College Basketball Insider: Early Top 10 includes Tech!
Everything changes when the deadline to withdraw from the NBA draft arrives. This time a year ago, North Carolina went from being a program in transition to the prohibitive favorite to win the 2009 NCAA title — which it did — when Tywon Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green chose to stay in school. Here’s how the doings (and undoings) shook out this time:
1. Kentucky: The Wildcats lost Jodie Meeks of Norcross to the draft but kept Patrick Patterson, the best big man in the SEC. And they again have a real coach in John Calipari, who promptly delivered recruits John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins.
2. Kansas: The Jayhawks would’ve been preseason No. 1 if not for Kentucky’s flurry. Sherron Collins, who helped undo Calipari and Memphis in the 2008 NCAA final, is back, as is post player Cole Aldrich. Xavier Henry spurned UK for KU.
3. Michigan State: The Final Four won’t be in Michigan next year — it’ll be in Indianapolis, which is essentially the same thing — but the Spartans could well be make a return trip. Kalin Lucas and Raymar Morgan are big-time players.
4. North Carolina: Yep, these guys again. Four starters are gone, but the Heels return the inside tandem of Deon Thompson and the burgeoning Ed Davis. Marcus Ginyard missed last season with an injury. And the recruits are again stellar.
5. Villanova: The Wildcats got a boost when Scottie Reynolds, whose runner sent Villanova to the Final Four, withdrew from the draft. Add a consensus top five recruiting class and this becomes the new bellwether program in the Big East.
6. Purdue: If seasoning and continuity count for anything, the Boilermakers will make their biggest run since Glenn (Big Dog) Robinson was on campus. All starters return, including Robbie Hummel, who was slowed by injury, and JaJuan Johnson.
7. Mississippi State: The shot-blocker Jarvis Varnardo withdrew from the draft, meaning the Bulldogs won’t need an SEC tournament run to make the NCAA in 2010. The name to watch: Renardo Sidney, who spurned Southern Cal and ignited an inquiry.
Loading ...8. Duke: Still chasing Carolina in the ACC, the Blue Devils might actually have nosed ahead next season if Gerald Henderson had stayed. But he didn’t. So now these are the same old Dookies of Kyle Singler and Jon Scheyer and Nolan Smith.
9. Texas: It’s about time for Rick Barnes to win a national championship, wouldn’t you say? He had another terrific recruiting class in place — Avery Bradley and Jordan Hamilton are the big names — and then Damion James pulled out of the draft.
10. Georgia Tech: Yep, it’s a mighty long way from 2-14 in the ACC to the Top 10, but Derrick Favors and Mfon Udofia and the other freshmen are that good. And Gani Lawal’s decision to remain at the Institute was a massive and unexpected bonus.
The next wave: 11. Butler 12. Maryland 13. Dayton 14. Washington 15. Notre Dame 16. Minnesota 17. Cal 18. Michigan 19. UConn 20. Syracuse 21. Tennessee 22. BYU 23. Clemson 24. Ole Miss 25. Northern Iowa.
Part of the package: Here’s a little something I’ve written about Paul Hewitt looking ahead to next season. Click at your own risk.
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93 comments Add your comment
JacketFan
June 19th, 2009
9:42 pm
Man, y’all are too tough on Coach Hewitt! He took Tech to the NCAA FINALS (not just the final four) 5 years ago!!! The man deserves time to get it straight. Y’all make it sound like he’s been 2-14 in the ACC every years he’s been here. Don’t give up hope so fast…
jch
June 19th, 2009
9:56 pm
Tim – you sound like a UL fan; scared. It seems you’re trying to justify to yourself why UK won’t contend for a national championship. The rest of the national press has them, at worst, as contenders in the top 10.
As for #1 PG in the nation – we’ll see. According to many sources Wall would have gone in the top 5 of this years draft; where would Collins have gone this year? Hmmmm…. seems the guys actually picking would have picked Wall higher. And wouldn’t it be nice if KU could have another 5* PG on the bench to spell their starter…. UK does in Bledsoe.
Cousins “LAZY” – WOW and yet he was still the #1 center in the class. Just think what might happen with a proven motivator motivating him…. And if that doesn’t work, we always have Orton (also a top 25 recruit) to back him up. And don’t forget Harrelson to spell any of the bigs – Cal picked him over Pilgrim – who you will hear from again.
UK does have a lack of experience and are all learning a new system (some the 3rd system in 4 years) but, hard to argue with Cal’s success. Couple that with UK’s resources, fans, tradition….
Could be a very interesting & fun UK vs. KU rivalry the next several years.
Or KU will just fade away with UNC, Duke and the rest…..
Boss Hogg
June 19th, 2009
10:17 pm
Herschel Talker: UGA basketball will not even win 10 games.
Kevin M
June 19th, 2009
10:20 pm
I will agree with Bradley. UK being ranked #1 is a reach. I am happy getting Top 10 attention. Everyone loves the frsheman that can come in a make a difference. UK has several to gel together. They have talent coming in, but no experience outside of Patterson in the starting lineup.
Personally, I think Duke is overrated and Tech definitely. UNC is probably ranked too high as well. They will have huge holes in their perimeter game to be able to repeat as NC.
Looking forward to the season getting underway as expectations in Lexington are much better than in their most recent history.
Douglas
June 19th, 2009
10:38 pm
North Carolina will win it…again. Sorry: Roy Williams is the only coach who seems to have figured out how to both recruit guys who only plan on staying a year or two and winning with them. Ga. Tech: what a joke. But let’s hope he wins enough for Ga. Tech to keep him — even Felton beat Paul with less talent.
Give me some of what you're smoking
June 19th, 2009
11:11 pm
That has got to be the most ridiculous preseason poll I have ever seen. Who told you this Mark? Homer Simpson? Hewitt is the WORST bench coach in America. Tech has had good talent every year he has been there and has had losing seasons in most of those. Favors is dumb as a rock and might not even play one minute of collegiate hoops. I guess this blog serves as a Nerd salvo to tide over the pitiful football season they will have this fall….Nerds football= 7-5 at best Nerds hoops = 18 wins at best. Run Roddy dislocated his wrist doing what he shouldn’t have been doing..(Yeah, right…weightlifting . I think CPJ, AKA SLOBO, covored up for him.
razerGT
June 19th, 2009
11:20 pm
Appreciate the shout out, Mark, but I think top 10 is a bit too high for the Jackets right now. I can see them being close by the time conference play starts, if Tech can sufficiently ravage its nonconference opponents (as opposed to winning nailbiters against Tennessee State).
what ya smokin'
June 19th, 2009
11:32 pm
since the blog police decided not to put in my last response, I will clean it up a little and say–FAT Fu@%ing chance the Nerds are a top 10 team with Hewitt as coach (the worst bench coach in America) Favors is dumb as a rock and might not ever play one minute of collegiate hoops. I guess this blog serves as some kind of salve since the CPJ (SLOBO) lead Nerds will falter badly this year….Hey Techies, there is always ladies hoops and the next Star Trek installment coming out next Spring!!
Charles W
June 19th, 2009
11:35 pm
jch,
Kansas signed a 5* PG in Elijah Johnson who is ranked higher than Bledsoe.
http://rscihoops.com/
you obviously don’t understand how college basketball works. the nba drafts on potential. i’m not saying that wall is a bad player, but just because sherron collins doesn’t project well (because he is 5-11) doesn’t mean that wall would destroy him on the court. wall has far better vitals but to say that sherron would get embarassed is a fallacy on your or anyone else’s part. sherron could easily be another jameer nelson within the next 4-5 years and he has turned out pretty well.
fyi, orton wanted to come to kansas but once we signed thomas robinson (who is every bit as good as orton) he looked elsewhere. and the knock on cousins is that he takes plays off and doesn’t compete as hard as he should. read the quote below from draft express.
“Defensively, Cousins put little to no effort in, showing very poor fundamentals and obviously saving himself for his team’s offensive possessions. He was always the last player getting back up the floor, sometimes just not making his way over at all, something that surprisingly happened both on the offensive and defensive end. He looked extremely lazy throughout the game, giving up the distinct impression that he just wasn’t interested in playing.”
you guys will be good, don’t get me wrong. but anyone who thinks uk should be the pre-season #1 doesn’t have a clue about cbb.
Tim
June 19th, 2009
11:55 pm
Wall is a great, GREAT NBA prospect. That certainly means little when you’re a freshman in college. Nadda, Zilch, Zero. He will still be inexperienced, make mistakes, and will cost UK points. Derrick Rose did the same thing and he was pretty good.
Collins is freakishly strong (because he’s huge) athletic, and had NATIONAL TITLE EXPERIENCE. You can’t forget that.
Bledsoe is a nice player, but he is a multi-year player. Is he even qualified yet? Oh, and KU has a top recruit as a back-up PG. He’s Elijah Johnson and probably the most athletic kid in the class. See the 360 between the legs dunk in the Derby Classic? You tube it.
Having seen Cousins a number of times, yes, he’s lazy. He has a lot of talent, but is hardly a great player right now. I hope he gets it together. Let’s be honest though, Cole Aldrich (the best center in the country) would just eat him alive. Cousins would foul out in 10 minutes. Cal isn’t exactly the world’s greatest big man coach. Joey Dorsey? Cal is a good coach who has done some nice things at schools that aren’t tradition rich. He also got outcoached, twice, in title games. He coached at KU, met his wife in Lawrence, and has done well. He isn’t Bill Self on the bench though.
As for your respons Mark, I don’t follow your logic at all. In fact, it’s ridiculous.
Who cares if Cal is better than Gillespie? What does that have to do with Cal NOT being better than Self?
Wall is going to be a top draft pick. So what? He is still a freshman who has a weak jump shot, dribbles too much, and has to learn to slow down. Collins is an All American, has a title, and has a ton of experience. For this college basketball season, it’s no contest.
#1 recruiting class? Yes they do and Kansas added a few studs of their own. Xavier Henry, Elijah Johnson, Thomas Robinson, and Arizona transfer Jeff Withey. Oh, and they already have Sherron Collins, Tyshawn Taylor, Cole Aldrich, Marcus and Markieff Morris among others. TALENT + EXPERIENCE WINS OUT.
Oh, and for whoever ran out the Under 19 team smack. Nice research there. Taylor is also on the team.
TruBloo
June 20th, 2009
12:52 am
Coach Cals fingers will have more gold on em than phil jacksons by the time he is no longer UKs coach
Gabe
June 20th, 2009
2:25 am
UK Bigs: Patterson is dominant, Cousins is a freak talent, and Orton would be a starter at just about any school in the country, and he hardly even has his name mentioned because of the talent around him.
UK point: Wall would be a top 5 pick in THIS YEARS draft. If he and Collins were both in this draft he would be picked first. Bledsoe: See Orton.
UK Shooters: Dodson and Hood will light it up from outside, and they will see plenty of open looks. And look for Darius Miller to make a name for himself in all facets of the game
Anyone calling UK players/recruits lazy, overrated or over-hyped need to get over themselves and at least try to be objective. The Fab Five went to the Final Four, both of Calipari’s past two teams have been led by freshmen, and Ohio St. National Runner up team a few years ago was led by Conley and Oden… freshmen. True, none of them won titles, but there is a precedent set for inexperienced freshmen to lead their teams to great success. You may remember one Carmelo Anthony. I’m pretty sure he keeps his ring in great condition.
I don’t think UK should be preseason number one. But no major publication has them anywhere lower than #7, and most have them at #2 or #3. So apparently Mark Bradley isn’t alone in his line of thought.
UK will have a couple of down games early. They are young, and they are all learning a new system. But hopefully those games will come against some of the softer opponents early in the year against whom superior talent will be enough to notch Ws. But by the end of the year Cal will have this team running like a well oiled machine, the SEC will be well in hand, and a high seed in the tourney should be a lock. (FYI in his earliest bracketology for next season, Joe Lunardi already has UK as a 1 seed).
Derek
June 20th, 2009
3:32 am
Tim stop crying like a baby really. I can’t belive how hard your taking a #2 overall ranking. Obviously your scared but it’s okay I’d be scared to if I knew how good Kentucky was to. I love how everyone says were to young our 9th 10th and 11th best players our one junior and two seniors who all started under BCG thats Y were back at the top we have to Juniors on the team and two Seniors on the team enough leadership but all the talent on the team is amazing. we have atleast 3 1st round draft picks starting for us they might all be lottery picks two Wall-yes Patterson-yes and Cousins-?? there is a chance what about Kan-ass and we also have Miller who is on the USA team. I Can’t wait for the season to start.
TommyP
June 20th, 2009
10:30 am
Mark: Tell me what you like about Maryland to have them so high.
GT
June 20th, 2009
10:37 am
Mark knows basketball,check his history. He called the team that got the the finals for Tech. Mark this team looks good coming off the bus but have no point guard, I don’t think Hewett knows how to coach em it he had one. Any word on the assistant coach replacement. Hope he can coach point guards, and make these spoiled athletes shoot foul shots. Went over to Duke last summer and they had guys on both ends of the gym shooting dozens of shots into a machine that rebounds and throws the ball back to the shooter. Watch Koby or MJ films, they hardly miss a free throw, the Shack could have fit in well at Tech. We lost four or five games last year in the ACC because of lousy foul shooting. Hewett’s substitution makes it hard for a point guard of any skill to get into a game. He is in and out and when he is in he is trying to figure out who is in with him. One reason Cremins had good guard play.
BJE
June 20th, 2009
10:37 am
Who is surprised by Mark picking Kentucky? Let him have his fun. The ‘Cats are his favorite team.
Chris Broe
June 20th, 2009
11:08 am
For the past 57 years, the college team that committed the least number of loose ball fouls at home (during the regular season) has always won the final four, except in 1986. Maybe Tech should concentrate on that instead of trying to balance the long ball with the paint, like the women’s teams do so well. For pure basketball, I’ll take woman’s basketball over mens, at least on the collegiate level. When you get up there into the pros, then you gotta go with the dudes. You listening Duke? Kentucky?
Valentina
June 20th, 2009
11:13 am
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buckblue
June 20th, 2009
11:42 am
Who cares…its baseball season
Geaux LSU
Geaux Tigers
Beat texas
Charles w
June 20th, 2009
2:12 pm
Derek
it is simple. Kansas has more talent than uk. They have more experience than uk. You guys haven’t been out of the first round since 2005. Meanwhile we have gone elite eight , championship, sweet sixteen. Every starter is back and we are adding four more top thirty freshmen. Draft express projects that we have three first rounders with Sherron being an early second round pick. Sorry but uk can’t touch that
Paul
June 20th, 2009
3:58 pm
To the guys that were saying wall would have went top 5 in this year’s draft. You need to get your fact straight. He was a 50/50 before the lottery to go first. Of the bottom 4 2 teams said they would have taken wall and 2 teams said they would have taken Griffin. Every draft analyst I’ve seen on the subject said he was either 1 or 2 in this year’s draft. It’s been a very long time since Kentucky has had a player of his caliber. He will be the number 1 overall pick. He has too much talent and potential not to be. I mean come on the kid is nasty with both hands and can throw it down with authority with both hands. How many players can say that in the college game that are PG’s.
JM
June 20th, 2009
4:17 pm
Ha…Patrick Patterson and a bunch of freshmen?…..They won’t even win the SEC….haha…
ET
June 20th, 2009
4:37 pm
When a UK fan says UK is number one, I always take notice.
midtowncowboy
June 20th, 2009
4:51 pm
Has Cousin’s or Wall qualified? Didn’t think so….haha
Darren Heavey
June 20th, 2009
5:03 pm
haha john wall is the best pg in the country?? you guys have never seen him play a game at the college level. collins will destroy him. and dont make me laugh with bledsoe?? we have two guards in taylor and elijah johnson that will laugh in his face if he tries to cross them up, have u seen that kid talk? he is an IDIOT. Aldrich will dunk all over lazy as hell cousins and Cal will cry all the way home just like in 2008. uk fans are idiots and ku would love to see them in the tourney this year to shut them up. that includes you bradley. nice article haha
reebok
June 20th, 2009
5:19 pm
tech will go .500 in the ACC, squeak into the NCAA tourney and be eliminated no later than the second round. And Favors and Lawal will go to the NBA. And we’ll still be stuck w/ Paul Hewitt.
Big Dawg
June 20th, 2009
6:01 pm
i tend to agree with the ‘bok… maybe 9-7…likely 8-8 for GT. In a much improved year…but not a top 10 year…perhaps the jackets will squeek into the top 25 for a week here or there.
Willy
June 20th, 2009
6:14 pm
I see 12-4 in the ACC and winning around 25 games this year for Tech. For UGA they’d be lucky to win 10 games….could be one of the worst teams in the history of college basketball?
Ron Bailey
June 20th, 2009
6:16 pm
Mark, you could be mayor of your hometown after I put your picks on my blog http://www.maysville-online.com/blogs/sports_perspectives_with_ron_bailey/
Ben
June 20th, 2009
6:33 pm
Tim, you make a great point here. Yes Kansas is very deep, but your discounting the fact that Kentucky will only have one starter from last year on the floor. This means that all of our players from last year, have great experience against great opponents. Now granted these players are not as highly skilled as our new starters, but there wealth of knowledge and leadership will only help. Our second string alone could win the SEC EAST and make a hell of a run in the SEC tourney::
PG- Bledsoe (5 star)
SG- Hood (4 star)
SF- Harris (senior)
PF- Stevenson (senior)
C- Ortion (5 star)
Not to mention others. Point is this team is every bit as deep as KU, maybe even deeper. You make a great argument for them, but the stars are aligning for Kentucky to have a break out year back to the top of the college basketball world.
HewittTrainWreck
June 20th, 2009
9:17 pm
Mark, if you sole metric was talent, I think that is a perfectly plausible ranking system. However I think we all have to adjust for the Hewitt factor. I mean even Houdini couldn’t make a post defender disappear like Hewitt’s trademark D. On offense, I can’t wait for the skip pass, chuck a three circus. So talent wise, absolutely. But never discount the Hewitt factor!
jmmcgr02
June 20th, 2009
9:36 pm
“The last time UK hired a real coach, they won the national championship”
Are you being serious? I know you are a UK grad and fan, but that logic can’t even be defended. Tubby smith in herited a national championship team form Rick Pitinio. He didn’t recruit those players.
John calipari inherited a NIT team, and not a very good NIT team. They will be 10 times better this year, but not close to a preseason #1.
Bill
June 21st, 2009
1:26 am
Happy Father’s Day Mark and all you Fathers have a great day. I lost my Father eight years ago. He was 88 and loved the Braves. I miss him everyday. God Bless.
Rob
June 21st, 2009
9:38 am
No coach does less with more than Paul Hewitt. Tech will be lucky to make the NIT.
brewdawg
June 21st, 2009
11:06 am
Prepare yourselves. I have another comment that has nothing to do with the blog.
Just read the story about how Katharyn Richt is going to try to get into nursing school so that, in her words, she can help others. Uga fans tend to do a lot of hand-wringing over the football program, even in the midst of the best run in the school’s history – national title or not. I just hope everyone realizes how lucky we are to have the Richt family represent Georgia. There was a piece on ESPN last year – before the LSU game I think – about how a few years ago they felt they had more love to give, so they went to Ukraine and promptly adopted two children greatly in need of said love. Mark and Katharyn are wonderful role models to all of us. I’ll take Mark Richt as the UGA football coach over anybody in the country.
siskel_god
June 21st, 2009
11:18 am
Thanks for jinxing UK Mark, as a fan I appreciate it. I think we will be much better but No. 1? Seriously? I wish I could share your optimism but I don’t see Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose, Jimmy King, or Ray Jackson on the list of recruits. When is the last time a team started 4 freshman, 2 in the backcourt, and start the season No. 1? I hope your right, but I doubt it, my preseason rank No. 15, my end of season rank, 5-7 with a trip to the elite eight which would thrill the bluegrass…..this season.
Not Disappointed
June 21st, 2009
5:24 pm
Can I enjoy some Georgia Tech Football first? Oy! Ramblin Wreck!
JUSTIN
June 22nd, 2009
3:14 am
who cares what KU and Uk fans say. People saying Cal got out coached: lets think what Self said at the end of the game….”ok, games almost over, someone run down the court and try to get lucky with a 3 at the buzzer”. that happened and they won. Memphis was the best team that year. All UK’s starters are at least as good as KU’s. the ONLY difference is experience. and guess what Collins wont be a first rounder. Wall will. Aldrich will be lottery. PPat and Cousins will too. And just for the guy with the “orton wanted KU”- your best recruit(XAVIER) was a Memphis signee. U were his backup option. and idk y this “just wait till we beat u UK players is even going on. cuz MSU is gonna beat the piss outta u in the final four.
Jack
June 22nd, 2009
10:38 am
As a UK fan, I think pre-season we are 2-5 range. Last year, any pre-season ranking not having UNC #1 was wishful thinking. Same thing this year, except KU is that team.
That doesn’t mean KU will win it — a team like UK (lots of freshman NBAers) or MSU (great team with lots of experience) could certainly be the champs.
I also don’t think it necessary or smart to insult UK’s team though. It is loaded with talent, much of it young for sure, but as much as we like to pretend otherwise, it does not take college experience to make a FF run or win a championship. UK could easily win it all this year if these players are as good as expected. KU however should be the favorite.
You get what you wish for though KU fans. If KU doesn’t win it all, I think it fair to ask if Self is overrated as a coach, don’t you agree?
As for Self/Cal, Cal had the game won and two free throws were missed by a star player, then a prayer 3 hit. For overtime. Cal was not outcoached, though everyone can question some of his decisions in hindsight. Self benefited from a lot more than a superior brain.
Skip McCray
June 22nd, 2009
7:38 pm
Shots out to UK, represent the SEC well, but don’t think it will be handed to you. Tenn. will have something to say about that, and you have a ROAD TRIP to the UNFRIENDLY CONFINES of Humphrey Coliseum to take on the Bulldogs of Miss State, which will be loaded in its own right. Miss State beat you guys in Rupp last year, now you have to play a MUCH Improved team with more experience than your team will be. No matter how high your prospects have been ranked, they haven’t experienced nothing like that. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
Go Dogs!
Matt
July 1st, 2009
12:16 am
Why are you guys talking about what kind of NBA prospect these players are? If I recall right, this is about college basketball and there is someone named Tyler Hansbrough and he dominated Blake Griffin, but Blake was still chosen first overall. That Tyler Hansbrough kid went on to win a national championship unlike Griffin. In my opinion being an NBA prospect has nothing to do with the way college basketball is.
And look at the past championship teams. There hasnt been a team with all pure young talent to win it all. It’s always a team with lots of experience and talent.
All these Kentucky newcomers haven’t faced equal competition yet. And they are all wanting to be one and done. Lets see them try to share the ball.
Sports
July 16th, 2009
1:41 am
I would put Villanova at number 3 and Kentucky at number 5, then shift the top 5 up after those changes.
http://www.bankrollsports.com/blog
Aaron
August 11th, 2009
3:45 pm
Uk had a good shot to win the title they may not have the experience but they’ve sure got talent