These preseason rankings are based off the returning player’s impact and the level of recruits the team is bringing in. The following are the Preseason Top 25 Post NBA Player Entry Deadline:
1. Michigan State
Key Returners: Cassius Winston, Xavier Tillman, Aaron Henry, Gabe Brown, Joshua Langford, Marcus Bingham
Top Recruits: Rocket Watts, Malik Hall
Michigan State brings back the most experienced team in the country with the best point guard returning in Cassius Winston. The depth on the perimeter with Brown, Henry and Langford is as good as anyone’s in the country.
2. Louisville
Key Returners: Jordan Nwora, Dwayne Sutton, Malik Williams, Steven Enoch, Ryan McMahon, Darius Perry,
Top Recruits: Fresh Kimble(grad transfer), Samuell Williamson, Aiden Igiehon, David Johnson
The overall depth and quality of Louisville gives them a great chance to have a very successful season. Jordan Nwora deciding to come back is huge, as he has the capability to be an All-American. The addition of Fresh Kimble will be big, as they added another veteran piece in the backcourt who can score at a high level.
3. Kentucky
Key Returners: Ashton Hagans, Immanuel Quickley, E.J Montgomery, Nick Richards
Top Recruits: Nate Sestina(grad transfer), Tyrese Maxey, Khalil Whitney, Keion Brooks, Johnny Juzang
Kentucky will be an older team than normal with the return of Hagans, Quickley, Montgomery and Richards. With another loaded recruiting class with players who will have a big impact right away, Kentucky yet again will be a National Championship contender.
4. Duke
Key Returners: Tre Jones, Javin Delaurier, Alex O’Connell, Jordan Goldwire, Joey Baker
Top Recruits: Vernon Carey, Mathew Hurt, Cassius Stanley, Wendell Moore
The return of Tre Jones is huge for Duke. He will be the leader of this team along with the loaded recruiting class coming in. Joey Baker should take the next step giving Duke a consistent perimeter shooting threat. Carey and Hurt will give Duke one of the best frontcourts in the country.
5. Kansas
Key Returners: Devon Dotson, Udoka Azuibuke, Mitch Lightfoot, Ochai Agbaji, Marcus Garrett, Silvio De Sousa, David McCormick
Top Recruits: Tristan Enaruna
The return of Azuibuke and Dotson makes Kansas the Big 12 favorites as both are capable of being All-American players. Next, having Silvio De Sousa eligible by the NCAA to play is a big boost to give the frontcourt more depth.
6. Villanova
Key Returners: Collin Gillespie, Saddiq Bey, Jermaine Samuels, Cole Swider, Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree, Brandon Slater
Top Recruits: Bryan Antoine, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Justin Moore, Eric Dixon
Villanova will be back on the national radar with the young freshman from last year continuing to develop. Gillespie will be the leader of this Villanova team and will be joined by two dynamic freshmen in Antoine and Robinson-Earl.
7. Texas Tech
Key Returners: Davide Moretti, Kyler Edwards, Deshawn Coprew
Top Recruits: Chris Clarke, T.J. Holyfield(graduate transfers), Jahmius Ramsey, Terrance Shannon, Tyreek Smith
No one should doubt the ability of Chris Beard to turn over his roster quickly and they will look to do that again. Now, with the additions of Chris Clarke and T.J. Holyfield, Texas Tech will have a veteran prescence. The continued development of Moretti and Edwards will be key for the backcourt.
8. North Carolina
Key Returners: Garrison Brooks, Brandon Robinson, Sterling Manley, Leaky Black
Top Recruits: Cole Antony, Armando Bacot, Anthony Harris, Justin Pierce (graduate transfer), Christian Keeling (graduate transfer)
Landing the top point guard in the 2019 class in Cole Anthony gives North Carolina the highest rated recruit under Roy Williams. He’ll be paired with Bacot and Harris who were also in the recruiting class. After losing five rotation players adding Pierce and Keeling as graduate transfers will fill that veteran void.
9. Maryland
Key Returners: Anthony Cowan, Jalen Smith, Darryl Morsell, Aaron Wiggins, Eric Alaya, Serrel Smith Jr.
Top Recruits: Chol Marial, Makhi Mitchell
The return of Cowan and Smith is huge for the success of Maryland this season. The backcourt for Maryland will be really good with Morsell, Ayala and Wiggins with joining Cowan.
10. Gonzaga
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Key Returners: Corey Kispert, Killian Tillie, Filip Petrusev, Joel AyajiTop Recruits: Admon Gilder(grad transfer), Drew Timme, Anton Watson
Gonzaga needed the return of Tillie as the veteran presence in the frontcourt because they lost a lot with Brandon Clarke and Rui Hachimura. It was also huge to add Gilder as a graduate transfer, who will join Kispert in the backcourt for Gonzaga. They will continue to reload and develop as they always do for next season.
11. Virginia
Key Returners: Kihei Clark, Braxton Key, Jay Huff, Mamadi Diakite, Francesco Badocchi
Top Recruits: Casey Morsell, Kadin Shedrick
The defending champions will have a lot to replace, but Key, Clark and Diakite are very capable of taking on the load of the offense. Also, Huff should take the next step and be a key part of the continued growth for Virginia. Tony Bennett will figure out a way to get the most out of his roster.
12. Baylor
Key Returners: Tristan Clark, Mario Kegler, Mark Vital, Jared Butler, Mathew Mayer, Jake Lindsey, Davion Mitchell
Top Recruits: Jordan Turner
Baylor will return a roster full of veterans as Clark will return from injury and look to be an All-Big 12 performer. The depth of Baylor will be very good creating a well balanced and very good offensive team with the scorers they have.
13. Seton Hall
Key Returners: Myles Powell, Myles Cale, Quincy McKnight, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Taurean Thompson, Shavar Reynolds, Romoro Gill, Anthony Nelson, Jared Rhoden
Top Recruits: Tyrese Samuel
Seton Hall getting Powell to return gives them a player of the year candidate along with pretty much the entire roster returning. The depth and ability of Powell to score gives Kevin Willard his best team yet and the opportunity to make a big run in the NCAA tournament.
14. Memphis
Key Returners: Alex Lomax, Tyler Harris, Antwann Jones
Top Recruits: James Wiseman, Precious Achuiwa, D.J Jefferies, Boogie Ellis, Lester Quinones
Memphis is bringing in the number one recruiting class in the country with dominant players in Wiseman and Achuiwa. The talent will be there, but there is a lack of experience and that will be Memphis’ biggest test after losing Rayjon Tucker to the draft.
15. Arizona
Key Returners: Brandon Williams, Dylan Smith, Chase Jeter, Ira LeeTop Recruits: Nico Mannion, Jalen Green, Max Hazzard(graduate transfer), Zeke Nnaji, Terry Armstrong
Arionza will look to return to being a force in the Pac-12 with two dynamic recruits in Mannion and Green along with Hazzard as a graduate transfer. The key will be the continued development of the players that are returning for Arizona.
16. LSU
Key Returners: Ja’vonte Smart, Emmitt Williams, Skylar Mays, Marlon Taylor, Darius Days
Top Recruits: Trendon Watford, Charles Manning
LSU returns dynamic athletes and is adding a very good recruit in Watford. With the coaching of Will Wade they will be in the mix for the SEC title again. Smart should take the next step in becoming a high-level guard.
17. Purdue
Key Returners: Nojel Eastern, Aaron Wheeler, Matt Haarms, Trevion Williams, Sasha Stefanovic, Eric Hunter Jr.
Top Recruits: Brandon Newman, Isaiah Thompson
Matt Painter will maximize his team as he always does. Haarms and Williams give Purdue a one-two punch in the frontcourt. Wheeler and Eastern give Purdue great length and versatility on the perimeter.
18. Florida
Key Returners: Andrew Nembhard, Noah Locke, Keyontae Johnson, Isaiah Stokes, Dontay Bassett,
Top Recruits: Scottie Lewis, Tre Mann
Florida has a very good backcourt in Nembhard, Locke and Mann along with Lewis and Johnson as the wings on the perimeter. They could potentially land Kerry Blackshear and if they do Florida will become a top 10 team and national threat.
19. VCU
Key Returners: De’Riante Jenkins, Marcus Evans, Sean Mobley, Marcus Santos-Silva, Issac Vann, Mike’L Simms, Vince Williams, Corey Douglas
Top Recruits: None
VCU returns a very good core with Evans and Jenkins leading the way in the backcourt. They also have a dynamic big in Santos-Silva and the overall depth of VCU gives them a great chance to repeat as A-10 champions.
20. Ohio State
Key Returners: Kaleb Wesson, Luther Muhammad, Duane Washington Jr., Justin Ahrens, CJ Walker, Andre Wesson, Kyle YoungTop Recruits: D.J Carton, E.J Liddell, Alonzo Gaffney
Ohio State will have a very deep team surrounding the presence of Kaleb Wesson and the very good recruiting class they have coming in. The backcourt should take the next step with Carton, Walker, and Muhammad.
21. Florida State
Key Returners: Raiquan Gray, Trent Forest, Anthony Polite, M.J. Walker
Top Recruits: Patrick Williams, Balsa Koprivica, Naheem McLeod, Nathanael Jack
Florida State is as good as anyone developing players and getting the most of them. Gray, Walker and Forest return who should lead the way for Florida State early as the depth will come back throughout the season.
22. Washington
Key Returners: Nahziah Carter, Sam Timmins, Jamal Bey, Hameir Wright
Top Recruits: Jaden McDaniels, Isaiah Stewart, RaeQuan Battle, Quad Green(transfer)
Washington brings in two of the top 10 recruits in the country in McDaniels and Stewart giving them one of the most dynamic frontcourts in the country. Green transferring from Kentucky gives them a lead guard who can replace David Crisp.
23. Georgetown
Key Returners: James Akinjo, Mac McClung, Omer Yurtseven, Jamorko Pickett, Josh LeBlanc, Jahvon Blair
Top Recruits: Qudus Wahab
Patrick Ewing has a great opportunity to make his first NCAA tournament this year with the return of McClung and Akinjo. They have one of the most underrated backcourts in the country. Yurtseven will be very important in the frontcourt as the primary big man.
24. Davidson
Key Returners: Kellan Grady, Jon Alex Gudmundsson, Luke Frampton, Luka Brajkovic, Kishawn Pritchett, Carter Collins, Dusan Kovacevic
Top Recruits: Hyunjung Lee
Davidson brings back the core of their team with Gudmundsson and Grady. as both are very good offensive threats. The depth of Davidson makes them co-favorites with VCU to win the A-10.
25. Utah State
Key Returners: Sam Merrill, Neemias Queta, Justin Bean, Brock Miller, Abel Porter, Tauriawn Knight
Top Recruits: Liam McChesney
Utah State is bringing back their core of the team with Merrill leading the way who can win his third Mountain West Conference Player of the Year Award. Queta gives them a major presence up front along with Bean and Miller being good scoring options on the perimeter.
Images Courtesy of, Letterman Row, MaxPreps, The Slipper Still Fits, Sports Illustrated University of Kansas Athletics, usu.edu
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