Blue Bloods Rebuild

Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, UNC and UConn have been at war over the off-season. The fight for transfers and recruits has been centered around these schools. Each one has had to rebuild their roster from last season due to the draft and losing players to other schools 

Starting with the reigning back-to-back champs, the UConn Huskies. After losing their star-studded guards to the draft Tristen Newton and Cam Spencer. Hassan Diarra and Solomon Ball are returners looking to step up and play a big role, learning under Newton from last year. 

The Huskies frontcourt is full of experienced returners including Jaylin Stewart, Samson Johnson and the heart of the Huskies Alex Karaban. The players that stood out from UConn’s off-season acquisitions were transfers Aidan Mahaney and Tarris Reed. 

They also landed a top 10 commit in the class of 2024, Liam McNeely who decommitted from Indiana. UConn is turning heads this season with the chance for a three peat looming. 

Duke is coming off a great season and an even  better run in the tournament. A Final Four appearance was cut short by the Cinderella team of the tournament, NC State. The Blue Devils are looking to bounce back this season with eyes on them being the favorite to win the ACC due to their stacked roster. 

Losing Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski to the draft and many others to the portal was no problem for Coach Jon Scheyer. He rebuilt this team into a title favorite. Duke added six freshmen including number one player, Cooper Flagg. Between bringing back Caleb Foster to run the point and Tyrese Proctor deciding to stay another year, this team has been cemented  as a machine. A little bit of everything seems to be the plan for Coach Scheyer and the Blue Devils to cut down the nets in April.

After their worst performance in league play of the BIG 12 tournament, Kansas looks to bounce back with its loaded roster. If bets were placed before the season who would win the natty, Kansas would be the top choice. The Jayhawks return three of their top scorers from last season. 

Veteran guard Dajuan Harris Jr. returns for his sixth season in Kansas boasting a strong veteran presence. Harris Jr. was one of the best guards in college basketball and brings a championship mentality after helping the Jayhawks to a title in 2022. 

Another player with championship DNA is K.J. Adams Jr. who had a breakout season last year Adams Jr. is an amazing defender and freak athlete in the interior. Finally, at seven feet two inches tall,  big man Hunter Dickison returns for his second season with Kansas. He averaged  17.9 points and 10.9 rebounds last season, dominating the paint but has flaws. Dickinson can really increase his draft stock by working on his free throw game, shooting 62.4% from the line last season. 

Other notable players head coach Bill Self added from the portal were offensive playmaker A.J. Storr, who averaged 17 points with Wisconsin last year. They also added Rylan Griffin from Alabama who had a breakout season last year. In addition they brought in Zeke Mayo, the Summit League Player of the Year who averaged 19 points with South Dakota State. Self in his 22nd season looks to bring Kansas back to winning. 

A lot of positives and negatives occurred for UNC last season. The Tar Heels had one of their best seasons in league play, going 17-3. They are led by 1st Team AP All-American guard R.J. Davis and big man Armando Bacot. Unfortunately, UNC doesn’t have a big man to rely on when a bucket is needed as Bacot left for the NBA. 

R.J. Davis is returning for his senior season after a career year, averaging 21.2 points. Davis, who is the frontrunner for the Wooden Award given to the best player in college basketball, leads a guard-heavy Tar Heel team. Elliot Caduea is back for his second season after an impressive year as a freshman. The standout player acquired in the off-season for coach Hubert Davis is Ian Jackson. Jackson, a freak athlete who is smooth with basketball. He was ranked eighth nationally in the class of 2024. Duke vs. UNC rivalry games are must-watch TV this year with all the star power on each side. Davis and his Tar Heel team look to do better than the Sweet 16 loss from last year. 

All eyes are on the new-look Kentucky Wildcats. A coaching change and recruiting from scratch is not what Kentucky fans are used to. Many expected John Calipari to coach a starting five full of freshman phenoms this season but things changed. The program needed a change and Kentucky decided to reunite with a former player to save the program. New coach Mark Pope did work in the off-season, digging in the portal for players and adding a couple of star-studded freshmen. All of the transfers added have veteran experience and tournament experience. 

Two highly talented four-star commits completed the off-season acquisitions, Travis Perry and Trent Noah. A recognizable transfer is Lamont Butler who was one of the top players on San Diego State when the Aztecs made their Cinderella run in the 2023 tourney. Butler sank the game-winning shot against FAU to send his team to the championship, eventually losing to the UConn Huskies. Another key transfer addition is guard Jaxson Robinson who was recruited personally by Pope, recently playing for him at BYU. He averaged 14.2 points last season with the Cougars and tested the NBA draft after the season ended. Robinson eventually decided to take his name out of the draft and re-opened his options for the upcoming season. Kentucky was a no-brainer.  

Point guard play with championship DNA leading the Wildcats this year is a huge relief for fans. Kentucky is looking like a dark horse this year but they may exceed expectations and surprise many. The Wildcats will go far in the tournament this year and hope to avoid another first round upset. Mark Pope and Kentucky will shock the world this season.                   

Coaching Carousel, Hope for Pope

With the transfer portal being a popular destination for players, coaches are creating a portal of their own. More and more coaches are switching schools every year since the transfer portal emerged.  

The most shocking move was John Calipari stepping down at Kentucky after a historic run as the leader of the basketball program. His resume included a handful of final-four appearances and a championship in 2012. His legacy will live on forever in the bluegrass state but it was time for a change. 

After stepping down at Arkansas, Eric Musselman took the USC job which opened up the throne for Calipari. This meant that one of if not the best programs in college basketball history; the Kentucky Wildcats were without a coach for the first time since 2009. Eyes were set on Mark Pope who led BYU to one of their most successful seasons and a bid in March Madness.

Mark Pope, an outstanding player at Kentucky, helped hoist the banner after winning the championship in 1996. Pope demonstrates what this program is all about, 

“We are deadly serious about winning,” Pope said in an interview with Kentucky Today. “Winning matters…. We are here to win. This is Kentucky. … We do not spend much time thinking about what (the stat) sheet will look like after the game.”

Safe to say the Wildcats are in good hands and are definitely a contender for that trophy at the end of the season. They are hungry for banner nine. 

Mark your calendars, Early-season action

Most sports fans in the world only pay attention to college basketball in March. The annual tournament is must-see television in March and one of the best sporting events in the world. If you are reading this, remember to take those days off, work can wait! However, for loyal fans of the sport, the beginning of the season is just as important. Pay attention to these early-season tournaments: Maui Jim Maui Invitational, Battle 4 Atlantis, Players Era Festival, and the Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship. Those games stand out on a team’s resume when the committee looks at them. How different was the team playing at the beginning of the season and towards the end of the season? It’s just as important as conference play. 

Keep an eye on some of these notable games to get the season started. 

• North Carolina vs. Kansas (Nov. 8th)
• Auburn vs. Houston (The Battleground 2K24 – Nov. 9th) 
• Duke vs. Kentucky (Champions Classic – Nov. 12th)
• Kansas vs. Michigan State (Champions Classic – Nov. 12th) 
• Purdue vs. Alabama (Nov. 15th)
• Duke vs. Arizona (Nov. 22nd)
• Houston vs. Alabama (Player Era Impact Tournament – Nov. 26th)
• Kansas vs. Duke (Nov. 26th)

College Basketball fans have a lot to look forward to this season. The months of November through April are the best time of the year. Prepare yourselves for a rollercoaster of emotions rooting for your team. Will they be dancing in March?