Will 2024-25 be the year of the blue blood?
Apr. 10—Late Monday night, Connecticut won its sixth national title at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. Just like our Scott Richey predicted when he had the Huskies at No. 1 in his way-too-early Top 10 a year ago. The rest of it? No need to look and see how right — or wrong — our Illinois men's basketball beat writer and AP Top 25 voter was last April, as he tries to predict the future again with another way-too-early Top 10 for the 2024-25 season:
1. Duke
It was a typical recruiting cycle for the Blue Devils, who will welcome the No. 1 class in the country to Durham, N.C., for the 2024-25 season. That includes No. 1 overall prospect Cooper Flagg, Khaman Maluach — a 7-footer also projected as a top-five pick for the 2025 NBA draft — a dynamic wing in Isaiah Evans and a knockdown shooter in Kon Knueppel. But it won't just be a freshman-dominated team. Duke can return a veteran backcourt of Jeremy Roach and Tyrese Proctor in addition to multiple sophomores, who were also once five-star recruits.
2. Connecticut
Three-peat? Why not? Donovan Clingan and Stephon Castle are definitely gone. Both should be lottery picks. Cam Spencer and Tristen Newton have run out of eligibility. That's four starters out the door. But let's just assume Dan Hurley can piece together another national title-caliber team since he's done it twice already. An Alex Karaban and Samson Johnson frontcourt, plus Hassan Diarra, several soon-to-be sophomores in bigger roles, a couple of intriguing freshmen and a portal move or two to round it out should keep the Huskies contending.
3. Kansas
Bill Self's early portal moves — landing guards Zeke Mayo (South Dakota State) and Riley Kugel (Florida) — show the Kansas coach isn't about to be caught without enough actual basketball players for a second straight season. Zero depth this past season was the Jayhawks' Achilles heel. That's been addressed. Add in the return of Dajuan Harris Jr. and KJ Adams Jr., the chance big man Hunter Dickinson could also be back and a top three recruiting class headlined by five-star big Flory Bidunga, and all should be well in Lawrence, Kan., again.
This comes down to the NBA draft decisions to be made by RJ Davis and Harrison Ingram. Neither projects to land in guaranteed contract territory. Another season in Chapel Hill, N.C., with what would likely be major name, image and likeness money is a rather nice alternative. Davis' return would give the Tar Heels a loaded backcourt with Elliot Cadeau and incoming five-star Ian Jackson. A second five-star recruit, Drake Powell, would give UNC another option on the wing next to Ingram, with the only real question centered on replacing Armando Bacot.
5. Gonzaga
Doubt Mark Few at your own peril. The 2023-24 campaign was a "down" season for Gonzaga. That still ended in a Sweet 16 appearance. The bulk of that 27-win team can return next season. Few could welcome back six of his top-seven scorers, with only Anton Watson running out of eligibility. A Ryan Nembhard and Nolan Hickman backcourt. Graham Ike holding it down in the frontcourt. And some portal help already from a double-double machine that shot 47 percent from three in Pepperdine transfer Michael Ajayi.
6. Purdue
Moving forward without Zach Edey is a big hurdle to clear. (Literally). But this is Matt Painter we're talking about. Either 7-foot-2 Will Berg — Edey's understudy the past two seasons — or incoming 7-3 freshman Daniel Jacobsen will probably be awesome. Then there's All-Big Ten point guard Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn, Camden Heide and Myles Colvin among Edey's supporting cast that could return. Throw in five-star freshman Kanon Catchings, who's already mocked in the first round of the 2025 draft, and the Boilermakers will be fine.
7. Houston
What might a healthy Houston have done in the NCAA tournament? The Cougars bowed out in the Sweet 16 to Duke after Jamal Shead went down with an ankle injury — simply the latest in a slew of them throughout the season. The number of players that could return in 2024-25 might give coach Kelvin Sampson his deepest team, and Shead hasn't closed the door on using his bonus season, either. Considering Houston has reached three Sweet 16s, an Elite Eight and a Final Four in the last five tournaments, the Cougars in the top 10 is a safe pick.
8. Alabama
Here's how ahead of the transfer game Alabama coach Nate Oats, who is on the record as not leaving the Crimson Tide for Kentucky, was this year. Alabama had its first transfer on board — Pepperdine guard Houston Mallette — 19 days before its season ended in the Final Four. Getting some combination of Mark Sears, Grant Nelson, Latrell Wrightsell Jr. and Nick Pringle to commit to a COVID bonus year is huge to go with junior-to-be Rylan Griffen and a top-10 recruiting class boasting a pair of five-star talents in Derrion Reid and Aiden Sherrell.
9. Baylor
Is Scott Drew going to stick around for a 22nd season in Waco, Texas? As long as the Baylor coach doesn't take the Kentucky job, the Bears should be fine next season. They're losing a pair of one-and-done freshmen in Ja'Kobe Walter and Yves Missi, but Jalen Bridges, Jayden Nunn, Langston Love and Josh Ojianwuna can all return. That veteran core will be supplemented by a freshman class of VJ Edgecombe, Rob Wright and Jason Asemota, all of whom are ranked as a five-star recruit by at least one service, and a likely addition from the portal.
10. Iowa State
The Cyclones could return their top four scorers next season if Curtis Jones opts to use his bonus year of eligibility. Even if he doesn't, Iowa State will still have Keshon Gilbert, Tamin Lipsey and Milan Momcilovic, who is a possible first-round pick a year from now. Not a bad trio to build around, and that process has already started. Cyclones coach T.J. Otzelberger has already addressed his frontcourt with the addition of Dishon Jackson (Washington State/Charlotte) and added a solid shooter in Nate Heise (Northern Iowa).
