Why college basketball should expect the return of blue-blood dominance next season
Teams like North Carolina saw dips in talent on the court this season due to weak recruiting classes and 86 players declaring for the draft and leaving early. Roy Williams had his worst season ever and UNC was at the bottom of the ACC with a 14-19 record. Out west, UCLA hasn’t made a Final Four since 2008 and has missed out on top talent in California the past few years. In Mick Cronin’s first season, things were starting to trend upwards and the Bruins have a solid recruiting class coming in next year.
Last season we saw top recruits choose schools like Memphis, Washington and Georgia over Duke and Kentucky. This upcoming year is different and Mike Krzyzewski and John Calipari have a ton of talent joining their teams. Let’s take a look at who’s coming in next year and a few other teams that are on the rise.
North Carolina
The Tar Heels will lose point guard Cole Anthony to the NBA draft and five seniors, but the talent coming in next year could have started for this year’s team as seniors in high school. UNC has the No. 3 recruiting class, led by five-stars Day’Ron Sharpe and Caleb Love. Sharpe is a 6-foot-9 center who dominated the post playing for the best high school team in the country, Montverde Academy. Love is one of the top point guards in the nation, garnering attention from NBA scouts at a USA Basketball training camp when he was one of the best players on the court. Sharpe and Love were named McDonald’s All Americans this year along with incoming teammates Walker Kessler and R.J. Davis. Rounding out the class is sharp shooter Puff Johnson, who is the younger brother of current Phoenix Suns wing and former Tar Heel Cameron Johnson.
Duke
Sophomore point guard Tre Jones recently declared for the draft and a few other players will also put their name in to test the NBA waters. Assuming Vernon Carey Jr., Cassius Stanley and possibly Wendell Moore all might be leaving along with three seniors, there’s a huge hole in roster personnel. But Coach K has the No. 2 recruiting class in the country coming in with three five-star recruits. Jalen Johnson is a long, elite wing who is a great passer and a shooter with deep range. Jeremy Roach is a top point guard out of Virginia who could end up being one of the best guards to ever put on a Duke uniform. The other five-star in the group is D.J. Steward, who shoots lights out from the perimeter and will let it fly from all over the court. Rounding out the class is an impressive frontcourt with center Mark Williams and forwards Henry Coleman and Jaemyn Brakefield.
Kentucky
John Calipari is bringing in the No. 1 recruiting class with an impressive five five-star players. Kentucky’s Ashton Hagans, Tyrese Maxey, Nick Richards and Immanuel Quickley are most likely leaving and the Wildcats will also lose senior Nate Sestina. The incoming freshman class is led by the No. 4 recruit in the country, B.J. Boston. Boston could be the best shooter in college basketball next year. At 6-foot-7, the long shooting guard played his senior year alongside Bronny James at Sierra Canyon High School. Also joining Boston from the West Coast is point guard Devin Askew. Askew reclassified to join this incoming class and is a great playmaker with a killer crossover. Terrence Clarke rounds out this elite backcourt with his high basketball IQ and crazy athleticism. Filling Nick Richard’s shoes are Lance Ware, Isaiah Jackson and Cam’Ron Fletcher.
Other teams trending upward
Tennessee
Rick Barnes had a disappointing season after bringing in his first McDonald’s All American since 2008 in Josiah-Jordan James. The Vols struggled this year, going 17-14 and finishing eighth in the SEC. Key players Lamonte Turner and Jordan Bowden are leaving, but there is a great group of talent coming in next season. Two five-star prospects, Jaden Springer and Keon Johnson, will make a dynamic backcourt duo while forwards Corey Walker Jr. and Malachi Wideman will help fill the void down low for the Vols.
Michigan
New head coach Juwan Howard got it done on the recruiting trail this year and has the school’s best recruiting class in the past 10 years. The Wolverines are bringing in five-star Isaiah Todd and three other four-star recruits. Todd is one of the most athletics bigs in the incoming freshmen class and center Hunter Dickinson has a strong back-to-basket game. Michigan is losing only three seniors and is still in the running for five-star Josh Christopher out of California. Howard’s son, Jace, and guards Terrance Williams and Jeb Jackson round out the rest of the class.
Indiana
The Hoosiers haven’t made the NCAA tournament since 2016 and finished 10th in the Big Ten this past season. Sophomore guard Trayce Jackson-Davis will be one of the top guards in the conference next year and Indiana is only losing three seniors. Coming in next season are four-stars Anthony Leal and Jordan Geronimo and possibly junior five-star Khristian Lander. If Lander reclassifies to the 2020 high school class, Indiana will have one of the best recruiting classes in the Big Ten. Lander is a shifty point guard who is great downhill and finishing at the rim.
UCLA
The Bruins have been in a slump the last 10 years and haven’t made a Final Four since 2008. Mick Cronin just completed his first season at UCLA and things were trending up towards the end of the season. After finishing with an overall record of 19-12 and second in the Pac-12 behind Oregon, UCLA is returning most of the team for next season. Junior guard Chris Smith could test the NBA waters, but coming in next year is UCLA’s highest-rated recruit since Lonzo Ball in 2016. Five-star point guard Daishen Nix is the best passer in high school basketball and sees the floor incredibly well. Joining him is one of the most underrated players in California, Jaylen Clark. The Bruins are still in the running for five-star guard Josh Christopher too, and if they land him, UCLA will be the team to beat out west next season.
Kansas
The Jayhawks were the No. 1 team in the country for four straight weeks and were a huge favorite to win the NCAA tournament before it was canceled. Devon Dotson, Udoka Azubuike and possibly Ochai Agbaji will all be leaving for the NBA draft. Two more seniors are also leaving but Kansas has a relatively young team. Right now, Kansas has one five-star coming in with guard Bryce Thompson. He’s a shifty combo guard who will have big shoes to fill with Dotson’s departure. Also joining Thompson is center Gethro Muscadin, power forward Tyon Grant-Foster and guard Latrell Jossell.
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