Duke moves up to No. 1 in the 2023-24 men’s Way-Too-Early Top 25
- Basketball recruiting insider.
- Joined ESPN in 2014.
- Graduate of University of Delaware.
It’s been just over two weeks since UConn was cutting down the nets on the NRG Stadium floor. But given the machinations of the transfer portal, the NBA draft and the extra year of eligibility because of COVID-19, the amount of roster movement has made the national championship game feel like months ago.
So, it was time for an updated men’s Way-Too-Early Preseason Top 25.
Duke moved to No. 1 after the return of Kyle Filipowski, while UConn fell from the top spot after Adama Sanogo declared for the NBA draft. The biggest riser was Saint Mary’s, which returned Alex Ducas, while Wisconsin and Maryland both jumped into the rankings. Texas and UCLA dropped out, and Arizona took a huge tumble after the departure of Azuolas Tubelis.
A quick refresher on some of the guidelines for our rankings:
Any player currently in the top 60 of ESPN’s 2023 NBA draft rankings is considered a departure until they announce a return (like Filipowski). Players not projected to be picked are included considered returning, unless there has been an announcement saying otherwise. These guidelines also apply to players testing the waters, such as Zach Edey, who is maintaining college eligibility but is ranked inside the top 60 — so we’re considering him gone for now.
All seniors are projected as departures unless they’ve officially announced they’re returning to school for another year.
Let’s get to the rankings.
Updated April 19, 2023.
1. Duke Blue Devils
Previous: 3
The Blue Devils rise to the top of the rankings with the return of Kyle Filipowski, who would have been a first-round pick had he entered the NBA draft. But he returns to anchor the frontcourt, while Tyrese Proctor and Mark Mitchell will also be back in Durham. Jeremy Roach is still testing the waters, while top-10 recruit Mackenzie Mgbako reopened his recruitment. The Blue Devils are still in the market for another big.
Projected starting lineup:
Jeremy Roach (13.6 PPG)
Tyrese Proctor (9.4 PPG)
Jared McCain (No. 12 in ESPN 100)
Mark Mitchell (9.1 PPG)
Kyle Filipowski (15.1 PPG)
2. Marquette Golden Eagles
Previous: 2
There has been minimal roster movement for Marquette since the end of the season, with Olivier-Maxence Prosper testing the NBA draft waters being the only item of note. Coach Shaka Smart is expected to bring back all five starters from a team that won the Big East regular-season and conference tournament titles after being picked ninth in the preseason. Another first-weekend exit shouldn’t be in the cards.
Projected starting lineup:
Tyler Kolek (12.9 PPG)
Stevie Mitchell (7.1 PPG)
Kam Jones (15.1 PPG)
Olivier-Maxence Prosper (12.5 PPG)
Oso Ighodaro (11.4 PPG)
3. Michigan State Spartans
Previous: 6
We really liked Tom Izzo’s team entering the offseason, and that was before Tyson Walker and Malik Hall announced they were taking advantage of their extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19 and returning to East Lansing. Michigan State now has experience, a high-level backcourt, as well as added depth and explosiveness with the arrival of five-star recruits Xavier Booker and Jeremy Fears.
Projected starting lineup:
Tyson Walker (14.8 PG)
A.J. Hoggard (12.9 PPG)
Jaden Akins (9.8 PPG)
Malik Hall (8.9 PPG)
Xavier Booker (No. 7 in ESPN 100)
4. UConn Huskies
Previous: 1
UConn falls from the top spot following Adama Sanogo’s decision to declare for the NBA draft. He’s leaving open the option to return to college but is focused on turning pro. Donovan Clingan is ready to take his place, though. The Huskies now wait to see whether Andre Jackson Jr. keeps his name in the NBA draft, and whether Tristen Newton returns to Storrs with one more year of eligibility.
Projected starting lineup:
Stephon Castle (No. 15 in ESPN 100)
Solomon Ball (No. 55 in ESPN 100)
Jaylin Stewart (No. 84 in ESPN 100)
Alex Karaban (9.5 PPG)
Donovan Clingan (7.1 PPG)
5. Creighton Bluejays
Previous: 10
It’s been a mixed bag for the Bluejays so far this offseason. They watched as starting point guard Ryan Nembhard hit the portal, then went out and landed a top-10 transfer in elite shooter Steven Ashworth from Utah State. Returning starter Baylor Scheierman also announced his intentions to return to Omaha for another year. Now, they wait on Ryan Kalkbrenner’s NBA decision.
Projected starting lineup:
Steven Ashworth (16.2 PPG at Utah State)
Baylor Scheierman (12.8 PPG)
Trey Alexander (13.6 PPG)
Arthur Kaluma (11.8 PPG)
Fredrick King (3.4 PPG)
6. Houston Cougars
Previous: 9
With Marcus Sasser a potential first-round pick and Tramon Mark hitting the transfer portal, it seemed like Kelvin Sampson’s perimeter group was bound to take a hit. Instead, he went out and landed two of the best guards on the market in Baylor transfer LJ Cryer and Temple transfer Damian Dunn. Jamal Shead should also return despite testing the draft waters.
Projected starting lineup:
Jamal Shead (10.5 PPG)
LJ Cryer (15.0 PPG at Baylor)
Emanuel Sharp (5.9 PPG)
Damian Dunn (15.3 PPG at Temple)
J’Wan Roberts (10.0 PPG)
7. Florida Atlantic Owls
Previous: 5
Continuing to rank the Owls within the top 10 might seem lofty, given they were a 9-seed in the NCAA tournament and nearly lost to Memphis in the first round. But this is also a team that won 35 games, made a Final Four run and is expected to bring back all five starters. Johnell Davis and Alijah Martin are testing the NBA draft waters, but both should return to Dusty May’s program.
Projected starting lineup:
Bryan Greenlee (7.4 PPG)
Nick Boyd (8.9 PPG)
Johnell Davis (13.9 PPG)
Alijah Martin (13.1 PPG)
Vladislav Goldin (10.3 PPG)
8. Arkansas Razorbacks
Previous: 12
As usual, coach Eric Musselman has been very busy in the transfer portal. The Razorbacks landed four guards — Keyon Menifield (Washington), Tramon Mark (Houston), Khalif Battle (Temple) and El Ellis (Louisville) — and picked up skilled forward Jeremiah Davenport (Cincinnati). That’s on top of the two top-30 freshman recruits in Layden Blocker and Baye Fall. The question is, do either Jordan Walsh or Devo Davis come back?
Projected starting lineup:
Keyon Menifield (10.0 PPG at Washington)
Khalif Battle (17.9 PPG at Temple)
Tramon Mark (10.1 PPG at Houston)
Trevon Brazile (11.8 PPG)
Makhi Mitchell (7.0 PPG)
9. Kentucky Wildcats
Previous: 4
A slew of Wildcats entered the NBA draft, but only Cason Wallace and Jacob Toppin are doing so while forgoing college eligibility. Could Oscar Tshiebwe, Chris Livingston and Antonio Reeves all return to Lexington? The most intriguing is obviously Tshiebwe, the consensus National Player of the Year in 2022. John Calipari is also bringing in the nation’s No. 1-ranked recruiting class, with dynamic perimeter scorers Justin Edwards, D.J. Wagner and Robert Dillingham all likely to make early impacts.
Projected starting lineup:
Robert Dillingham (No. 11 in ESPN 100)
D.J. Wagner (No. 2 in ESPN 100)
Justin Edwards (No. 1 in ESPN 100)
Chris Livingston (6.3 PPG)
Aaron Bradshaw (No. 4 in ESPN 100)
10. Kansas Jayhawks
Previous: 7
This is mostly a “faith in Bill Self” ranking. On paper, the Jayhawks don’t have enough on their roster to make a run at another Big 12 title. But they do have Dajuan Harris Jr. and K.J. Adams Jr., as well as top-40 freshmen and a few returning role players. They’re also guaranteed to get better, with Harrison Ingram and Hunter Dickinson their prime portal targets.
Projected starting lineup:
Dajuan Harris Jr. (8.9 PPG)
Elmarko Jackson (No. 22 in ESPN 100)
Chris Johnson (No. 35 in ESPN 100)
K.J. Adams Jr. (10.6 PPG)
Ernest Udeh Jr. (2.6 PPG)
11. Alabama Crimson Tide
Previous: 11
Few teams have had as much roster and staff turnover as the Crimson Tide this offseason. All three assistant coaches landed head-coaching jobs, five players declared for the NBA draft (three of them maintained college eligibility) and two entered the transfer portal. So there are still plenty of dominoes left to fall for coach Nate Oats this offseason, and Alabama has a long list of portal targets it’s hoping to land.
Projected starting lineup:
Mark Sears (12.5 PPG)
Davin Cosby Jr. (redshirt)
Jaykwon Walton (13.9 PPG at Wichita State)
Rylan Griffen (5.9 PPG)
Charles Bediako (6.4 PPG)
12. Saint Mary’s Gaels
Previous: 24
Randy Bennett received great news earlier this month when Alex Ducas announced he was returning for another season. The Gaels now have three key returnees to build around next season: Ducas, Aidan Mahaney and Mitchell Saxen. They also bring back Augustas Marciulionis and welcome ESPN 100 guard Jordan Ross and Harvard transfer Mason Forbes.
Projected starting lineup:
Jordan Ross (No. 97 in ESPN 100)
Aidan Mahaney (13.9 PPG)
Augustas Marciulionis (5.9 PPG)
Alex Ducas (12.5 PPG)
Mitchell Saxen (11.6 PPG)
13. USC Trojans
Previous: 16
Boogie Ellis’ decision to return to USC instead of pursuing professional options gives coach Andy Enfield one of the truly elite backcourts in the sport, as he will be combining with top-three recruit Isaiah Collier to run the show. Could the Trojans add Bronny James to that group? That remains to be seen. Either way, with Ellis and Collier at the guard spots and a slew of wing and frontcourt options, USC is in good shape.
Projected starting lineup:
Isaiah Collier (No. 3 in ESPN 100)
Boogie Ellis (17.7 PPG)
Kobe Johnson (9.2 PPG)
Tre White (9.0 PPG)
Joshua Morgan (7.0 PPG)
14. Purdue Boilermakers
Previous: 15
We had already factored Zach Edey’s departure into the Boilermakers’ initial ranking, but we won’t get a true picture of Matt Painter’s roster until the Wooden Award winner decides whether he’s keeping his name in the draft. If Edey goes back to West Lafayette, Purdue is right back in the top five nationally and right there with Michigan State as the preseason Big Ten favorite. If Edey leaves, the young complementary players of the past couple of seasons need to step up.
Projected starting lineup:
Braden Smith (9.7 PPG)
Fletcher Loyer (11.0 PPG)
Ethan Morton (3.8 PPG)
Mason Gillis (6.8 PPG)
Caleb Furst (5.5 PPG)
15. Miami Hurricanes
Previous: 14
Isaiah Wong announcing he was declaring for the NBA draft and forgoing his remaining eligibility didn’t come as a huge surprise after he won ACC Player of the Year and went to the Final Four. But how will Jim Larrañaga replace him (and Jordan Miller)? Nijel Pack, Wooga Poplar and Norchad Omier are all back, while Bensley Joseph is ready for a bigger role. But they need another go-to scorer.
Projected starting lineup:
Nijel Pack (13.8 PPG)
Wooga Poplar (8.7 PPG)
Bensley Joseph (5.2 PPG)
A.J. Casey (1.0 PPG)
Norchad Omier (13.3 PPG)
16. Baylor Bears
Previous: 20
Scott Drew is essentially starting from scratch on the perimeter, with Keyonte George and Adam Flagler entering the NBA draft and LJ Cryer transferring to Houston. But he’s bringing in two impact freshmen in Ja’Kobe Walter and Miro Little and welcomes back Langston Love. The Bears also landed VCU transfer Jayden Dunn, a high-level 3-and-D guy. Jalen Bridges could be poised for a breakout campaign in the frontcourt.
Projected starting lineup:
Miro Little (No. 33 in ESPN 100)
Jayden Nunn (9.3 PPG at VCU)
Ja’Kobe Walter (No. 14 in ESPN 100)
Jalen Bridges (10.3 PPG)
Josh Ojianwuna (4.2 PPG)
17. Tennessee Volunteers
Previous: 23
There are still questions for the Volunteers, but this week brought some clarity on the offensive end. First, they landed USC Upstate transfer Jordan Gainey, one of the best shooters in the portal. Then Santiago Vescovi announced he was returning for his fifth season. Zakai Zeigler’s injury timeline and Julian Phillips’ statuses are still unclear, but Rick Barnes has some options now.
Projected starting lineup:
Zakai Zeigler (10.7 PPG)
Jordan Gainey (15.2 PPG at USC Upstate)
Santiago Vescovi (12.5 PPG)
Jahmai Mashack (4.7 PPG)
Jonas Aidoo (5.1 PPG)
18. Texas A&M Aggies
Previous: 17
Will the Aggies pick up where they left off in the second half of 2022-23, when they won 19 of 22 games before falling in the SEC championship game and the first round of the NCAA tournament? Having Wade Taylor IV back to run the show is where it starts. He should receive some preseason All-America buzz after averaging 16.3 points and 3.9 assists this past season.
Projected starting lineup:
Wade Taylor IV (16.3 PPG)
Manny Obaseki (5.2 PPG)
Andersson Garcia (3.2 PPG)
Henry Coleman III (9.0 PPG)
Julius Marble (9.1 PPG)
19. Colorado Buffaloes
Previous: 13
We’re projecting Colorado to make a big jump from the inconsistent NIT team it was this past season. The Buffaloes showed their potential in a win over Tennessee and a blowout victory over Texas A&M but couldn’t do it on a regular basis. With Tad Boyle adding potential lottery pick Cody Williams and TCU transfer Eddie Lampkin Jr. to KJ Simpson and Tristan da Silva, though, they should be much improved in 2023-24.
Projected starting lineup:
KJ Simpson (15.9 PPG)
Julian Hammond III (6.9 PPG)
Cody Williams (No. 6 in ESPN 100)
Tristan da Silva (15.9 PPG)
Eddie Lampkin Jr. (6.3 PPG at TCU)
20. Gonzaga Bulldogs
Previous: 21
Mark Few might have a few tricks up his sleeve this spring despite losing Drew Timme, Julian Strawther, Anton Watson, Rasir Bolton and Hunter Sallis. The Zags already landed Eastern Washington transfer Steele Venters and have their eyes on big-time targets such as Ryan Nembhard and Graham Ike. Should Malachi Smith and Nolan Hickman return, there’s also some backcourt continuity.
Projected starting lineup:
Nolan Hickman (7.7 PPG)
Malachi Smith (8.7 PPG)
Dusty Stromer (No. 40 in ESPN 100)
Steele Venters (15.3 PPG at Eastern Washington)
Ben Gregg (5.1 PPG)
21. Wisconsin Badgers
Previous: Next in line
When Tyler Wahl announced he was returning to Madison for another season, it meant Greg Gard would be returning all five starters and all but one player from this past season. Granted, this is a team that failed to make the NCAA tournament, but the Badgers did notch seven wins over NCAA tournament teams during the regular season. They also added two transfers: Noah Reynolds (Wyoming) and AJ Storr (St. John’s). Storr, in particular, should provide a major boost from the perimeter.
Projected starting lineup:
Chucky Hepburn (12.2 PPG)
Max Klesmit (8.4 PPG)
Connor Essegian (11.7 PPG)
Tyler Wahl (11.3 PPG)
Steven Crowl (12.1 PPG)
22. Maryland Terrapins
Previous: Unranked
Kevin Willard has been a huge beneficiary of the NCAA’s extra year of eligibility, with both Jahmir Young and Donta Scott announcing they plan to return to College Park for another season. Along with Julian Reese, the Terrapins now have three of their stalwarts back in the fold for 2023-24. They have to replace some wing scoring, but the arrival of ESPN 100 recruits DeShawn Harris-Smith and Jamie Kaiser should help.
Projected starting lineup:
Jahmir Young (15.8 PPG)
Ian Martinez (5.7 PPG)
DeShawn Harris-Smith (No. 45 in ESPN 100)
Donta Scott (11.3 PPG)
Julian Reese (11.4 PPG)
23. North Carolina Tar Heels
Previous: 19
There are still plenty of questions about how the Tar Heels will look next season, but it doesn’t get much better than R.J. Davis at one of the guard spots and Armando Bacot anchoring the post as a starting point for coach Hubert Davis. Seth Trimble and Jalen Washington should make strides, Simeon Wilcher can make an impact and there are still targets in the portal (and potential reclassifiers in their 2024 class).
Projected starting lineup:
R.J. Davis (16.1 PPG)
Seth Trimble (1.8 PPG)
Simeon Wilcher (No. 27 in ESPN 100)
Jalen Washington (2.2 PPG)
Armando Bacot (15.9 PPG)
24. Arizona Wildcats
Previous: 8
With Kerr Kriisa transferring and Azuolas Tubelis turning pro (and not expected to return to college), the Wildcats have some holes in their lineup. Pelle Larsson and Oumar Ballo are back, and the staff clearly likes what Kylan Boswell showed as a freshman. But Arizona badly needs another playmaker in the backcourt and someone who can make shots and score up front. Coach Tommy Lloyd will have to hit the portal hard in the coming weeks.
Projected starting lineup:
Kylan Boswell (4.6 PPG)
K.J. Lewis (four-star)
Pelle Larsson (9.9 PPG)
Henri Veesaar (2.4 PPG)
Oumar Ballo (14.2 PPG)
25. San Diego State Aztecs
Previous: 22
It’s hard to rank a team that lost in the national championship game so low, but there are so many roster questions with the Aztecs right now. Lamont Butler and Jaedon LeDee are testing the NBA draft waters, Keshad Johnson is in the transfer portal and the likes of Matt Bradley, Nathan Mensah, Adam Seiko and Aguek Arop are out the door. USC transfer Reese Dixon-Waters is a great start to the reload, though. Darrion Trammell could choose to come back, too.
Projected starting lineup:
B.J. Davis (four-star)
Lamont Butler (8.7 PPG)
Micah Parrish (7.7 PPG)
Reese Dixon-Waters (9.8 PPG at USC)
Jaedon LeDee (7.8 PPG)
Dropped out: Texas Longhorns (No. 18), UCLA Bruins (No. 25)
Next in line:
UCLA Bruins
Auburn Tigers
West Virginia Mountaineers
Boise State Broncos
Texas Longhorns
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