5 Best Florida Atlantic Basketball Players of All Time

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Florida Atlantic guard Johnell Davis (1) celebrates after scoring a three-point shot during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Wichita State , Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, in Boca Raton, Fla.
(AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Richard Janvrin @richardjanvrin Mar 12, 2024, 10:41 AM
  • Florida Atlantic made their first NCAA Tournament in 2002.
  • Florida Atlantic never won an NCAA Tournament game before 2023, where they advanced to the Final Four.
  • Greg Gantt is the program’s leading scorer with 1,972 points.

Prior to 2023, the Florida Atlantic Owls only made one NCAA Tournament appearance, in 2002, when they were a No. 15 seed and lost in the first round to the Alabama Crimson Tide. 

In 2023, they made the tournament and made a massive run to the Final Four before losing to San Diego State 72-71, making them college basketball betting darlings in the process. 

Florida Atlantic went on this run as a No. 9 seed, significantly impacting basketball lines throughout that tournament. 

Despite only having some recent success, several quality players have come through their ranks, and below, I’ll illustrate their seven best players ever. 

5 Best Florida Atlantic Basketball Players of All Time

RankPlayerPositionKansas Years
1Greg GanttG2009-2013
2Carlos MonroeF2005-2009
3Earnest CrumbleyG2000-2023
4Mike BellF2003-2004
5Damon ArnetteG/F1996-1999
6Raheim BrownC2000-2002
7Johnell DavisG2020-Present

1. Greg Gantt

Playing four seasons for the Owls, Gantt averaged 16.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game. In his final season, he averaged 21.2 points per outing. 

In addition to being a three-time All-Sun Belt honoree, he’s the school’s leading scorer with 1,972 points. 

2. Carlos Monroe

A four-year player for the Owls, Monroe ranks eighth in points and first in rebounds in program history. He accumulated 717 rebounds, averaging 8.1 per game. He averaged at least 9.4 rebounds per game as a sophomore and junior. 

He was a two-time All-Sun Belt recipient and made the All-Freshman team. Across his four seasons, he averaged 15 points per game. 

3. Earnest Crumbley

Crumbley ranks third in scoring in Owls’ history with 1,559 points. He also scored 39 in a game against Campbell during 2003-2004, which is tied for first in program history. 

In addition to his scoring, he had 505 assists with the Owls from 2000-2004, which is second all-time in history. 

Across four seasons, he averaged 13.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. 

4. Mike Bell

Bell transferred from N.C. State and played two seasons for Florida Atlantic. He went from averaging less than two points per game with N.C. State to 18.5 per game at Florida Atlantic. He also averaged 9.5 rebounds and two blocks per game.

He’s tied for fifth in points scored in a game in the program’s history and has the record for single-game rebounds with 23 against Stetson.

He had 107 blocks in two seasons, fifth-most at Florida Atlantic. 

5. Damon Arnette

Starting his college career at Baylor, Arnette transferred to Florida Atlantic, suiting up in 1996. In his career at Florida Atlantic, he averaged 16.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per game across 75 games.

He’s ninth on the scoring list, eighth in rebounds, and has the third-most steals in program history. 

6. Raheim Brown

Starting his career in South Florida, Brown came to Florida Atlantic in 2000. He averaged 13.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game. 

He was first-team All-Conference during his senior season, averaging 16.4 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, leading Florida Atlantic to its first NCAA Tournament appearance. 

7. Johnell Davis

Davis is actively playing for the Owls in his redshirt junior season. This season, the 2023-24 season, is Davis’ first season starting, and he’s averaging 18.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, three assists, and 1.4 steals per game. 

He’s a lifetime 48% shooter from the floor and 37.4% from beyond the arch. 

He scored 36 points during the 2022-23 season against UAB, which ranks fourth in the program’s single-game history. 

He received first-team All-Conference USA honours and was the Conference USA Sixth Player of the Year. 

About the Author

Richard Janvrin

Read More @richardjanvrin

Richard Janvrin is a content writer for BetMGM. His work is also published at sites like Forbes, WSN, Gambling.com, Legal Sports Report, and more. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of New Hampshire.

Richard Janvrin is a content writer for BetMGM. His work is also published at sites like Forbes, WSN, Gambling.com, Legal Sports Report, and more. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of New Hampshire.