ESPN Picks KU Basketball Third in Preseason Rankings
Every October, college basketball prognosticators make their predictions for the upcoming season, usually in top 25 rankings. ESPN’s rankings were out today. Where were the Jayhawks, and is Bill Self’s KU basketball team too high, low, or right where it should be?
1. Duke
To nobody’s surprise, ESPN college basketball writer Eamonn Brennan ranked the Duke Blue Devils number one in his preseason rankings. Most agree with him. Duke returns contributors Matt Jones, Luke Kennard, Amile Jefferson, and Chase Jeter. They also return a preseason Naismith Award frontrunner in Grayson Allen. Along with a very good group of returnees, head coach Mike Krzyzewski signed one of the best recruiting classes ever, reeling in top ranked forwards Jayson Tatum, Harry Giles, and Marques Bolden. Along the perimeter, Frank Jackson will be an explosive combo guard. Coach K’s group will be tested early in the season. On November 15th, Duke travels to Madison Square Garden for a showdown with Kansas.
2. Kansas
Brennan ranks Kansas third in his column, behind Duke and Kentucky, but I disagree slightly. Kansas returns three starters from an Elite Eight team a season ago, and adds 247 Composite top ranked player Josh Jackson and talented center Udoka Azubuike. Sophomore forward Carlton Bragg will be much improved from an inconsistent but flashy freshman campaign, and rotation players Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk and Lagerald Vick return to the best backcourt in the country. The one question for the Jayhawks is frontcourt depth. Behind Bragg and senior Landen Lucas, the picture is shaky. Transfer Dwight Coleby is coming off an ACL injury, while freshmen Azubuike and Mitch Lightfoot still have much to prove. The sky is the limit for what Self hopes his is 13th consecutive Big 12 championship team.
3. Virginia
My biggest departure from Brennan’s rankings is where to put Virginia. Tony Bennett lost stalwarts Anthony Gill and Malcolm Brogdon, but also signed a top five recruiting class stuffed with four top 100 players. Austin Nichols, a Memphis transfer and former top ten recruit, will also become eligible. Nichols and the rest of the Cavaliers team was very good in a trip to Spain this summer, and will be a threat to be a top seed. Even if they struggle to score, Bennett’s pack line defense will be stingy.
4. Villanova
There’s little doubt that Villanova was a terrific team a year ago, winning an epic national final game against North Carolina. Head coach Jay Wright returns nearly all of that team in 2016-17. Even after losing starters Ryan Arcidiacono and Daniel Ochefu, the Wildcats return Naismith Award candidate Josh Hart, along with guards Kris Jenkins and Jalen Brunson. The Wildcats suffered a blow when blue chip freshman Omari Spellman was deemed academically ineligible, but Wright is a terrific small-ball tactician. The Wildcats will employ a Golden State Warriors style “positionless basketball” attack, hoping to outscore opponents in the Big East.
5. Kentucky
Every year, Kentucky loses loads of talent, then restocks with a new group of top recruits. This year will be no different. John Calipari’s Wildcats lost guard Tyler Ullis, forward Skal Labissiere, and guard Jamal Murray to the NBA. Forward Alex Poythress graduated, as well as losing forward Marcus Lee and guard Charles Matthews to transfers. To replace all this talent, Calipari signed the second ranked recruiting class in the country. Guards De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk will start right away. Forward Edrice “Bam” Adebayo will replace the departed Poythress. Forwards Sacha Killeya-Jones and Wenyen Gabriel will fill in the rotation. Guards Isaiah Briscoe and Dominique Hawkins will also receive playing time. Just based on raw talent, I think Kentucky will be in the top five most of the season. They also will be tested against Kansas, on January 28th in Lexington.
Bottom Line
Overall, Brennan’s rankings were very good, and my disagreements were more quibbles. I valued returning talent more than he did, as I have Villanova and Virginia ahead of perennial power Kentucky. I’m very bullish on Kansas, and think they’re more primed for a deep run in March than they’ve been in years. Everyone is chasing Duke, who could be an absolute juggernaut if they stay healthy and have on-court chemistry.
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