KillaCali32
Banned
Everyday you coming with articles man. I'm not on here 24/7.
dude you're awesome...put them up when you get a chance, please.
I've already read everything you posted
post the one on coach pop
props in advance
Last edited:
Essential The Official ESPN Insider Thread (ESPN+)
- Thread starter the cool
- Start date
dude you're awesome...put them up when you get a chance, please.
I've already read everything you posted
post the one on coach pop
props in advance
Dr. Narcisse
Veteran
http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/insi...-nfl?ex_cid=InsiderTwitter_Riddikk_RookieFits
I'm about to start a kickstarter so @KillaCali32 can afford his own insider account 
Evolution part of Popovich's plan
When the San Antonio Spurs took on the Miami Heat in the first rematch since the 2014 NBA Finals, it was hardly the battle we saw last June. Miami's fighting for its playoff life in the East, while San Antonio has had to deal with injury after injury. Though the Spurs were just five games off last season's pace, that's barely good for the seventh seed in the Western Conference.
But while neither franchise is where it was a year ago, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is turning in another virtuoso performance in what has been a remarkable career. Friday night's win officially notches Pop's 999 career victory, inching him closer to an exclusive club of 1,000-win coaches which boasts just eight members: Don Nelson, Lenny Wilkens, Jerry Sloan, Pat Riley, Phil Jackson, Larry Brown, Rick Adelman and ESPN's own George Karl.
Popovich built a good portion of his career wins on the efforts of veteran-laden teams, led by Hall of Famer David Robinson and future Hall of Famer Tim Duncan, playing a traditional, grind-it-out style of "inside-out" basketball. It was a style that was extremely successful, winning Popovich almost 65 percent of his regular-season games (more than 53 games a season) and five titles.
But seemingly at the zenith of his career and with a highly successful franchise, Popovich switched up his style midstream with two important adjustments:
1. Pace. The Spurs went from playing like today's Memphis Grizzlies to playing more like today's Golden State Warriors.
2. Youth. Popovich began to lean heavily on the team's youth.
Those two critical adjustments separate him from other great NBA coaches.
Youth movement
One of the biggest shifts in San Antonio has been Popovich's increased reliance on a younger supporting cast. Looking at the last five years of Popovich's "old" style, the average age of the next five players outside of the Big Three of Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili was over 30, topping out at 33 years old in 2008-09, the last season of his "old" style.
Starting in 2009-10, the average age of the next five players outside the Big Three began a downward trend from 29 to under 26 years old. These averages, of course, are greatly assisted by San Antonio's reliance on Kawhi Leonard and former players George Hill andDeJuan Blair (all of whom were in their very early 20s), who also injected some youth and energy to an aging Spurs lineup.
However, the stark difference between the two eras is that instead of turning to tried-and-true veterans (like Bruce Bowen, Brent Barry and Michael Finley), Popovich increased his use of "unprovens" like Patrick Mills, Gary Neal, Danny Green and Tiago Splitter. Even reclamation projects like Boris Diaw, Austin Daye and Marco Belinelli have been under 30 years of age when San Antonio took its chances with them.
The extraordinary amount of trust Popovich has been able to put into a younger supporting cast speaks to San Antonio's commitment to player development, the idea that an acquired player is not a finished product when he walks through the door of the practice facility. The Spurs are aided by their excellent use of their D-League affiliate, the Austin Spurs, to whom they regularly assign and call up roster players.
Pace of play
Prior to the 2009-10 season, the Spurs averaged 91 possessions per game, cracking the 93 possessions per game pace factor only once. Starting in 2009-10, however, the pace picked up significantly, with San Antonio's pace increasing every season, from 94 possessions per game to last season's mark of over 97 possessions a game. This uptick can be explained by Popovich's prescient decision to shift the focus of the offense away from Duncan post-ups surrounded by shooters to a more free-flowing playbook that featured more pick-and-rolls (to better take advantage of Parker's talents) and off-ball movement.
They also ratcheted up the number of 3-point attempts, going from a sub-20 3PA per 100 possessions average (and cracking that plateau just three times in the previous 12 seasons) to averaging about 22 3PA per 100 possessions. This provided San Antonio two benefits: It helped preserve Duncan, and it unleashed the offensive efficiency of the Spurs, adding 3 more points per 100 possessions.
The decentralization of the Spurs' offense also accented the aesthetics of their style of play. While they were undoubtedly successful with Popovich's "old" style, the common refrain heard about watching San Antonio basketball was that it was boring. Now the San Antonio offense is held up as the ultimate example of the beauty of the game, and to say "they play like the Spurs" is a compliment paid to other free-flowing offenses.
Beyond the more visually pleasing style of play and the latest championship banner lies a single truth: Gregg Popovich took something that he was wildly successful at and examined it with a realistic eye, then changed his entire approach before the bottom fell out, buying himself five more dominant seasons (and counting). He bought into ideals that ran contrary to his basketball beliefs: shooting more 3s, playing up-tempo, which is insanely rare. In a league where "if it ain't broke, don't break it" is practically tattooed on everyone's forehead, Popovich took a plunge into the unknown with no immediate reason to do so, and it paid off the biggest dividend.
News and Notes
• Tonight marks the unofficial NBA "Super Bowl," with the Golden State Warriors visiting the Atlanta Hawks in a matchup of the two best records in the NBA. Both teams feature an extraordinary amount of off-ball movement, and watching them play is like a clinic on team basketball. While this game carries no added significance beyond a regular-season win, there's a duel of "us against the world" sentiments at play here.
For the Hawks, there's a constant feeling of anonymity, as their lack of brand-name players (to the casual fan) causes them to be overlooked in favor of other, more name-worthy Eastern Conference outfits like Chicago and Cleveland. For the Warriors, playing on Pacific time for most of their games brings up the dreaded "East Coast bias"; namely, most of the country is fast asleep while they are dismantling opponents. While it's not a national TV game, much of the NBA's League Pass subscribers will be dialed in to what we hope will be a celebration of basketball in its purest form.
• The Cavs' 12-game win streak, capped by Thursday night's dismantling of the Clippers on national TV, has brought up the question "what's changed?" from many fans. As always, there's never a simple, one-name answer, but here are all the people who deserve credit for the turnaround:
- LeBron James, for playing with a renewed sense of urgency that had been absent prior to January 2015.
- Cavs GM David Griffin, for giving the franchise the shot in the arm it needed by making a pair of shrewd moves in acquiring J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert and Timofey Mozgov.
- Smith, Shumpert and Mozgov, for bringing energy and size on the defensive end.
- Cavs head coach David Blatt, for steadying the ship and finding ways to make the offense more effective.
- Kevin Love, for continuing to bring effort and energy despite still searching for his role on the offensive end.
- Dion Waiters, for not being there anymore. #hatehard
• Portland defeated Phoenix Thursday night, avenging its loss from a couple of weeks ago when it was missing LaMarcus Aldridge, who had just discovered he had a torn ligament. At the time, Aldridge was expected to miss significant time, while center Robin Lopezwas not expected to be back until after All-Star break.
Instead, both players accelerated their returns (Aldridge chose to forgo surgery and play injured) with the hope of keeping Portland in the conversation for home-court advantage. But there's an interesting hypothetical to consider had they not returned and had Portland experienced a free fall: In the event that every single team in a division finishes outside of the top eight in the conference, the division winner would automatically be gifted the No. 4 seed and every other team would shift down.
In other words, had the Blazers dropped out of the top eight and the Oklahoma City Thunder been unable to move up, then the better of the two would automatically leapfrog into the 4-seed, pushing out whoever the unlucky devils in eighth would be. How soul-crushing would it have been for a team like Phoenix to finally "make it" to the playoffs only to have its invite revoked by a technicality.
• Tweet of the week: too many to count, but all the followers who contributed to the On Third Contract But Never Been a Free Agent Club list. It's increasingly rare to see older players who have never been free agents, and I imagine it will be harder in the future, as the rules make it much more lucrative for a player to become a free agent and then re-sign with his team, rather than signing an extension.
Winston, Beasley among rookies who can succeed early
Optimism runs high at this point in the NFL offseason, both within NFL front offices and each team's fan base, as it is natural to want to feel good about how your team went about improving its roster through unrestricted free agency and the draft.
But in reality, it is only now that each individual team is entering the most important phase of what I call the "program-building process," and that is the development and utilization phase. Building a roster is not just about acquiring the correct players -- it's about accurately identifying those draft prospects and free agents who best fit your team's character and skill profiles, and then having a well-thought-out plan in place for each player to maximize their chances at reaching their potential.
With these factors in mind, I identified the six best rookie-team matches from the 2015 draft. These players have the attributes both on and off the field that are a perfect fit with what each organization can provide in terms of coaching, scheme fit and off-field support. In short, I think these six rookies are well-positioned to succeed early in their careers with their new teams. Let's take a look at each one:
1. Jameis Winston, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No. 1 overall pick)
I don't believe there were any transcendent prospects in the 2015 NFL draft who project as surefire successes in the pros. As good as Winston is, and even though he plays the most important position in football, he is going to need several things in place around him in order for him to be successful. Fortunately, I believe the Bucs have many of those pieces already in place.
For starters, head coach Lovie Smith is universally respected in the coaching profession for his credibility as a leader, his competency in the X's and O's element of the game, and for his positive impact on the coaches and players around him. New offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter ran a multiple offense with the Falcons in terms of personnel groupings, formations and route designs, and those things aren't foreign to Winston after what he was asked to do at Florida State.
GM Jason Licht has titles on his résumé as both a coach and a front-office executive, so he knows what a successful program is supposed to look like. Moreover, he has surrounded Winston with the type of big, tall perimeter weapons that he likes (WRs Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans and TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins) and took two offensive linemen (Donovan Smith and Ali Marpet) in the 2015 draft who should upgrade a weak unit from 2014, particularly in pass protection.
If the Winston pick is to ultimately be a success, all of the listed variables will have to work in lockstep, creating an environment in which it is difficult for him to fail. Time will tell, but I think this match can work.
2. Vic Beasley, OLB, Atlanta Falcons (No. 8 overall pick)
The Falcons have been terrible at getting after the quarterback the past few seasons, and in 2014, they pressured opposing quarterbacks on just 22 percent of dropbacks (29th in the league) and sacked QBs on just 3.89 percent of passing attempts (31st in the league). Beasley could help fix the problem, as he has what new Falcons coach Dan Quinn is looking for out of his edge rushers from both a character and skill standpoint. Quinn wants to construct what he had in Seattle from his pass rush, and Beasley can play the same type of role as Chris Clemons did in 2013 and Cliff Avril (base defense) and Bruce Irvin (sub-packages and nickel) did in 2014.
Yes, Beasley needs to play with better strength against the run on first and second downs, and yes, he needs to develop a consistent power/bull rush component to his game that complements his unique set of speed and finesse pass-rush skills. But in Quinn, a former D-line coach, and current D-line coach Bryan Cox, he has two coaches capable of developing the physical, power component to his game. Look for Beasley, barring injury, to be a force to be reckoned with in his rookie season coming off the edge on third down.
3. Byron Jones, CB, Dallas Cowboys (No. 27 overall pick)
Jones is one of my favorite players in the 2015 draft class. There is not a better person coming out from an overall character standpoint, and he has all the natural physical skills you need to be an elite cornerback in today's NFL.
The Cowboys believe they have the structure in place to handle a wide variety of individuals from a personality and character perspective, but Jones will be one of those who sets the example, not needing the example set for him. Defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli will demand he play with more consistent physicality at the point of attack, which I believe to be the biggest weakness in his game right now. Secondary coach Jerome Henderson is a former NFL corner himself and should be able to help Jones, who played only two years at cornerback at UConn, go through his inevitable growing pains.
Schematically, this is a multiple defense that likes to get its corners up on the line and challenge receivers aggressively, mixing in Cover 2, single-high man, double-high man-under, single-high true zone and fire zone coverages -- and Jones has the skills to play in all of these techniques. To top it all off, the Cowboys absolutely need Jones to come in and play early given the struggles of former first-rounder Morris Claiborne and expensive free-agent pickup Brandon Carr.
4. Malcom Brown, DL, New England Patriots (No. 32 overall pick)
Don't be surprised if Brown emerges as the best value pick in the first round when we look back at this draft class in three years. The Patriots needed to add more skill, youth and size at the defensive tackle position, having allowed 2.7 yards before contact per rush inside the tackles in 2014 (25th in the NFL) and then parted ways with Vince Wilfork during the offseason.
Additionally, no team in the NFL is as versatile both offensively and defensively week to week as the Patriots in terms of their schemes and game plans, and in Brown they now have a 6-foot-2, 320-pound defensive lineman who can play anywhere from the nose tackle position to the 9-technique defensive end position, across both 4-3 and 3-4 configured defenses.
Playing as a young player for a Bill Belichick team requires a high amount of football character and selflessness because of the demands he places on you both physically and mentally, and Brown is a good fit in terms of his mental makeup. He already showed good hand placement, pad level and scheme recognition at Texas, and the quality of coaching he'll receive in New England is second to none. He is a great fit within the Patriots' team-first philosophy.
5. Eddie Goldman, DT, Chicago Bears (No. 39 overall pick)
With the Bears making the philosophical shift from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense under new coach John Fox and new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, they had a glaring need at nose tackle on their depth chart entering Day 2 of the draft. Goldman was a perfect match for what they needed both in terms of body type and playing style.
At 6-4, 336 pounds, he plays with a low center of gravity, has very good shock in his hands when engaging blocks, good blocking and scheme recognition and good lateral range in the box. He will be able to control the A-gaps in their 3-4, but also will be able to play the 1-technique and 3-technique D-tackle positions in their four-man line, sub-rush defensive fronts that Fangio utilized as the DC in San Francisco. Pairing Goldman with newly acquired D-lineman Ray McDonald, who is well-schooled in this defense from having played for Fangio, will help with the rookie's development.
Goldman's level of play in the middle of the defense will go a long way toward determining if the free-agent signings of players such as OLB Pernell McPhee, ILB Mason Foster and safety Antrel Rolle will be a success, as any coordinator will tell you that in order to run a 3-4 scheme successfully, you need the following: a good nose tackle, at least two very good pass-rushers at outside linebacker and a do-it-all safety who can play multiple roles. Goldman was exactly what they needed.
6. Mitch Morse, G/C, Kansas City Chiefs (No. 49 overall pick)
Morse may not be well-known to the mainstream football fan, but within NFL circles, this was a player who had a character profile and skill set that was highly coveted on Day 2 of the draft. Morse is of the highest quality from a work ethic standpoint, he is extremely football smart, and he is a five-position player along the offensive line with what I see as Pro Bowl potential as a center.
No team did a better job last season of utilizing a combination of coaching, scheme and play calling in order to get max production out of the running game than the Chiefs did, as the individual components along the O-line were not as impressive as they were when looked at as a whole. With veteran starting center Rodney Hudson signing with the Raiders for $20 million in total guarantees in free agency, and a tight salary-cap situation for 2015, the Chiefs needed a quality "value replacement" option.
That's where Morse comes in. He is a player who can start immediately at center or right guard, where his footwork, quickness and instinctive use of angles to set up second-level blocks will be on full display in the Chiefs' combination zone and gap/power running game.
I love this pick for the Chiefs in every respect, and barring anything unforeseen, I just do not see how Morse doesn't turn out to be anything but a huge success for them early on.
KillaCali32
Banned
he probably has a website he's posting them atI'm about to start a kickstarter so @KillaCali32 can afford his own insider account
KillaCali32
Banned
no I don't. I read them and that's it.
KillaCali32
Banned
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insi...17/nba-roster-reload-next-moves-chicago-bulls
@Skooby
PLEASE POST THIS...I AM A DIEHARD BULLS FAN!!!!!!!!!!
@Skooby
PLEASE POST THIS...I AM A DIEHARD BULLS FAN!!!!!!!!!!
Posted in the Bulls offseason thread: http://www.thecoli.com/posts/13416231/
KillaCali32
Banned
ReturnOfJudah
Veteran
Get this fakkit outta here
10 teams who could make a case for No. 1
As we look beyond the summer, into the 2015-16 season, there’s no one team nearly as loaded as Kentucky was a year ago, which opens the door for multiple teams to lay claim to the No. 1 spot in the preseason Top 25 poll.
I personally have the Maryland Terrapins atop my poll heading into the season after the addition of former Duke guard Rasheed Sulaimon, but there is no shortage of teams that could make a case to start at No. 1.
And while the final vote is more likely to narrow the group to a few teams, here are 10 programs that could at least make a valid case to start the season on top:
Maryland Terrapins
Mark Turgeon went from the hot seat to the coach of a team that can win it all within a year. How? Well, the most important aspect was that Melo Trimble was better than anyone anticipated at the point guard spot -- and he opted to return to College Park for his sophomore campaign. Jake Layman is also returning after flirting with the NBA, and the Terps added a pair of much-needed big men: freshman Diamond Stone (ESPN’s No. 6 overall player) and transfer Robert Carter, who averaged 11.4 points and 8.4 rebounds at Georgia Tech as a sophomore.
But what put Maryland in the No. 1 spot for this writer was the recent addition of former Duke guard Rasheed Sulaimon, who is eligible to play this season due to the graduate transfer rule. The Terps will also have quality depth with Dion Wiley, Jared Nickens, Michal Cekovsky and Damonte Dodd likely coming off the bench.
North Carolina Tar Heels
You’ll see many with the Tar Heels as the preseason No. 1, and you can certainly make a valid argument. Roy Williams has a veteran team with starters Marcus Paige, Brice Johnson and Kennedy Meeks all upperclassmen. Justin Jackson has a year under his belt, and while J.P. Tokotoleft early, expect Theo Pinson to slide right in and give even more to the Tar Heels.
The guard spot alongside Paige is somewhat uncertain, but there are plenty of candidates -- Nate Britt, Joel Berry II and incoming freshman Kenny Williams -- who might be the missing knockdown shooter that this team has needed. Depth is also not an issue with guys like Isaiah Hicks and Joel James returning along the front line.
Iowa State Cyclones
Sure, the Cyclones lost in the opening round of the NCAA tournament, but Fred Hoiberg’s team brought back the majority of what mattered from a group that won 25 games and went 12-6 in Big 12 play.Georges Niang is a potential first-team All-American and Monte Morris is one of the top point guards in the country. Athletic big man Jameel McKay averaged 11 points and 7.6 boards despite only being eligible after the first semester.
Naz Long is back and will provide long-range shooting, and Iowa State will add two transfers -- former Marquette power guard Deonte Burton and ex-Oregon State guard Hallice Cooke -- as well as freshman point guard Nick Noskowiak(ESPN, No. 76). The biggest question here is whether Hoiberg sticks around or heads to Chicago and coaches the Bulls.
Kansas Jayhawks
The Jayhawks still aren't necessarily overpowering, at least by NBA talent standards. But Bill Self will have veterans now withPerry Ellis, Frank Mason III, Wayne Selden Jr. and Brannen Greene. Yes, he lostKelly Oubre and Cliff Alexander, but let’s face it: Alexander was a non-factor for much of the season and Oubre was up-and-down.
Cheick Diallo (ESPN, No. 7) should give KU what it thought it was going to get from Alexander (a tough, hard-playing rebounder) and Carlton Bragg (ESPN, No. 21) is a talented and skilled freshman forward who has tons of potential. The Jayhawks also have guards Devonte Graham and Svi Mykhailiuk with a year under their belts, and Jamari Traylor, Landen Lucas and Hunter Mickelson are veterans who will help up front.
Duke Blue Devils
It was just a month ago that we were wondering whether Coach K would have a top 25-caliber team -- but everything changed quickly. The Blue Devils persuaded talented point guard Derryck Thornton(ESPN, No. 17) to commit and reclassify from the 2016 class to the 2015 class (which means he’ll likely start in Durham this season), and they also added long and talented wing Brandon Ingram (ESPN, No. 3). Mike Krzyzewski will have no shortage of talented wings with Ingram, fellow frosh Luke Kennard (ESPN, No. 24), Grayson Allen and Matt Jones. Duke won’t be overpowering up front, but the Blue Devils still have Amile Jefferson and Marshall Plumlee and add athletic 6-foot-10 Chase Jeter (ESPN, No. 11).
Kentucky Wildcats
John Calipari and the Cats will reload, but this roster won’t look anything like last season’s after losing seven players early to the NBA. There’s just not the high-end talent, or the size and depth -- especially up front. The backcourt will feature Tyler Ulis and Isaiah Briscoe (ESPN, No. 13), but there’s no big wing, so look for combo forward Alex Poythress to fill that role coming off a major knee injury. The frontcourt will feature skilled and talented forward Skal Labissiere (ESPN, No. 2) and athletic big man Marcus Lee -- who should finally get his chance. UK will have freshman wing Charles Matthews(ESPN, No. 42) and guys like guard Dominique Hawkins and face-up forwardDerek Willis for depth. The team is certainly talented enough, but not by Calipari standards.
As we look beyond the summer, into the 2015-16 season, there’s no one team nearly as loaded as Kentucky was a year ago, which opens the door for multiple teams to lay claim to the No. 1 spot in the preseason Top 25 poll.
I personally have the Maryland Terrapins atop my poll heading into the season after the addition of former Duke guard Rasheed Sulaimon, but there is no shortage of teams that could make a case to start at No. 1.
And while the final vote is more likely to narrow the group to a few teams, here are 10 programs that could at least make a valid case to start the season on top:
Maryland Terrapins
Mark Turgeon went from the hot seat to the coach of a team that can win it all within a year. How? Well, the most important aspect was that Melo Trimble was better than anyone anticipated at the point guard spot -- and he opted to return to College Park for his sophomore campaign. Jake Layman is also returning after flirting with the NBA, and the Terps added a pair of much-needed big men: freshman Diamond Stone (ESPN’s No. 6 overall player) and transfer Robert Carter, who averaged 11.4 points and 8.4 rebounds at Georgia Tech as a sophomore.
But what put Maryland in the No. 1 spot for this writer was the recent addition of former Duke guard Rasheed Sulaimon, who is eligible to play this season due to the graduate transfer rule. The Terps will also have quality depth with Dion Wiley, Jared Nickens, Michal Cekovsky and Damonte Dodd likely coming off the bench.
North Carolina Tar Heels
You’ll see many with the Tar Heels as the preseason No. 1, and you can certainly make a valid argument. Roy Williams has a veteran team with starters Marcus Paige, Brice Johnson and Kennedy Meeks all upperclassmen. Justin Jackson has a year under his belt, and while J.P. Tokotoleft early, expect Theo Pinson to slide right in and give even more to the Tar Heels.
The guard spot alongside Paige is somewhat uncertain, but there are plenty of candidates -- Nate Britt, Joel Berry II and incoming freshman Kenny Williams -- who might be the missing knockdown shooter that this team has needed. Depth is also not an issue with guys like Isaiah Hicks and Joel James returning along the front line.
Iowa State Cyclones
Sure, the Cyclones lost in the opening round of the NCAA tournament, but Fred Hoiberg’s team brought back the majority of what mattered from a group that won 25 games and went 12-6 in Big 12 play.Georges Niang is a potential first-team All-American and Monte Morris is one of the top point guards in the country. Athletic big man Jameel McKay averaged 11 points and 7.6 boards despite only being eligible after the first semester.
Naz Long is back and will provide long-range shooting, and Iowa State will add two transfers -- former Marquette power guard Deonte Burton and ex-Oregon State guard Hallice Cooke -- as well as freshman point guard Nick Noskowiak(ESPN, No. 76). The biggest question here is whether Hoiberg sticks around or heads to Chicago and coaches the Bulls.
Kansas Jayhawks
The Jayhawks still aren't necessarily overpowering, at least by NBA talent standards. But Bill Self will have veterans now withPerry Ellis, Frank Mason III, Wayne Selden Jr. and Brannen Greene. Yes, he lostKelly Oubre and Cliff Alexander, but let’s face it: Alexander was a non-factor for much of the season and Oubre was up-and-down.
Cheick Diallo (ESPN, No. 7) should give KU what it thought it was going to get from Alexander (a tough, hard-playing rebounder) and Carlton Bragg (ESPN, No. 21) is a talented and skilled freshman forward who has tons of potential. The Jayhawks also have guards Devonte Graham and Svi Mykhailiuk with a year under their belts, and Jamari Traylor, Landen Lucas and Hunter Mickelson are veterans who will help up front.
Duke Blue Devils
It was just a month ago that we were wondering whether Coach K would have a top 25-caliber team -- but everything changed quickly. The Blue Devils persuaded talented point guard Derryck Thornton(ESPN, No. 17) to commit and reclassify from the 2016 class to the 2015 class (which means he’ll likely start in Durham this season), and they also added long and talented wing Brandon Ingram (ESPN, No. 3). Mike Krzyzewski will have no shortage of talented wings with Ingram, fellow frosh Luke Kennard (ESPN, No. 24), Grayson Allen and Matt Jones. Duke won’t be overpowering up front, but the Blue Devils still have Amile Jefferson and Marshall Plumlee and add athletic 6-foot-10 Chase Jeter (ESPN, No. 11).
Kentucky Wildcats
John Calipari and the Cats will reload, but this roster won’t look anything like last season’s after losing seven players early to the NBA. There’s just not the high-end talent, or the size and depth -- especially up front. The backcourt will feature Tyler Ulis and Isaiah Briscoe (ESPN, No. 13), but there’s no big wing, so look for combo forward Alex Poythress to fill that role coming off a major knee injury. The frontcourt will feature skilled and talented forward Skal Labissiere (ESPN, No. 2) and athletic big man Marcus Lee -- who should finally get his chance. UK will have freshman wing Charles Matthews(ESPN, No. 42) and guys like guard Dominique Hawkins and face-up forwardDerek Willis for depth. The team is certainly talented enough, but not by Calipari standards.
Virginia Cavaliers
The Cavs would have likely been No. 1 if athletic wing Justin Anderson came back to Charlottesville, but he decided to head to the NBA. First of all, Virginia has Tony Bennett, and Bennett has Malcolm Brogdon, Anthony Gill, Mike Tobey, London Perrantes, Marial Shayok, Evan Nolte, Devon Hall and Isaiah Wilkins back in the fold. Last I checked that’s still eight of his top 10 players from a year ago. Brogdon and Gill are fifth-year seniors, Tobey and Nolte are seniors and Perrantes will be a junior. The Cavs are a veteran, well-coached team that is used to winning after the past two seasons.
California Golden Bears
I can’t believe I’m putting in a team that didn’t even make the NCAA tournament a year ago, but this roster stacks up with just about anyone after Cuonzo Martin added two potential one-and-done guys: local big man Ivan Rabb (ESPN, No. 8) and Georgia power wing Jaylen Brown (ESPN, No. 4). Point guard Tyrone Wallace flirted with leaving for the NBA, but decided to come back and won’t have nearly as much pressure on him this season because he’ll have so many weapons. Jabari Bird should be 100 percent, and he and Jordan Mathews are both capable scorers and shooters from deep. There should be depth, as well, with Georgetown’s Stephen Domingo eligible and talented 7-footer Kameron Rooks healthy.
Wichita State Shockers
The Shockers’ backcourt of Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet is back and up there with any in the country. Gregg Marshall returned to Wichita, as well, after passing on a ton of money to go to Alabama. Wichita also added what could be a key piece in Cleveland State grad transfer Anton Grady, who will be effective as long as he stays healthy. The 6-8, 225-pound forward averaged 14.3 points and 7.9 boards last season in the Horizon League. He’ll help ease the departure of Darius Carter, but Wichita will also struggle to replace do-it-all guard Tekele Cotton. Marshall will need one of Shaquille Morris orRashard Kelly to make a jump from a year ago, or freshman forward Markis McDuffie (ESPN, No. 93) to come in and make an immediate impact.
Indiana Hoosiers
This one may be a little bit of a stretch, but the roster -- especially the starting lineup -- can stack up with just about anyone. Yogi Ferrell is a senior point guard who thought about leaving, and he has a couple of wings who can really shoot it in James Blackmon Jr. and Robert Johnson. Troy Williams is a tough matchup and Nick Zeisloft returns to give Tom Crean another shooter. The loss of Hanner Mosquera-Perea could hurt a bit, but as long as talented freshman big man Thomas Bryant (ESPN, No. 20) stays healthy and out of foul trouble, he’s a major upgrade and will give IU a much-needed threat down low.
The Cavs would have likely been No. 1 if athletic wing Justin Anderson came back to Charlottesville, but he decided to head to the NBA. First of all, Virginia has Tony Bennett, and Bennett has Malcolm Brogdon, Anthony Gill, Mike Tobey, London Perrantes, Marial Shayok, Evan Nolte, Devon Hall and Isaiah Wilkins back in the fold. Last I checked that’s still eight of his top 10 players from a year ago. Brogdon and Gill are fifth-year seniors, Tobey and Nolte are seniors and Perrantes will be a junior. The Cavs are a veteran, well-coached team that is used to winning after the past two seasons.
California Golden Bears
I can’t believe I’m putting in a team that didn’t even make the NCAA tournament a year ago, but this roster stacks up with just about anyone after Cuonzo Martin added two potential one-and-done guys: local big man Ivan Rabb (ESPN, No. 8) and Georgia power wing Jaylen Brown (ESPN, No. 4). Point guard Tyrone Wallace flirted with leaving for the NBA, but decided to come back and won’t have nearly as much pressure on him this season because he’ll have so many weapons. Jabari Bird should be 100 percent, and he and Jordan Mathews are both capable scorers and shooters from deep. There should be depth, as well, with Georgetown’s Stephen Domingo eligible and talented 7-footer Kameron Rooks healthy.
Wichita State Shockers
The Shockers’ backcourt of Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet is back and up there with any in the country. Gregg Marshall returned to Wichita, as well, after passing on a ton of money to go to Alabama. Wichita also added what could be a key piece in Cleveland State grad transfer Anton Grady, who will be effective as long as he stays healthy. The 6-8, 225-pound forward averaged 14.3 points and 7.9 boards last season in the Horizon League. He’ll help ease the departure of Darius Carter, but Wichita will also struggle to replace do-it-all guard Tekele Cotton. Marshall will need one of Shaquille Morris orRashard Kelly to make a jump from a year ago, or freshman forward Markis McDuffie (ESPN, No. 93) to come in and make an immediate impact.
Indiana Hoosiers
This one may be a little bit of a stretch, but the roster -- especially the starting lineup -- can stack up with just about anyone. Yogi Ferrell is a senior point guard who thought about leaving, and he has a couple of wings who can really shoot it in James Blackmon Jr. and Robert Johnson. Troy Williams is a tough matchup and Nick Zeisloft returns to give Tom Crean another shooter. The loss of Hanner Mosquera-Perea could hurt a bit, but as long as talented freshman big man Thomas Bryant (ESPN, No. 20) stays healthy and out of foul trouble, he’s a major upgrade and will give IU a much-needed threat down low.
Somebody ban this dude from the thread