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College Basketball 2019-2020 Preseason Top 25

By Rob DausterSep 4, 2019, 12:00 PM EDT
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There is so much that is going to happen between now and the time that next season starts that it almost seems foolish to publish a preseason top 25 today.

But we’re doing it anyway!

A couple of notes: Who is going to head to the NBA is very much in the air right now. There are still a number of freshmen that have yet to announce where they are playing their college ball. The transfer market has barely heated up. For decisions that are up in the air, you’ll see an asterisk next to their name. We’re making predictions on what certain players will do and ranking based off of them. 

So with all that said, here is the preseason top 25.

1. MICHIGAN STATE

  • WHO’S GONE: Matt McQuaid, Kenny Goins, Nick Ward
  • WHO’S BACK: Cassius Winston, Xavier Tillman, Joshua Langford, Aaron Henry, Kyle Ahrens, Gabe Brown, Foster Loyer, Marcus Bingham, Thomas Kithier
  • WHO’S COMING IN: Rocket Watts, Malik Hall, Julius Marble
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: Cassius Winston, Joshua Langford, Kyle Ahrens, Aaron Henry, Xavier Tillman

2. KENTUCKY

  • WHO’S GONE: P.J. Washington, Keldon Johnson, Tyler Herro, Reid Travis
  • WHO’S BACK: E.J. Montgomery, Ashton Hagans, Immanuel Quickly, Nick Richards
  • WHO’S COMING IN: Kahlil Whitney, Tyrese Maxey, Keion Brooks, Johnny Juzang, Dontaie Allen, Nate Sestina
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: Tyrese Maxey, Ashton Hagans, Kahlil Whitney, Keion Brooks, E.J. Montgomery

3. DUKE

  • WHO’S GONE: Zion Williamson, R.J. Barrett, Cam Reddish, Marques Bolden
  • WHO’S BACK: Tre Jones, Alex O’Connell, Jack White, Javin DeLaurier, Jordan Goldwire, Joey Baker
  • WHO’S COMING IN: Vernon Carey, Wendell Moore, Matthew Hurt, Cassius Stanley
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: Tre Jones, Alex O’Connell, Wendell Moore, Matthew Hurt, Vernon Carey

4. KANSAS

  • WHO’S GONE: Lagerald Vick, Dedric Lawson, Quintin Grimes, K.J. Lawson, Charlie Moore
  • WHO’S BACK: Devon Dotson, Ochai Agbaji, Udoka Azubuike, Marcus Garrett, Silvio De Sousa, Mitch Lightfoot, David McCormack
  • WHO’S COMING IN: Isaiah Moss, Jalen Wilson, Tristan Enaruna, Isaac McBride, Christian Braun
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: Devon Dotson, Isaiah Moss, Ochai Agbaji, Silvio De Sousa, Udoka Azubuike

5. VILLANOVA

  • WHO’S GONE: Eric Paschall, Phil Booth, Jahvon Quinerly
  • WHO’S BACK: Jermaine Samuels, Cole Swider, Saddiq Bey, Collin Gillespie, Dhamir Cosby-Rountree, Brandon Slater
  • WHO’S COMING IN: Bryan Antoine, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Justin Moore, Eric Dixon
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: Collin Gillespie, Bryan Antoine, Saddiq Bey, Jermaine Samuels, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl

6. LOUISVILLE

  • WHO’S GONE: Christen Cunningham, Khwan Fore, Akoy Agau
  • WHO’S BACK: Jordan Nwora, Dwayne Sutton, Ryan McMahon, Steve Enoch, Malik Williams, Darius Perry
  • WHO’S COMING IN: Samuell Williamson, Jaelyn Withers, Josh Nickelberry, Fresh Kimble, David Johnson, Aidan Igiehom, Quinn Slazinski
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: Fresh Kimble, Samuell Williamson, Dwayne Sutton, Jordan Nwora, Malik Williams

7. MARYLAND

  • WHO’S GONE: Bruno Fernando
  • WHO’S BACK: Anthony Cowan, Jalen Smith, Serrel Smith Jr., Eric Ayala, Aaron Wiggins, Ricky Lindo, Darryl Morsell
  • WHO’S COMING IN: Chol Marial, Makhi Mitchell, Makhel Mitchell, Donta Scott
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: Anthony Cowan, Eric Ayala, Aaron Wiggins, Ricky Lindo, Jalen Smith

8. VIRGINIA

  • WHO’S GONE: De’Andre Hunter, Ty Jerome, Kyle Guy, Jack Salt
  • WHO’S BACK: Braxton Key, Mamadi Diakite, Jay Huff, Kihei Clark
  • WHO’S COMING IN: Casey Morsell, Tomas Woldetensae, Kadin Shedrick, Justin McKoy
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: Kihei Clark, Casey Morsell, Braxton Key, Mamadi Diakite, Jay Huff

9. TEXAS TECH

  • WHO’S GONE: Jarrett Culver, Matt Mooney, Tariq Owens, Brandone Francis, Norense Odiase, Khavon Moore
  • WHO’S BACK: Chris Beard, Davide Moretti, Kyler Edwards, Deshawn Corprew, Andrei Savrasov
  • WHO’S COMING IN: Jahmius Ramsey, Chris Clarke, T.J. Holyfield, Kevin McCullar, Russel Tchewa, Terrence Shannon
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: Jahmius Ramsey, Davide Moretti, Deshawn Corprew, T.J. Holyfield, Chris Clarke

10. FLORIDA

  • WHO’S GONE: KeVaughn Allen, Jalen Hudson, Kevarrius Hayes, Keith Stone, DeAundre Ballard
  • WHO’S BACK: Noah Locke, Andrew Nembhard, Keyontae Johnson, Dontay Bassett, Isaiah Stokes
  • WHO’S COMING IN: Kerry Blackshear Jr., Scottie Lewis, Tre Mann, Omar Payne, Jason Jitoboh
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: Andrew Nembhard, Noah Locke, Scottie Lewis, Keyontae Johnson, Kerry Blackshear Jr.

11. GONZAGA

  • WHO’S GONE: Rui Hachimura, Brandon Clarke, Josh Perkins, Zach Norvell, Geno Crandall, Jeremy Jones
  • WHO’S BACK: Killian Tillie, Filip Petrusev, Corey Kispert
  • WHO’S COMING IN: Admon Gilder, Drew Timme, Oumar Ballo, Ryan Woolridge, Brock Ravet, Anton Watson, Martynas Arlauskas, Pavel Zahkarov
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: Ryan Woolridge, Admon Gilder, Corey Kispert, Killian Tillie, Filip Petrusev

12. SETON HALL

  • WHO’S GONE: Michael Nzei
  • WHO’S BACK: Myles Powell, Myles Cale, Quincy McKnight, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Ikey Obiagu
  • WHO’S COMING IN: Tyrese Samuel
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: Quincy McKnight, Myles Powell, Myles Cale, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Ikey Obiagu

13. NORTH CAROLINA

  • WHO’S GONE: Coby White, Nassir Little, Luke Maye, Cam Johnson, Kenny Williams, Seventh Woods
  • WHO’S BACK: Leaky Black, Garrison Brooks, Brandon Robinson
  • WHO’S COMING IN: Cole Anthony, Armando Bacot, Jeremiah Francis, Anthony Harris, Christian Keeling, Justin Pierce
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: Cole Anthony, Leaky Black, Brandon Robinson, Armando Bacot, Garrison Brooks

14. UTAH STATE

  • WHO’S GONE: Quinn Taylor
  • WHO’S BACK: Sam Merrill, Neemias Queta, Diogo Brito, Brock Miller, Abel Porter
  • WHO’S COMING IN: Alphonso Anderson, Liam McChesney, Sean Bairstow
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: Diogo Brito, Abel Porter, Sam Merrill, Brock Miller, Neemias Queta

15. OREGON

  • WHO’S GONE: Paul White, Louis King, Ehab Amin, Kenny Wooten, Bol Bol, Victor Bailey
  • WHO’S BACK: Payton Pritchard, Will Richardson, Francis Okoro
  • WHO’S COMING IN: N’Faly Dante, C.J. Walker, Anthony Mathis, Shakur Juiston, Addison Patterson, Chris Duarte, Lok Wur, Chandler Lawson
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: Payton Pritchard, Chris Duarte, Anthony Mathis, C.J. Walker, Shakur Juiston

16. ARIZONA

  • WHO’S GONE: Justin Coleman, Ryan Luther, Brandon Randolph
  • WHO’S BACK: Dylan Smith, Chase Jeter, Brandon Williams, Alex Barcello, Ira Lee
  • WHO’S COMING IN: Nico Mannion, Josh Green, Max Hazzard, Terry Armstrong, Christian Koloko, Zeke Nnaji, Stone Gettings
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: Max Hazzard, Nico Mannion, Josh Green, Ira Lee, Chase Jeter

17. SAINT MARY’S

  • WHO’S GONE: Jordan Hunter
  • WHO’S BACK: Jordan Ford, Malik Fitts, Tommy Kuhse, Tanner Krebs, Dan Fotu, Jock Perry
  • WHO’S COMING IN: Alex Ducas, Kyle Bowen
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: Jordan Ford, Tommy Kuhse, Tanner Krebs, Malik Fitts, Jock Perry

18. XAVIER

  • WHO’S GONE: Ryan Welage, Zach Hankins, Kyle Castlin, Elias Harden
  • WHO’S BACK: Quentin Goodin, Naji Marshall, Paul Scruggs, Tyrique Jones
  • WHO’S COMING IN: Kyky Tandy, Dahmir Bishop, Zach Freemantle, Jason Carter, Daniel Ramsey, Dieonte Miles
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: Quentin Goodin, Paul Scruggs, Naji Marshall, Jason Carter, Tyrique Jones

19. LSU

  • WHO’S GONE: Tremont Waters, Naz Reid, Kavell-Bigby Williams
  • WHO’S BACK: Javonte Smart, Skylar Mays, Emmitt Williams, Marlon Taylor, Darius Days
  • WHO’S COMING IN: Trendon Watford, James Bishop
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: Javonte Smart, Skylar Mays, Marlon Taylor, Trendon Watford, Emmitt Williams

20. BAYLOR

  • WHO’S GONE: King McClure, Makai Mason, Jake Lindsey
  • WHO’S BACK: Tristan Clark, Mario Kegler, Jared Butler, Devonte Bandoo, Mark Vital, Freddie Gillespie, Matthew Mayer
  • WHO’S COMING IN: Jordan Turner, MaCio Teague, Davion Mitchell
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: Davion Mitchell, Jared Butler, Mark Vital, Mario Kegler, Tristan Clark

21. MEMPHIS

  • WHO’S GONE: Jeremiah Martin, Kyvon Davenport, Mike Parks Jr., Raynere Thornton, Kareem Brewton, Antwann Jones Jr.
  • WHO’S BACK: Tyler Harris, Alex Lomax, Isaiah Maurice
  • WHO’S COMING IN: James Wiseman, D.J. Jeffries, Lester Quinones, Malcolm Dandridge, Damian Baugh, Lance Thomas, Precious Achiuwa, Boogie Ellis
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: Tyler Harris, Boogie Ellis, D.J. Jeffries, Precious Achiuwa, James Wiseman

22. AUBURN

  • WHO’S GONE: Jared Harper, Bryce Brown, Malik Dunbar, Horace Spencer, Chuma Okeke
  • WHO’S BACK: Samir Doughty, J’Von McCormick, Danjel Purifoy, Anfernee McLemore, Austin Wiley
  • WHO’S COMING IN: Isaac Okoro, Tyrell Jones, Jaylin Williams, Babatunde Akingbola, Allen Flanigan, Jamal Johnson
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: J’Von McCormick, Samir Doughty, Danjel Purifoy, Isaac Okoro, Anfernee McLemore

23. TENNESSEE

  • WHO’S GONE: Admiral Schofield, Kyle Alexander, Jordan Bone, Grant Williams, Derrick Walker Jr, D.J. Burns
  • WHO’S BACK: Lamonte Turner, Jordan Bowden, Yves Pons., John Fulkerson, Jalen Johnson
  • WHO’S COMING IN: Josiah James, Drew Pember, Olivier Nkamoua, Davonte Gaines
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: Lamonte Turner, Jordan Bowden, Josiah James, Yves Pons, John Fulkerson

24. VCU

  • WHO’S GONE: Michael Gilmore
  • WHO’S BACK: Marcus Evans, Isaac Vann, Deriante Jenkins, Marcus Santos-Silva, Vince Williams, Mike’L Simms, P.J. Byrd, Malik Crawford
  • WHO’S COMING IN: Jarren McAlister
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: Marcus Evans, Isaac Vann, Vince Williams, Deriante Jenkins, Marcus Santos-Silva

25. OHIO STATE

  • WHO’S GONE: C.J. Jackson, Keyshawn Woods
  • WHO’S BACK: Kaleb Wesson, Andre Wesson, Luther Muhammad, Duane Washington, Kyle Young, Justin Aherns, Musa Jallow, Jaedon LeDee
  • WHO’S COMING IN: D.J. Carton, Alonzo Gaffney, EJ Liddel, Ibrahima Diallo, CJ Walker
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: C.J. Walker, Duane Washington Jr., Luther Muhammad, Andre Wesson, Kaleb Wesson

JUST MISSED

DAVIDSON

  • WHO’S GONE: Nathan Ekwu, Dusan Kovacevic
  • WHO’S BACK: Kellan Grady, Jon Axel Gudmundson, Luka Brajkovic, Luke Frampton, Kishawn Pritchett, Carter Collins, David Czerapowicz, Bates Jones
  • WHO’S COMING IN: Hyunjung Lee, David Kristensen
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: Kellan Grady, Jon Axel Gudmundson, Luke Frampton, Kishawn Pritchett, Luka Brajkovic

CREIGHTON

  • WHO’S GONE: Sam Froling, Kaleb Joseph, Connor Cashaw
  • WHO’S BACK: Davion Mintz, Ty-Shon Alexander, Mitchell Ballock, Jacob Epperson, Damien Jefferson, Marcus Zegarowski
  • WHO’S COMING IN: Shereef Mitchell
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: Davion Mintz, Marcus Zegarowski, Ty-Shon Alexander, Mitchell Ballock, Jacob Epperson

WASHINGTON

  • WHO’S GONE: Jaylen Nowell, Noah Dickerson, Matisse Thybulle, David Crisp, Dominic Green
  • WHO’S BACK: Nahziah Carter, Hameir Wright, Sam Timmins, Jamal Bey
  • WHO’S COMING IN: Isaiah Stewart, Jaden McDaniels, Quade Green, Marcus Tsohonis, RaeQuan Battle
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: Quade Green, Nahziah Carter, Hameir Wright, Jaden McDaniels, Isaiah Stewart

COLORADO

  • WHO’S GONE: Namon Wright
  • WHO’S BACK: McKinley Wright IV, Tyler Bey, D’shawn Schwartz, Lucas Siewert, Evan Battey, Shane Gatling, Daylen Kountz
  • WHO’S COMING IN: No one
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: McKinley Wright IV, Shane Gatling, Tyler Bey, D’Shawn Schwartz, Lucas Siewert

MARQUETTE

  • WHO’S GONE: Sam Hauser, Joey Hauser, Joseph Chartouny
  • WHO’S BACK: Markus Howard, Theo John, Sacar Anim, Ed Morrow, Jamal Cain
  • WHO’S COMING IN: Koby McEwen, Symir Torrence, Jayce Johnson
  • PROJECTED STARTERS: Markus Howard, Koby McEwen, Sacar Anim, Brendan Bailey, Theo John

Which college coaches under 40 are most likely to be stars in next decade?

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By Rob DausterAug 27, 2019, 11:17 AM EDT
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This week, NBC Sports has been rolling out a project in which we take a look at the current landscape of basketball and try to project what it will look like in the future.

Over at Pro Basketball Talk, they are running through a list of who we think will be the top 50 basketball players in the world as of 2024. Here on CBT, we have already given you our list of the next generation of basketball stars, the future of the sport that has yet to play a college game.

Today, we will be taking a look at coaches.

Which coaches in the college ranks that are under the age of 40 today will be the biggest names in the sport ten years from now?

This is our list.

1. MIKE MILLER, Memphis assistant, 39

I have a feeling that this name is going to raise a few eyebrows, but there’s a logic to this. While Penny Hardaway has been the face of Memphis basketball and the way that they have been recruiting in the last 18 months, it is worth noting that Miller has played just as big of a role as the program has found a way to get into the mix with some of the biggest names in the high school ranks. As one person in the grassroots basketball world put it, “the kids love him.”

He’s already made a run at one high level coaching opening – can you imagine what he could have gotten done at UNLV? – and sooner or later he’s going to land one of them. If and when he does, Miller is going to be a Penny-sized force in the recruiting landscape. Think about it like this: How many people in the world can FaceTime LeBron, and how much will that impress elite high school players?

2. WES MILLER, UNC Greensboro, 36

It may be hard to believe, but this is going to be Miller’s ninth season as the head coach of the Spartans. He got the job when he was just 28 years old, and while it took him a little while to get it rolling in Greensboro, UNCG has been the best program in the SoCon for the last three years. The Spartans won a share of the SoCon title in 2017, the outright title in 2018 and finished second behind an absolutely loaded Wofford team in 2019. They’ve reached two NITs and an NCAA tournament during that stretch, and while the Spartans lose Francis Alonso, there are enough pieces returning that they should be right back in the mix at the top of the conference again this season.

Miller has been in the mix for a couple of bigger jobs in recent years, and he’ll eventually land one of those jobs. If he continues on this trajectory, he’ll likely find himself in the mix when (if?) Roy Williams retires at UNC. Miller, after all, played for Williams for four years and was a member of the 2005 national title team.

3. JAMION CHRISTIAN, George Washington, 37

Christian is heading into his eighth season as a head coach at his third school. A Virginia native and Mount St. Mary’s alum, Christian spent six years as the head coach of his alma mater – getting to two NCAA tournaments in that time – before spending the 2018-19 season at Siena. After a second place finish in the MAAC, Christian was hired to replace Maurice Joseph at George Washington.

GW is a tougher job than it seems because of some of the academic requirements for kids they enroll, but Christian has spent essentially his entire career recruiting the mid-atlantic region and has made a couple of savvy local hires. If he can continue GW’s trend of tapping into international markets, he should be fine. As one head coach put it to me, “Jamion is the best basketball coach on that list.”

Jamion Christian (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

4. TRAVIS STEELE, Xavier, 37

Steele has only been the head coach at Xavier for one season – the Musketeers went 19-16 with a 9-9 record in his first year taking over for Chris Mack – but he has the program primed to return to the top 25 and the NCAA tournament this year. Steele has been with the program since 2008, when Sean Miller hired him off of Indiana’s staff, meaning that he has seen them go from being a good Atlantic 10 program to arguably the best Big East program not named Villanova.

At this point, that Xavier program can run itself in a sense, and while coaches around the country seem to think that Steele isn’t quite on a par with his predecessors – getting Mack, Miller, Thad Matta and Skip Prosser is an unbelievable stretch of coaches – he’s certainly capable enough to keep the Musketeers relevant and NCAA tournament-bound.

And who knows, maybe Steele proves us all wrong and becomes the best coach out of Xavier yet.

5. MIKE BOYNTON, Oklahoma State, 37

I’m really not sure just how good Boynton is going to be as a head coach. He has some serious pedigree – he’s coached under Mike Young, Frank Martin and Brad Underwood – but through two seasons in Stillwater, he’s managed just a 35-33 record and a 13-23 mark in the Big 12. It is worth noting, however, that Boynton brings back essentially everyone from last year’s rotation, he plays a fun and entertaining style and he is the odds-on favorite to land Cade Cunningham, the star of the 2020 recruiting class.

Personally, I’m rooting for Boynton to figure it out. If you’ve forgotten, Boynton joined the Oklahoma State staff when Underwood was hired to replace Travis Ford, but Underwood left after just one season. Boynton interviewed his way into the job, which on the surface is a great thing, but part of the reason he got the job is because Oklahoma State didn’t want to pay what was required to get a big name, not when they still had to deal with Travis Ford’s buyout.

OK State was not set up to win when Boynton got there. It is already a middle-of-the-pack Big 12 job, one where the fanbase has been siphoned off by the Oklahoma City Thunder, and he had just lost Jawun Evans and Phil Forte. Boynton, who is black, was hired at the same time that Cal did the same thing with Wyking Jones and just six months after George Washington did the same with Maurice Joseph.

Jones and Joseph are both black. Both have already been fired. Their struggles are going to make it more difficult for the next young, black coach to get a high-major opening despite the fact that their struggles had as much to do with the situation they were put into as their coaching chops. As one industry source put it at the time, “this set young black coaches back another 10 years.”

As of today, just eight of the 65 head coaches in Power Five leagues are black.

So yes, I’m rooting for Boynton to buck that trend and prove some people wrong.

Will Wade (Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

6. WILL WADE, LSU, 36

If we were talking strictly about how successful these coaches have been to date, there’s no question that Wade should be No. 1 on this list. He’s been a head coach for six years and the head coach at high-major programs – VCU and LSU – for four of them. He won the Atlantic 10 regular season title in 2016. He won the SEC regular season title this past season. He’s the only head coach on this list to have reached the Sweet 16. Oh, and he just so happens to be a killer on the recruiting trail.

The problem, however, is that last part. Remember his strong-ass offer to Javonte Smart? Remember how much time he spent talking on phones that were tapped by the FBI? Well, that has put him in a position where we really don’t know if he is still going to be employed at LSU by the time he turns 37, and that’s why he drops out of the top five. Put another way, if you could guarantee that Wade would make it through the next two years without the NCAA coming down on him with any kind of significant punishment, then I would have a hard time keeping him out of the top spot.

But you can’t.

So he’s here.

7. ASHLEY HOWARD, La Salle, 38

Howard, a Philly native and former Villanova assistant, just finished his first season as the head coach at La Salle. The Explorers went just 10-21 on the season, but they finished 8-10 in league play and were much better late in the year than they were at the start of the season. La Salle is not an easy job to win at, but I think Howard can get it done.

8. RICHARD PITINO, Minnesota, 36

Pitino is another guy where it is hard to believe he’s just 36 years old. He’s heading into his seventh season as the head coach at Minnesota and his eighth season as a head coach overall. He won the NIT his first year with the Golden Gophers and has been to two of the last three NCAA tournaments.

9. JON SCHEYER, Duke associate head coach, 31

Scheyer seems to be the next Blue Devil staffer in line to get a head coaching job as high major programs around the country tap into the Duke staff to try and find the next Coach K. He’s respected as a recruiter and has already been in the mix for some openings in recent years.

Jon Scheyer (Lance King/Getty Images)

10. DANA FORD, Missouri State, 35

Ford is a guy that has garnered quite a bit of respect in the coaching industry. He took Tennessee State from a joke to relevant in the OVC in just two years, which was enough to convince Missouri State to hire him despite never finishing better than tied for second in his division.

11. JOEL JUSTUS, Kentucky assistant coach, 37

Justus is now a full-time assistant with the Wildcats after starting his tenure with the team as the director of analytics. He has a reputation for being a smart basketball mind, and Kentucky’s bio specifically credits him for the development of the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from a top 35 recruit to lottery pick.

12. BOB RICHEY, Furman, 36

In two seasons with the Palladins, Richey has gone 48-18 overall with a 26-10 mark in a strong SoCon. He went into Villanova and beat the Wildcats this past season and earned a bid to the NIT after spending much of the season on the NCAA tournament bubble.

13. CHRIS OGDEN, UT Arlington, 38

Ogden played for Rick Barnes and then spent the first 17 years of his coaching career on Barnes’ staff. After one season at Tennessee, Ogden was then hired by Chris Beard at Texas Tech before he got the UT Arlington job. This past season, his first with the Mavericks, he finished second in the Sun Belt before being named the league’s Coach of the Year.

14. LUKE MURRAY, Louisville assistant, 34

Murray is extremely sharp and detail-oriented when it comes to scouting and developing game-plans, and he has been slotted in the role of recruiting coordinator on Chris Mack’s Louisville staff. He’s also worked under Sean Miller and Dan Hurley.

15. KIM ENGLISH, Tennessee assistant, 30

English is a bit of a polarizing name. There are some that believe he is a future star in this business, and there are others that are not as convinced. I do think it’s notable that both Frank Haith at Tulsa and Tad Boyle at Colorado were disappointed to lose him, and sources told NBC Sports that he would have been on Rick Barnes’ staff if Barnes had been able to get the job at UCLA. He’s a sharp basketball mind with NBA pedigree.

16. ANDY TOOLE, Robert Morris, 38

Toole is heading into his tenth season with Bobby Mo, but it’s been a few years since he was running one of the elite programs in the NEC. Toole reached the NCAA tournament in 2015, he won the NEC regular season title in 2013 and 2014, and in 2013, he had that memorable win over Kentucky in the first round of the NIT. But he’s had just one season over .500 in the last four years as his program has been hit hard by players transferring to bigger schools.

B.J. Boston becomes Kentucky’s first Class of 2020 commitment

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By Rob DausterJul 29, 2019, 11:04 AM EDT
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Kentucky landed their first commitment in the Class of 2020 over the weekend, as B.J. Boston, a five-star prospect from Georgia, announced that he will be playing his college ball for the Wildcats.

Boston committed after visiting the Kentucky campus. Duke was initially considered to be the leader for the 6-foot-6 wing, and he was also considering Florida, Auburn and Oregon. Boston recently transferred to Sierra Canyon, the same high school in Southern California that Bronny James, Zaire Wade and fellow five-star recruits Ziaire Williams, Amari Bailey and Terren Frank.

A top ten prospect in the class, Boston is thought to be a potential lottery pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. He has the size and a plus wingspan, and while he isn’t the most explosive prospect, he is a fluid driver with excellent body control and the ability to finish around the rim. He averaged 22.8 points on the EYBL circuit this spring, and if he can find a way to improve on his three-point stroke – he’s a good free throw shooter but shot under 25 percent from three in the EYBL – then he has a chance to be a good player in the long-term.

Kentucky is one again going to be looking to put together a large class. Tyrese Maxey and Kahlil Whitney both look like they are going to be one-and-done players while Ashton Hagans and E.J. Montgomery both have the potential to be a first round pick after this season. Nate Sestina is a senior, and Nick Richards is coming off of a spring where he declared for the draft. Throw in the likes of Johnny Juzang and Keion Brooks, and there are plenty of guys that will keep NBA scouts in and around Kentucky games all season long.

Kentucky is in the mix for quite a few five-star prospects in the class, but as of today, N’Faly Dante and Joshua Christopher look to be the most likely to end up in Lexington.

Best Bets: National title futures to buy, fade

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By Rob DausterJul 25, 2019, 3:53 PM EDT
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We are still more than three months away from the start of the college basketball season, but that doesn’t mean it is too early to start betting on college basketball.

Futures, baby!

There are already plenty of places where you can find lines on next season’s national champions, so we would be in the wrong if we weren’t advising you on who to put your money on considering that now is when you will likely be getting the best odds. 

One thing to note: These odds come from DraftKings Sportsbook, and like a number of the legal Sportsbooks operating in New Jersey, it allows you to cash out futures bets for a profit if the odds get better. So, for example, last year I bet on Marquette at 200/1 odds in September. By late February, their odds had moved to 50/1. When the team lost four in a row late in the year, I was able to cash out that bet to more than triple my investment.

That option plays a significant role in the futures that I am going to be investing in. If you don’t have the ability to cash out, some of your decision-making should be more conservative. A future bet may be a great value, but just because I think Utah State should be 60/1 vs. 150/1 doesn’t change the fact that you won’t get paid unless Utah State wins the title.

So with all that in mind, here is your as-of-today college basketball futures breakdown.

(AP Photo/Jeff Swinger)

THE FAVORITES

  • Kentucky (8/1)
  • Michigan State (8/1)
  • Duke (10/1)
  • Virginia (11/1)
  • Kansas (12/1)

The way I see it, there are four teams that are in the mix as the best team heading into the 2019-2020 season — Kentucky, Michigan State, Duke and Kansas. As the reigning national champs, it makes sense that Virginia would have their odds in this range as well.

BEST BET: At this point, I think that it is probably KANSAS (12/1) for the simple fact that they have the best odds and there really isn’t all that much of a difference between them and, say, Kentucky or Michigan State. Hell, there are smart basketball people out there that will tell you that the Jayhawks are the best team in college basketball this season. They lost Dedric Lawson and Quentin Grimes with eligibility remaining, but they did bring back Devon Dotson (a potential breakout star next season) and Udoka Azubuike. That wasn’t a guarantee. The addition of Isaiah Moss adds some perimeter shooting while Ochai Agbaji should be in line for a significant jump in minutes and production. Throw in Marcus Garrett, Silvio De Sousa, Tristan Enaruna and Jalen Wilson, and there is as much versatility on this roster as there is talent.

I do think that KENTUCKY (8/1) and MICHIGAN STATE (8/1) are worth betting as well. That’s decent value. For my money they are the best two teams in the country heading into next season, and the Spartans return my Preseason Player of the Year in Cassius Winston. DUKE (10/1) also seems to be the right price. They don’t have as much talent this year, but the pieces should fit together better. But at 12/1, Kansas is clearly the best value in this tier. 

EASIEST FADE: It’s VIRGINIA (11/1) and it’s not close. I’m actually bullish on the Cavaliers heading into next season. I love Jay Huff and I *love* Mamadi Diakite, and Braxton Key should be able to play the three alongside both of them. But there are real questions that need to be answered about their perimeter play. I don’t know if Casey Morsell is going to be ready as a freshman. Tomas Woldentensae can really, really shoot but the staff has concerns about what he will be defensively. Kody Stattman is supposed to be the guy they rely on to be a defender and a floor-spacer on the wing but he is coming off of a 9-for-41 effort from three in the FIBA U-19 event.

I like Virginia this season more than a lot of people. I do not like Virginia at this price.

(AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

THE CONTENDERS

  • Gonzaga (18/1)
  • Memphis (18/1)
  • North Carolina (18/1)
  • Florida (20/1)
  • Louisville (20/1)
  • Villanova (20/1)
  • Texas Tech (25/1)

BEST BETS: My two favorite futures heading into the 2019-20 season are in this tier: FLORIDA (20/1) and LOUISVILLE (20/1).

We’ll start with the Gators, who have actually seen their odds change significantly over the course of the last month. When Kerry Blackshear announced that he will be playing his senior season in Gainesville, there were still places where Florida was available at better than (50/1). For a team that is going to enter this season in everyone’s preseason top 10, that was insane value. They are certainly priced better now, but at (20/1), the value is still there. Remember, this is a team that already had an elite perimeter – Andrew Nembhard, Scottie Lewis, Keyontae Johnson, Noah Locke, Tre Mann – of versatile defenders capable of thriving in small-ball, and they added an all-american redshirt senior that anchored the frontline for a Virginia Tech team that played the same way last season.

Louisville should be obvious, really. They are misspriced. They return Jordan Nwora (my Preseason ACC Player of the Year), Dwayne Sutton, Steve Enoch and Malik Williams, they add a loaded six-man recruiting class and bring in a grad transfer point guard in Fresh Kimble that averaged 15 points in the Atlantic 10 last season. Throw in the fact that their head coach is one of the very best in the business, and I would buy the Cardinals up until they are priced where Virginia is priced today.

TEXAS TECH (25/1) is also interesting to me because Chris Beard always finds a way to win, but I’m not sure there is much value there; they seem to be priced accurately. I’m intrigued by VILLANOVA (20/1), but I’m not ready to invest too heavily in a Villanova team that is going to have as many as five or six freshmen and sophomores playing in their rotation.

EASIEST FADE: For me, it is MEMPHIS (18/1). I already have a Memphis future. I got them at (50/1) way back in April. That was when they were a sneaky value. With James Wiseman and Precious Achiuwa on the roster, they are going to have the talent to play with any one in the country this season. My concern is just how young they are. They have just three players on the roster that are returning, and only two members of a seven-man recruiting class ranked No. 1 in the country are guys that can be slotted as surefire one-and-dones. More than 70 percent of that class are program guys, players that should be on campus for two or three years.

Throw in the fact that two of the three returning players are undersized point guards that likely aren’t going to be the starting point guard, and I think Memphis should be priced closer to (25/1) or (30/1). At (18/1), I’m staying far away.

GONZAGA (18/1) is interesting given who they landed in the grad transfer market, but this is not the team that I am betting on to win the first national title for the Zags. And while I love Cole Anthony, I think that NORTH CAROLINA (18/1) is too expensive for a team that will be replacing so many important pieces.

(Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

THREE MORE FUTURES I LIKE

Maryland (40/1): This is the one team that I just cannot wrap my head around. Personally, I think that Maryland is a team that will deservedly end up being a top ten team in the preseason. They have an all-league point guard in Anthony Cowan and a big man in Jalen Smith that surprisingly returned for his sophomore season. Beyond that, they are loaded with capable role players on the wing – Eric Ayala, Darryl Morsell, Aaron Wiggins, Serrel Smith – and have a sneaky-good sophomore big in Ricky Lindo. There are going to be some deserved questions about their youth, and I understand anyone that is against betting on a team coached by Mark Turgeon, but (40/1) is absolutely nuts. I think they should be priced alongside the likes of Villanova, Gonzaga and North Carolina.

Seton Hall (50/1): Legal Sportsbooks in New Jersey are not allowed to accept bets on college teams located within the state so there are no odds available for the Pirates, but there are places where you can bet on the Pirates and they are listed at (50/1). Again, this number just doesn’t make sense to me. The Pirates return everyone, including All-American Myles Powell, and look like they could end up being the best team in the Big East. It’s worth a few bucks.

Baylor (80/1): This might actually be the best Baylor team that Scott Drew has had. They are old, they are deep, they are balanced and they are a roster full of dudes with something to prove. There is a chance that this is the best team in the Big 12 not named Kansas or Texas Tech, and (80/1) is a nice price for them right now.

Utah State (150/1): I love the Aggies this year. Assuming that Neemias Queta’s injury is not too serious, they are a top 15 team in my mind. I don’t think they are winning the national title, but if I can get them at 150/1 and cash out at, say, 50/1, that is a nice little win.

THREE LONGSHOTS THAT ARE TOO CHEAP

Xavier (100/1): The Musketeers return their top four from a team that won six of their last seven Big East games a season ago. To me, they are clearly the third-best team in the conference.

Alabama (125/1): Alabama’s loaded with talented guards and wings. Kira Lewis, Herb Jones, Beetle Bolden, John Petty, their three freshmen. If we know anything about Nate, it’s that he knows how to have success with teams that have talented perimeter options. I also really like LSU (120/1) in theory, but I think there’s a non-zero chance that the Tigers end up doing something crazy like self-imposing a postseason ban to try and assuage the NCAA’s enforcement staff.

Davidson (225/1): I think VCU (125/1) is too cheap for a team that won the Atlantic 10 regular season title, reached the NCAA tournament, returns every single member of their top nine that they wanted to bring back and should get their star point guard, Marcus Evans, back to 100 percent. Davidson – who went 14-4 in the A-10 last year, returns their top six and has one of the 10-15 best backcourts in the country – is almost half the price. For me, this is strictly a bet that I will look to cash out before Selection Sunday, but both of these teams are top 25 teams in my mind.

THREE TEAMS TO FADE

Memphis (18/1): We already discussed Memphis, but for me they are easily the easiest fade of the teams in the top two tiers.

Arizona (33/1): I think Arizona is going to be good. I think they are the best team in the Pac-12. I think their recruiting class is loaded. I don’t think that this is a team that is going to be good enough to get to Sean Miller’s first Final Four, let alone win a national title. And that’s to say nothing of the fact that they have this NCAA investigation staring them in the face.

Texas (40/1): The Longhorns are priced as a top 15 team, according to Vegas. I actually think there’s a chance that they will be better than expected – and I can see them getting back to the NCAA tournament this season – but at (40/1), they have worse odds than almost half of my preseason top 25.

Zion Williamson signs with Jordan Brand

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By Rob DausterJul 23, 2019, 1:43 PM EDT
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Zion Williamson may not be the next Michael Jordan, but he will be the next NBA player to don the Jumpman logo.

On Tuesday afternoon, Zion announced that he has signed with Jordan Brand, ending speculation about where the Duke product and biggest brand to enter the NBA in years, if not ever, will sign his endorsement deal.

Where Zion ended up signing was never the most interesting part of this process – although the fact that he ended up under the Swoosh’s umbrella after a Nike shoe blew out on him and nearly cost him his left knee. What we all want to know, and what is yet to be reported, are the terms of this deal.

Outside of LeBron and Jordan, I’m not sure there is a more marketable player in the NBA right now. Think about it like this: When I say Zion, even non-basketball know exactly who I’m talking about. There are only a handful of basketball players that is true for, and the only active ones are LeBron and Steph with KD and Kyrie potentially thrown in that mix.

That’s elite company, and none of those guys have the social media following or ability to go viral with the next generation of basketball fans like Zion does. He already has a global following, one which is only going to grow as he becomes more mainstream.

And while we’re on the subject, it’s worth mentioning this piece on how going to college made Zion a literal fortune. We’ll see if Nike’s investment in the 18-year old pays off.

Duke lands five-star 2020 prospect Jalen Johnson

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By Scott PhillipsJul 4, 2019, 6:50 PM EDT
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Duke reeled in a major commitment during America’s birthday on Thursday afternoon as five-star Class of 2020 prospect Jalen Johnson pledged to the Blue Devils with an announcement on Twitter.

The top prospect in the 2020 class to verbally commit to this point, the 6-foot-8 Johnson is currently regarded as the No. 4 overall prospect in the Rivals Class of 2020 national rankings. A native of Glendale, Wisconsin, Johnson has been one of the top players in the country this spring playing in the Nike EYBL. Through 12 games, Johnson is putting up 17.0 points, 9.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game while shooting 50 percent from the field.

Showcasing elite vision on the wing, Johnson should be able to grab rebounds and push the ball up the floor as he’s able to initiate offense and make plays for himself or others. Johnson will have to improve his 18 percent three-point shooting, but everything else in place for him to be an elite college player from the moment he steps foot on campus.

Johnson is Duke’s second Class of 2020 commitment as he joins five-star point guard Jeremy Roach. Between Roach and Johnson, Duke has plenty of ball handlers and two very good passers already in the class as Coach K and his staff once again begin to piece together an elite group of prospects.

Now that Duke has two commitments in the class, it’ll be interesting to see where they set their sights next as they’ll continue to try to bring talented pieces together. Already with the No. 1 class in 2020, Duke continues to recruit at a higher level than any other program in college hoops.