Men’s College Basketball Way-Too-Early Top 25 for the 2023–24 Season
The men’s college basketball offseason is officially underway, and it’s never too early to take a look at the best teams for 2023–24. With more than 1,000 players already in the transfer portal and most key NBA draft decisions still to come, rosters are as in flux as they ever have been at this time of year.
Consider these rankings a snapshot in time—where things stand before teams finalize their rosters over the next two months.
1. Marquette
The Golden Eagles made an early exit in this year’s NCAA tournament, but that shouldn’t overshadow a brilliant season that saw them win the Big East regular season and tournament championships. Marquette has a good chance of running it back: Forwards Olivier-Maxence Prosper and Oso Ighodaro have fringe draft cases, but star point guard Tyler Kolek and wing Kam Jones should almost certainly return. This was already one of the best offenses in the country in 2022–23 thanks to its skill level and ball movement. Assuming everyone returns, another year together for this group could make the Golden Eagles impossible to guard.
2. Duke
Duke won 10 straight before its season-ending loss to Tennessee in the round of 32. There were plenty of bright spots from that run: Freshman guard Tyrese Proctor really grew up, and the potential pairing in 2023–24 of Proctor and veteran PG Jeremy Roach should be fun to watch. Plus, Duke adds a strong recruiting class, headlined by talented big wing Mackenzie Mgbako. The Blue Devils have the mix of talent, youth and experience you want to contend for a national title, and if Jon Scheyer can add a top center to go with veteran Ryan Young from the transfer portal, this group could be special.
3. UConn
Time will tell whether Adama Sanogo returns to UConn or declares for the draft.
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The Huskies have several open questions surrounding this roster, but it’s a reasonable bet they’ll be among the nation’s elite when the dust settles. Wing Jordan Hawkins may be the safest bet to leave, a projected first-round draft pick thanks to his shooting ability, and Adama Sanogo may not have much left to prove at the college level. Should Sanogo depart, UConn will still have one of the best center situations in the country thanks to the presence of rising sophomore big Donovan Clingan, who looked like a future All-American at times as a freshman. Add in the presence of a loaded freshman class headlined by combo guard Stephon Castle, and the upside here is obvious.
4. Purdue
The Boilermakers’ shocking loss to Fairleigh Dickinson in the first round of the NCAA tournament exposed a lot of the flaws that need to be addressed with this roster athletically to win in March. That said, if Zach Edey returns, Purdue will be among the best regular-season teams in the land. Purdue got more mileage than anyone predicted out of Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer in the backcourt this season, and that experience should pay off for the sophomore duo in 2023–24.
5. Houston
The floor is incredibly high with a Kelvin Sampson team, and the Cougars have the pieces to be right back in the top tier of college basketball once again. Point guard Jamal Shead is one of the nation’s better floor generals, and he’ll get help in the backcourt from potential breakout candidates Terrance Arceneaux and Emanuel Sharp. Plus, any Houston team under Sampson can be expected to be elite defensively and dominate the glass, especially with forward J’Wan Roberts set to return.
6. Kansas
Some questions loom on the wings, but the Jayhawks have an elite floor general returning in Dajuan Harris and one of the nation’s most versatile big men in K.J. Adams. That, plus the Bill Self factor coaching the Jayhawks, and the floor seems rather high for this group. Freshman Elmarko Jackson should provide some scoring punch, and expect Self to be active in the portal as he was a season ago when he added Kevin McCullar from Texas Tech.
7. Arizona
There are plenty of questions to answer this spring in the backcourt for Tommy Lloyd, but the Wildcats could have the nation’s best frontcourt assuming big men Azuolas Tubelis and Oumar Ballo return to school. Tubelis profiles as a potential National Player of the Year candidate after being a second-team All-American this year. The question is whether the Wildcats can get consistent guard play: Sophomore Kylan Boswell could be in for a breakout campaign, but hitting the transfer portal needs to be a priority.
8. Kentucky
The 2023 high school class is considered to be one of the weakest in recent memory, but Kentucky has what is by far the nation’s best class. Guard D.J. Wagner and wing Justin Edwards look the most ready to contribute right away: Wagner as a scoring combo guard, Edwards an athletic wing with great size. Kentucky also has the potential to be monstrous defensively with the two-headed monster of freshman Aaron Bradshaw and sophomore Ugonna Onyenso in tow to block shots.
9. Creighton
Much depends on NBA draft decisions here: Trey Alexander and Arthur Kaluma profile as potential second-round picks, and Baylor Scheierman tested the waters last season before transferring to the Bluejays from South Dakota State. The nucleus of Ryan Nembhard at point guard and star big Ryan Kalkbrenner is enough on its own to have this team in the top 25 picture; the bigger question is how much will the Bluejays need to shop the transfer portal for reinforcements around that duo.
10. Michigan State
A big decision looms for leading scorer Tyson Walker, who still has his extra year of eligibility should he want to return to East Lansing. If he does, this will be one of the best backcourts in the nation, featuring Walker, AJ Hoggard, Jaden Akins and talented freshman Jeremy Fears. Additions like wing Coen Carr and big Xavier Booker also improve this group athletically, which at times was a problem up front. With Walker back, this could be Michigan State’s best team since the Cassius Winston era.
11. Miami
Norchad Omier, center, should be one of the starters returning to the Hurricanes’ lineup next season.
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The Hurricanes will lose Jordan Miller and potentially Isaiah Wong, but should bring back three starters (Wooga Poplar, Nijel Pack and Norchad Omier) from this year’s Final Four team. Poplar seems poised for a big jump offensively after some impressive performances in the NCAA tournament, Pack is among the nation’s elite shooters and Omier a force on both ends around the rim. And after the splash Miami made last year in the transfer portal thanks to major NIL commitments from billionaire booster John Ruiz, don’t be surprised if the Hurricanes reel in another big fish or two this spring to bolster this core.
12. Alabama
Plenty of turnover looms this offseason for the No. 1 overall seed in this past tournament. The Tide can expect to lose starters Brandon Miller and Noah Clowney, plus they have lost a pair of assistants to head coaching jobs in X&O tactician Charlie Henry (Georgia Southern) and ace recruiter Bryan Hodgson (Arkansas State). Still, expect jumps from role players like Mark Sears, Charles Bediako, Jaden Bradley and Rylan Griffen, and for the Tide to be among the SEC’s best yet again.
13. Texas A&M
Blowout loss to Penn State in its first NCAA tournament game aside, Texas A&M was one of the best teams in the country from January on. And with the expected return of star guard Wade Taylor IV and versatile big man Henry Coleman, the nucleus remains in place for a potential top 25 team. Shooting remains a concern, but this roster is loaded with the versatile athletes necessary to thrive in Buzz Williams’s scrambled defensive system.
14. Gonzaga
It would take some monster additions in the transfer portal for the Bulldogs to be among the top title contenders next season, but they’ll be in the top 25 mix for as long as Mark Few is coaching in Spokane. Young big man Ben Gregg could be in for a big year with Drew Timme graduating after showing major promise this past season coming off the bench. Questions in the backcourt loom, though: Will Malachi Smith return for a fifth year? And how much of a jump can we realistically expect from junior Nolan Hickman?
15. FAU
There’s some risk of overrating the Owls fresh off a Final Four run, but this team won 35 games for a reason and figures to bring back most of its rotation. What made FAU so good all season long was its incredible depth and talent in the backcourt, headlined by the duo of Alijah Martin and Johnell Davis, each of whom has two years of eligibility left. Add in 7'1" big man Vlad Goldin controlling the rim, and this team belongs in the preseason poll.
16. North Carolina
This is a prove-it year for Hubert Davis and the Tar Heels after a disastrous campaign. But with Armando Bacot and RJ Davis already announcing their returns to Chapel Hill, the nucleus here is still incredibly talented. A major priority for the Heels this offseason needs to be adding shooting after three-point woes plagued them this season. Talented youngsters like sophomores Jalen Washington and Seth Trimble along with freshman Simeon Wilcher also need to contribute.
17. UCLA
Jaime Jaquez Jr. moved into 12th place on UCLA’s all-time scoring list during the tournament, passing Bill Walton.
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Questions abound for this UCLA roster this spring, as Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Tyger Campbell weigh using their extra years of eligibility. Plus, will Amari Bailey and Adem Bona return or turn pro after uneven freshman seasons? I’ll bet on the brand here (and am bullish on young guard Dylan Andrews), but this ranking is essentially a dart throw at this point as we wait for draft decisions.
18. Saint Mary’s
The Gaels shared this season’s WCC title with Gonzaga and could compete with the Bulldogs yet again given what they return. Rising sophomore guard Aidan Mahaney is one of the brightest young stars in the sport and could be in for a massive jump in his second year with the Gaels. Big man Mitchell Saxen also returns for Randy Bennett’s team and is a force at the rim, particularly as a rim protector defensively.
19. Arkansas
A big draft decision looms for leading scorer Ricky Council IV, who profiles as a second-round pick should he enter. Even if he departs, the Hogs can be relied upon to reload in the transfer portal, and freshmen Layden Blocker and Baye Fall have a chance to make an immediate impact. Plus, forward Trevon Brazile flashed incredible potential early this season before an ACL tear sidelined him for the remainder of the season.
20. USC
The Trojans have the nation’s most game-ready freshman in point guard Isaiah Collier, and Andy Enfield seems prepared to put the ball in Collier’s hands from Day 1. Collier’s maturity and feel for the game popped when evaluating him on the summer recruiting circuits. Talented sophomores Tre White and Vince Iwuchukwu also could be in for big seasons, and the Iwuchukwu–Joshua Morgan pairing up front will be intimidating defensively.
21. Maryland
There are a lot of moving parts here still, but the Terrapins getting back star point guard Jahmir Young and starting center Julian Reese is a heck of a way to start. Young is among the best guards in the Big Ten, while Reese profiles as a potential double-double threat in 2023–24. I’m also bullish on Kevin Willard’s first full recruiting class at Maryland, featuring high-scoring guard DeShawn Harris-Smith and glue guy Jamie Kaiser.
22. San Diego State
Coach Brian Dutcher said Sunday he believes San Diego State has a chance to be better than it was this year. I’m skeptical of that, given the loss of leading scorer Matt Bradley and top defender Nathan Mensah, but there are pieces here for the Aztecs to be dangerous. Point guard Darrion Trammell has another year of eligibility, as does Final Four hero Lamont Butler and veteran forward Keshad Johnson. Youngsters like Miles Byrd and freshman BJ Davis are also worth watching.
23. Baylor
This year’s Baylor never quite reached its full potential, but still finished in the top three of the Big 12 and earned a No. 3 seed. This season’s star backcourt of Keyonte George, Adam Flagler and L.J. Cryer is set to depart, freshmen Miro Little and Ja’Kobe Walter should be impact players earlier in their Baylor tenure. Sophomore big Josh Ojianwuna showed promise coming off the bench at center. Fixing a defense that finished outside the top 100 nationally per KenPom should be this offseason’s primary focus.
24. Colorado
The Buffaloes weren’t far off from having a fairly dangerous team, but didn’t have quite enough firepower to consistently get over the hump. Help is on the way though: Freshman Cody Williams (the brother of Oklahoma City rookie Jalen Williams) is among the best players in the 2023 class, and will form quite the trio with guard KJ Simpson and forward Tristan Da Silva. Plus, Tad Boyle already has landed a potential starter at center in TCU transfer Eddie Lampkin, whose physicality should be a boon to this frontcourt.
25. Tennessee
Seniors Santiago Vescovi and Josiah-Jordan James have questionable statuses as potential fifth-year returners, but the Vols can be expected to be competitive regardless of what that duo decides. A healthy Zakai Zeigler would give Tennessee one of the better point guards in the SEC, and talented young bigs Jonas Aidoo and Tobe Awaka each showed promise this season. Freshman center JP Estrella could also help the frontcourt from a skill standpoint.
