candidate to be upset in the first round than make the Final Four, I still felt the need to pay my respects to one of the stranger names I encountered digging through rosters.
Rytis Petraitis (Air Force) – #7 seed, Deja Blue Region. It would be a safe bet to assume a Greek background here, but the flow of Rytis Petraitis is unmatched in this field, barring maybe Jamaine Mann. A late addition to the bracket, Rytis quickly gained respect from the seeding committee. Enough, in fact, to launch him into the top half of this field.
Matchups to Watch
#2 Supreme Cook vs. #15 Cleveland Baker – First round, Jalyn Sackrider Region. 2024’s take on the old adage of too many cooks in the kitchen.
#8 Sargent Jeffery vs. #9 Jahmir Kingcannon – First round, Kim Kockenmeister Region. These sound like a couple of military guys going toe-to-toe with only a battlefield in between. I’ll take Kingcannon over the Sargent any day of the week.
#6 Tennessee Rainwater vs. #11 Dougie Peoples – First Round, Kim Kockenmeister Region. This has to be the most blue collar matchup of the first round. Just two good ol’ boys duking it out.
#8 Braedon Bigott vs. #9 Iziah Pigott – First Round, Sayler Beerwinkle Region. The only thing worse than a bigot is a bigot that is also a pig. Bonus points for the Z and generally unconventional spelling of Iziah.
#3 Jizzle James vs. #14 Zarique Nutter – First Round, Jalyn Sackrider Region. Low-hanging fruit here. I’m sorry. But also, you’re welcome.
#7 Bernie Blunt vs. #10 Ty High – First Round, Sayler Beerwinkle Region. I have a feeling someone is going to get smoked.
#5 Styles McCorkle vs. #4 Champ McCorkle – Potential Second Round, Deja Blue Region. Styles pulled off the slight upset over Champ in 2022, and the seeding committee still gave Champ the nod in 2024. Will the committee be vindicated? Or subject to more ridicule?
#1 Sawyer Dickman vs. #4 Biggz Johnson – Potential Sweet 16, Sayler Beerwinkle Region. Sure to be a crowd-pleaser (and seemingly pretty likely to happen), Dickman vs. Johnson needed to cross streams at some point in this bracket.
#1 Antwaun Hathcock vs. #2 Paul Glasscock – Potential Elite Eight, Deja Blue Region. Of all the potential matchups in this tournament, this is the one that seems to be most inevitable. A true cockfight.
#1 Ali Salami vs #4 Biggz Johnson – Potential Tournament Championship. Even though Hathcock vs. Glasscock is more of a likely matchup, this is the one the entire world has waited to see. Biggz could have a chance to redeem himself against the man who took him out two years ago, but only if all the stars align.
