Top 10 College Basketball Seniors Of 2015

Like fine wine, these guys have only gotten better with age.

The college basketball senior may not be extinct yet, but it's certainly endangered.

With the influx of underclassmen -- especially high-profile freshmen -- entering the NBA draft (there were 48 total last year), seniors are often looked at as flawed, or even broken. That should not be the case in 2015, which features an assortment of terrific players who decided to remain on campus for one more run.

Here are the 10 best seniors you can't afford to miss. (And you can see a full college hoops preview here.)

Georges Niang, F, Iowa State
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The 6-foot-8 Niang is Iowa State's point forward -- a splendid blend of skill and size. Gone is "the mayor," head coach Fred Hoiberg, to the Chicago Bulls, but expect Niang to remain the focal point of an elite offensive unit. As a junior, he converted 40 percent from 3, while averaging 15 points, five rebounds and three assists. The Cyclones will go as far as he takes them.
Fred VanVleet, PG, Wichita State
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VanVleet is as pure a point guard as you will find in college basketball. At 6 feet, he controls the entire game, making sound decisions and the right basketball play. Last year, the Illinois native averaged nearly 14 points, five assists and five rebounds per game. Expect a significant bump in both this season.
Kyle Wiltjer, F, Gonzaga
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A former SEC Sixth Man of the Year at Kentucky, Wiltjer enjoyed a marvelous first season in Spokane. The 6-foot-10 forward is a real matchup problem because of his offensive versatility and overall efficiency. As a junior on an Elite Eight Gonzaga team, he connected on 54 percent of his field attempts and 47 percent from deep. He doesn't handle the ball like Adam Morrison, but Wiltjer is the closest thing Mark Few has had since Morrison left for the NBA.
Buddy Hield, SG, Oklahoma
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The reigning Big 12 Player of the Year returns to Norman, hoping to improve on what has been a marvelous career. Hield, who averaged 17 points and five rebounds as a junior, will look to up his 3-point clip (36 percent) while continually raising his NBA draft stock. He has become a wonderfully efficient guard whose next task will be to defend multiple spots while further enhancing his ball handling and creativity.
Denzel Valentine, G, Michigan State
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Valentine is a classic Tom Izzo player: tough and versatile, and an all-around winner. Furthermore, he will be asked to run the point much of this season. As a junior, Valentine took a considerable leap in his scoring (plus 6.5 points and plus 4 percent from distance) while helping guide Sparty to a surprising Final Four run. Izzo will lean on him once more to provide much of the same.
Caris LeVert, SG, Michigan
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If not for a season-ending stress fracture last year, LeVert might be in the NBA right now. Back for his final go-around in Ann Arbor, the 6-foot-7 Ohio native will display a terrific floor game with the rare opportunity to average 15-5-5 if he can remain healthy.
Marcus Paige, PG, North Carolina
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Paige is a four-year guy who probably didn't think he would be. After being slowed by significant foot issues last year, though, the diminutive Paige should be in line for a massive senior campaign, leading arguably the most talented team Roy Williams has had in Chapel Hill. A playmaking dynamo and big shot-maker who can really shoot it as well, Paige might just be the best point guard in the country. Don't be concerned about his broken finger either: it was to his non-shooting hand and he won't miss much time.
Ron Baker, SG, Wichita State
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Baker burst onto the national scene during the Shockers' Final Four run in 2013. He hasn't gone away ever since, and don't forget that this is a former walk-on we're talking about. Flanking VanVleet in one of the nation's most devastating backcourts, Baker will be a go-to scoring option who at 6-foot-4, 220 -- fresh off a Team USA Pan Am bronze medal last summer -- should have Wichita State in prime position for another deep run come March.
Malcolm Brogdon, G, Virginia
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Brogdon -- much like teammate Anthony Gill -- is a prototypical Tony Bennett player: his stats (14 points, four rebounds) are hardly flashy, yet he's remarkably productive for a Cavs team that plays slower than all but three teams in college basketball. Brogdon, a true power guard at 6-foot-5, 215 pounds, should improve his perimeter shooting (34 percent from 3), but his two-way ability is a welcome sign and the main reason why the first-team All-ACC selection made this list. Oh, and he's not too shabby off the court either.
Perry Ellis, PF, Kansas
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Ellis is a no frills big man who continually puts up strong numbers, if hardly spectacular ones. The former McDonald's All-American was a first-team All-Big 12 performer last year despite seeing his field goal percentage sink over 9 percentage points. Ellis will need to improve on his scoring and rebounding (14 and seven as a junior) if Kansas wants to become a legitimate Final Four contender.

Email me at jordan.schultz@huffingtonpost.com or ask me questions about anything sports-related at @Schultz_Report, and follow me on Instagram @Schultz_Report.

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