1. Kentucky- Coach Cal's class coming in next year is his best so far, with 4 of the top 15 freshman in the country heading to Lexington. Add in upperclassmen Liggins, Vargas, and Darius Miller, plus the possibility Brandon Knight and Terrence Jones returning and this team has all the pieces to be a national contender.
2. UNC- Zeller and Henson have announced they will return, and now the key player is Barnes, who has hinted he will stay. If UNC returns all starters and with plenty of guard talent off the bench, we'll be looking at the ACC favorites. Also look for the talented freshmen PJ Hariston and James McAdoo to look nice in the tar heel blue jerseys.
3. Duke- I got the Devils right behind their rivals. Rivers, Dawkins and Curry will be the best 3 guard rotation in the country and all the Plumlees will be a force down low. Coach K will also get some solid contributions from 2nd year players Hariston and Thornton.
4. Texas- Depending on if Tristian Thompson and Cory Joesph declare for the association, the Horns will be the favorites in the "new" Big 12. Still, Myck Kabongo has all the hype to join past great Texas PGs like DJ Augustin and TJ Ford. A back court with Kabongo, Joesph and Hamilton shooting and penetrating on the perimeter plus Thompson down low is a hard team to match up with.
5. OSU- Aaron Craft will get a lot more credit with John "Threebler" now gone. Buford steps into the go to sharpshooter and keep an eye on freshman Amir Williams down low next to a guy named Jared Sullinger, who should be the pre season favorite for the Naismith award.
6. Syracuse- Another strong recruiting class by Coach Boeheim, who is a top 5 coach for recruiting, specifically for fitting into his 2-3 zone and shooters on the perimeter. The only loss on this team is Rick Jackson, who leaves big feet to fill. Can this be the year the Orange finally get back to the Final Four?
7. Kansas- They always seem to be a top 15 team year in and year out. Morris brothers are gone but Thomas Robinson is ready to burst out. Taylor and Elijah Johnson should have big years, but the big piece is whether Josh Selby comes back next year. I think he can be a top 5 PG in the country with the right attitude and commitment to workouts in the summer.
8. Lousville- The Card's lose Preston Knowles 15 ppg, but Peyton Siva and Terrence Jennings really excite me. Siva showed loads of poise against Big East foes last year, and with freshman Wayne Blackshear and Kyle Kuric with him on the perimeter, Siva now has 3 options: Lob to Jennings, pass it to Kuric for the 3, or drive and take it himself.
Teams to watch
Mizzou- If Kim English and Laurence Bowers return for their senior years, the Tigers will have 2 scorers in Enlgligh and Denmon to go with an all senior starting lineup to run, "the fastest 40 minutes in basketball."
Xavier-Tu Holloway is back to take the A-10 by storm again. He has pieces around him also and it wouldn't surprise me if they climb into the top 10.
