And rightfully so. However, it's never too early to start forecasting what next year's college basketball teams might look like. With so much turnaround each year thanks to transfers, diaper dandies and the NBA Draft, this week, we'll take a look at the power conferences in college basketball and break down some of the best newcomers in each league.
To kick off, here are the top 10 transfers and incoming freshmen to enter the Big Ten this year. To clarify, not every single player will be eligible to play this year because of transfer rules, but they are still important to monitor moving forward. Does your team have a chance to make that crucial step towards greatness?
Find out right here.
10) G Marcquise Reed – Sophomore – Clemson (Transferred from Robert Morris)
Reed has to sit out 2015-16 due to NCAA transfer rules, but after that, he’ll have three years of eligibility remaining. The Tiger backcourt could desperately use some offensive firepower, and that is precisely what Reed can provide. The NEC Rookie of the Year averaged 15.1 points per game in his freshman campaign, and his team lost to Duke in the Round of 64 in the NCAA Tournament.
9) C Rafael Maia – Senior – Pittsburgh (Transferred from Brown)
In an effort to get back to the ground and pound identity, Pitt plucked the Ivy League’s leading rebounder of the last three seasons away in Maia.
NBC Sports said of Maia and his fit as a Panther, “Making the jump from the Ivy League to the ACC isn’t easy, but Maia adds depth and a particular skill (rebounding) to a Pittsburgh roster that can use that kind of boost in 2015-16. Last season the Panthers ranked tenth in the ACC in defensive rebounding percentage (68.7 percent), a number that needs to improve if they’re to get back to the NCAA tournament after missing out a season ago.”
8) G Malachi Richardson – Freshman – Syracuse
Many thought Jim Boeheim and Syracuse’s sanctions may hurt their future recruiting efforts, but Richardson still chose to play for the Orange. He figures to be a one-and-done, but he should make quite the impact on a Syracuse team looking to rebound. From his Draft Express profile:
“Streaky scorer who can get hot quickly and knock down a barrage of outside shots. Talented prospect missing a good amount of polish and experience. Reclassified and is now much older than most of his classmates. Will turn 20 during his freshman season in college.”
7) G Derryck Thornton – Freshman – Duke
With Tyus Jones off to the NBA, Coach K was in need of a replacement. Enter Thornton. The springy guard might actually be a more heralded recruit than Jones was, who was instrumental in bringing home Duke’s first national title since 2010.
The scary part? Thornton isn’t even the best player in his own recruiting class. Heck, he might not even be second or third.
6) G Trey Lewis – Senior – Louisville (Transferred from Cleveland State)
The graduate transfer will be able to suit up immediately for Louisville, who will need reinforcements after losing a few key cogs. The 6'2" guard averaged 16.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game last season for the Vikings. On his decision to play for Rick Pitino, Lewis told the Cleveland Plain Dealer, “What it came down to was the need and the want from Louisville was the perfect situation for me and what I'm looking for going into this last year.”
5) G Dwayne Bacon – Freshman – Florida State
Bacon could be a transcendent recruit for a Seminoles program looking to prove that Florida State is more than a football school. Bacon was the top-ranked player in the state of Florida, and the Seminoles were fortunate to keep him away from Gainesville and the Gators.
ESPN’s scouting report of Bacon says the following: “Bacon is a long and talented wing that is very smooth and effective with the ball in his hands. He finishes above the rim on the break and can get to the rim in the half court set with his nice handle and finish with his excellent touch and body control.”
4) G Adam Smith – Senior – Georgia Tech (Transferred from Virginia Tech)
From one Tech to another goes the leading 3-point shooter in the ACC. Smith, an Atlanta native, Smith is returning home to play his final year at Georgia Tech after leading Virginia Tech in scoring last season. He paced the Hokies with 13.4 points a game and shot better than 42 percent from distance, which should give the Yellow Jackets some much needed floor spacing.
3) C Chase Jeter – Freshman – Duke
People expecting to see the next Jahlil Okafor are in for a disappointment – Jeter is an entirely different type of center. He tops out at just 215 pounds. But he’s very talented in his own right, and in most publications is on the verge of being a top 10 recruit in the class of 2015.
ESPN’s bio on Jeter says of his game: “Jeter is one of the more improved prospects on the west coast. He is a hard-working post prospect who plays with great energy. He runs very well in transition and he can finish with a powerful dunk. He rebounds well in his area and his hands are good.”
2) F Damion Lee – Senior – Louisville (Transferred from Drexel)
Lee may have been the hottest commodity on the transfer market, and Louisville was fortunate to snag the lethal scorer. The Louisville Courier-Journal analyzed Lee’s signing the day it happened:
“The signing is a major coup for Louisville, which was in dire need of several scoring perimeter players to make up for the departures of Wayne Blackshear and Terry Rozier. Lee was rated the top transfer on the market by ESPN and adds to U of L's 2015 class, which already includes Cleveland State transfer Trey Lewis and highly rated incoming freshmen Donovan Mitchell, Ray Spalding and Deng Adel. The other Class of 2015 signee, guard Ryan McMahon, is a likely redshirt this coming season.”
1) 1) F Brandon Ingram – Freshman – Duke
Ingram is the crown jewel of Coach K’s outstanding recruiting class. Three Duke recruits made this list, and Ingram is the most dynamic of them all. He is ranked the No. 3 player in the Class of 2015 according to ESPN, and he follows the likes of Jabari Parker, Jahlil Okafor and Justise Winslow as Dukies that are likely one-and-done lottery picks.
Experts project Ingram as a Winslow type that has a bit more offensive polish but a bit less defensive swagger.
