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College basketball rankings: 247Sports releases preseason Top 25 for 2023-24 – 247Sports
For all intents and purposes, the college basketball season is here. Teams have already begun workouts and practices, and this month will see the first round of games that don’t count, from so-called “secret” scrimmages to out-and-out exhibition games played for charitable causes. And that means it’s the season to unveil 247Sports’ preseason Top 25 for the 2023-24 season.
Gone are the “Way-Too-Early” rankings which imply, well, that it’s really too early to rank teams based on a lack of information or an incomplete roster. Teams aren’t going to add a reclassified player or transfer for this season in October, so it’s not really too early for anything anymore. Fans and media members know which players will be suiting up for their teams this season barring injury or off-court trouble.
The 2023-24 season looks like a strong one for college hoops, particularly in the post, where any number of All-America caliber centers populate the college landscape. It stands to reason, then, that several of the nation’s elite teams are strong on the low block.
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Here’s a look at 247Sports’ preseason rankings for 2023-24:
Projected lineup: Dajuan Harris, Elmarko Jackson, Kevin McCullar Jr., KJ Adams, Hunter Dickinson
247Sports overall class rank: No. 10
Kansas jumped into the No. 1 spot when Dickinson committed as the nation’s top transfer, then stayed there in our post-draft-decision rankings when McCullar surprised a number of people by returning to Lawrence. And even with the Jayhawks recently dismissing Arterio Morris, Kansas stays at No. 1 in 247Sports’ final preseason rankings.
Kansas returns three starters — Harris, McCullar and Adams — from a team that won the nation’s toughest league and landed a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but fell in the second round after Kansas coach Bill Self suffered some health issues to end the year. Dickinson couldn’t be a more perfect fit for a coach who loves to feed talented centers in the post, and in Kansas’ summer trip, Dickinson already seemed to have a feel for Harris in the pick-and-roll. Harris and McCullar could be the best point guard and wing defenders in the Big 12, and Adams is a big-time athlete who was the league’s most improved player last year after starting at center. He moves to the four spot and showed flashes of a jumper in Kansas’ summer trip. Jackson ranked as the No. 4 point guard and No. 20 player in the class, and his athleticism and defense should make him a good fit. Of the other newcomers, Nick Timberlake brings shooting while Australian wing Johnny Furphy could be a sleeper. This team is deep and athletic with a lot of plus defenders.
Projected lineup: Jeremy Roach, Tyrese Proctor, Jared McCain, Mark Mitchell, Kyle Filipowski
247Sports overall class rank: No. 2
The Blue Devils led our initial Way-Too-Early rankings because we projected Filipowski back when a number of others didn’t. He’ll be an All-America candidate after averaging 15.1 points and 9.0 rebounds per gas as a freshman. He could help himself by improving his post defense and becoming a more consistent outside shooter, which could be what takes Duke over the top. Proctor is another breakout candidate who wowed with his skill level at times as a freshman, while Roach could become one of the nation’s top point guards. Mitchell started at the three on last year’s team but represents more of a matchup problem at the four, which would allow Duke to tap into its better backcourt depth, as opposed to forcing the Blue Devils to pull from a thinner frontcourt group. McCain could swing some games with his ability to score the ball as a five-star combo guard, and he’s one of several talented freshmen looking to make their mark.
Projected lineup: Tyson Walker, AJ Hoggard, Jaden Akins, Malik Hall, Mady Sissoko
247Sports overall class rank: No. 7
The Spartans kind of went through it last year, reaching the NCAA Tournament at 19-12 with some good performances and some poor ones. Then they defeated USC by 10 points and upset a very good Marquette team by nine and were a regulation point away from heading to the Elite Eight in an overtime loss. The tournament showed who Michigan State could be; with the exception of the Kansas State game where both teams made shots at a high level, the Spartans were good defensively and tough in the backcourt. The backcourt trio of Walker, Hoggard and Akins all had positive moments in the tournament, and now they’re a year older and more comfortable. So too is Hall, who has flashed star potential but hasn’t ever put it together. Center will be kind of a paint-by-numbers thing with Sissoko, Jaxon Kohler and Xavier Booker providing hope that someone will emerge and make big plays.
Projected lineup: Fletcher Loyer, Braden Smith, Ethan Morton, Mason Gillis, Zach Edey
247Sports overall class rank: No. 92
The only other No. 1 seed to fall to a No. 16 seed returned a bunch from said loss and won the national championship the next year. Purdue is capable of a similar run after bringing back four of their five starters from that game, including National Player of the Year in Edey. Edey wasn’t the problem in that loss, putting up 21 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks, but he needed more help. And with Smith and Loyer heading into their sophomore seasons now, they should be improved and have the experience to avoid repeat performances. If Gillis can get back to making better than 40% of his 3-pointers, as he did as a sophomore, that wouldn’t hurt either. The Boilermakers’ offense should continue to cause headaches under Matt Painter, but there’s still some question about whether Purdue will be able to lock down an elite offense, or whether Loyer and Smith are dynamic enough to win out against one of the nation’s best backcourts in March.
Projected lineup: Tyler Kolek, Stevie Mitchell, Kam Jones, David Joplin, Oso Ighodaro
247Sports overall class rank: No. 53
The Big East and Big East Tournament champions only lost one starter from a year ago, though Olivier-Maxence Prosper won’t be the easiest player to replace. Joplin should still be a nice addition to the starting lineup, one that features one of the country’s best point guards in Kolek but only one above-average outside shooter around him. Now he has two (and is an excellent shooter himself). Marquette dominated the turnover battle, ranking in the top 26 in both turnovers forced rate and lowest rate of turnovers given away. Will this year’s team perform better on both ends when teams aren’t giving the ball away?
247Sports overall class rank: No. 67
Three starters are back from a Bluejays team that finished a bucket shy of the Final Four, including All-America candidates in guard Trey Alexander and center Ryan Kalkbrenner. Kalkbrenner is one of the most impactful two-way big men in college hoops, a rim protector who shot 72% on his 2-point attempts a year ago. But Alexander could make the biggest jump after the transfer of point guard Ryan Nembhard; he’ll have the ability to create more. That could allow Utah State transfer Steven Ashworth to do what he does best: shoot. And Baylor Scheierman was a plug-and-play starter who filled in the gaps so well as a shooter, rebounder and even secondary creator last year. Keep an eye on developing sophomore Mason Miller and transfers like Isaac Truant and Johnathan Lawson.
247Sports overall class rank: No. 5
The Huskies will need to avoid the defending champion curse: in the last six tournaments, the defending national champ has fallen short of the tournament’s second weekend. But few teams will be as talented as UConn, which could go from having a dominant center in Adama Sanogo to having a dominant center (in a different way) in sophomore Donovan Clingan. Point guard Tristen Newton and power forward Alex Karaban are returning starters, while Rutgers transfer Cam Spencer and five-star freshman Stephon Castle could be really nice replacements for Jordan Hawkins’ shooting and Andre Jackson’s playmaking, respectively. If other members of the freshman class can provide some help, it would greatly help the Huskies’ depth.
247Sports overall class rank: No. 22
The Cougars lost Marcus Sasser to the draft and Tramon Mark to transfer, but did a reasonable job of replacing both in the transfer portal with Baylor shooter LJ Cryer and Temple transfer Damian Dunn. Sasser and Mark moving on means the backcourt belongs to Jamal Shead, who nearly steered the Cougars to the Final Four in 2022 when Sasser and Mark missed the NCAA Tournament. Sophomore Terrance Arceneaux has the tools to become a star, and Houston has its usual collection of block-and-board big men, including bouncy J’Wan Roberts. Kelvin Sampson should whip up another elite defense for Houston’s opening season in the Big 12.
247Sports overall class rank: No. 18
The Volunteers reached the Sweet 16 a year ago, marking the second time Tennessee hit that threshold under Rick Barnes. And they bring back four of their top six players in minutes from that Sweet 16 game, with Santiago Vescovi and Josiah-Jordan James opting to use their fifth seasons of eligibility. None of that counts Zakai Zeigler, who was injured well before the tournament run, nor does it account for a transfer like Dalton Knecht, who adds some much-needed shooting to the mix. Tennessee will again be tough and physical, and looks at least like another Sweet 16 team.
247Sports overall class rank: No. 166
Critics will say that Florida Atlantic shouldn’t be a top 10 team based solely on last year’s tournament run, which can tend to lead to teams getting over-ranked. And we agree. But here’s the thing: FAU entered the NCAA Tournament as the nation’s No. 26 team on KenPom. Take a No. 26 team that returned most of their team including all five starters and they’d probably project as a top 10 type team the following year anyway. FAU went 35-4 last year and saw Johnell Davis and Alijah Martin become household names in March. If Vladislav Goldin can continue to show what he did in the tournament run, there’s upside here as well.
No. 11: Miami Hurricanes
247Sports overall class rank: No. 65
The Hurricanes hadn’t ever been past the Sweet 16 as a program until going to the Elite Eight in 2022, then following that up with their first Final Four a year ago. Three starters are back from that team: interior force Norchad Omier, sharpshooter Nijel Pack and Wooga Poplar, who Jim Larranaga himself tapped as the next star up. Florida State transfer Matthew Cleveland was second to Poplar in scoring on the team’s trip to France, and second to Omier in rebounding. If sophomore forward AJ Casey can play consistently like he did in France, that wouldn’t hurt either.
No. 12: USC Trojans
247Sports overall class rank: No. 3
The Trojans essentially bring in two five-star players with Isaiah Collier joining the backcourt and sophomore Vince Iwuchukwu arriving fully healthy. Collier’s love to distribute should fit in perfectly next to Boogie Ellis, with Kobe Johnson looking like a potential breakout star next to them. Transfer DJ Rodman is just what the team needs as a 3-and-D type wing, and USC’s depth of big men means Iwuchukwu has plenty of competition for minutes.
No. 13: Gonzaga Bulldogs
247Sports overall class rank: No. 30
This is lower than Gonzaga has traditionally been, and we fully expect the Bulldogs to win another avalanche of games and potentially make another Sweet 16 run. But this doesn’t look as much like a title contender, even with Ryan Nembhard coming in to run the point and likely fixing a big weakness from a year ago and Graham Ike coming in to make the most of Gonzaga’s easy post buckets. Steele Venters is a nice get as a shooter, but the depth is almost all young. If Gonzaga becomes a legitimate title contender, that likely means Anton Watson and Nolan Hickman took giant steps forward.
No. 14: Saint Mary’s Gaels
247Sports overall class rank: No. 166
The Bulldogs are going to have some serious competition in the West Coast Conference because the Gaels should be hot on their heels. Aidan Mahaney was a breakout star as a freshman, and he has plenty of help in big man Mitchell Saxen and Alex Ducas, while Augustas Marciulionis could be ready to step up in a major way. When the two teams meet, it should make for great TV and the usual difference in styles; Gonzaga will once again be a fast-paced, offensively skewed team while Saint Mary’s will be more controlled and tough defensively.
No. 15: Arkansas Razorbacks
247Sports overall class rank: No. 13
Perhaps the best news to come out of a recent Razorbacks workout was that Arkansas shot the ball lights out, thanks in large part to Joseph Pinion. This is a talented and deep team with Devo Davis returning, Trevon Brazile ramping up to full health and the addition of several key transfers, including Houston guard Tramon Mark and Temple scorer Khalif Battle. Eric Musselman seems to have a two-deep at every position, so he’ll be able to roll with the hot hand through the season before tightening up his rotation for March as he typically does.
No. 16: Villanova Wildcats
247Sports overall class rank: No. 42
If Villanova can stay healthy this year, it should provide a better look at what the team/program wants to be under Kyle Neptune. Justin Moore healthy and Eric Dixon and Mark Armstrong returning is a great start boosted by the fact that Neptune fared so well at the wing spots in the transfer portal: Tyler Burton, TJ Bamba and Hakim Hart. If any of the Wildcats’ program depth guys make significant improvement, this team could be a really tough out.
No. 17: Texas Longhorns
247Sports overall class rank: No. 29
Dylan Disu was an All-American level big man down the stretch, and Tyrese Hunter shot the ball better in the second half or so of the season. Is that who both of those players are now? Fellow returning starter Dillon Mitchell could really help his game by making a few more jumpers. Then there are the transfers: Max Abmas is arguably the nation’s best scorer, though he’ll probably show more of his ability to create for others, and Ithiel Horton and Kadin Shedrick both have plug-and-play roles for this team. Depth is solid, and should give Rodney Terry some versatility.
No. 18: Arizona Wildcats
247Sports overall class rank: No. 43
Arizona and USC are likely to battle for the top spot in the Pac-12 this season. The argument for the Wildcats: depth, several high-potential young players, a backcourt that features multiple potential stars in Kylan Boswell, Caleb Love, Pelle Larsson and Jaden Bradley, a returning center in Oumar Ballo who essentially averaged a 14-9 while shooting 65% last year and then there’s San Diego State transfer Keshad Johnson, the kind of connective tissue that often separates contenders from pretenders.
No. 19: Texas A&M Aggies
247Sports overall class rank: No. 68
The Aggies will be an advanced metric darling heading into the season; Torvik picks Texas A&M No. 9 after bringing back 81.3% of their returning production minutes. That includes four starters in Wade Taylor, Boots Radford, Julius Marble and Henry Coleman, and Eli Lawrence and Jace Carter arrive via the portal to fill out the wing group.
No. 20: San Diego State Aztecs
247Sports overall class rank: No. 90
San Diego State brings back four players who logged at least 14 minutes in their Final Four win over Florida Atlantic, and that doesn’t include additions like Reese Dixon-Waters (USC) and Jay Pal (Campbell). This looks like another physical, elite defensive team.
No. 2: TCU Horned Frogs
247Sports overall class rank: No. 31
The Horned Frogs are moving on from the Mike Miles/Damion Baugh backcourt pairing, but transfers like Jameer Nelson Jr. and Avery Anderson III should make that transition easier. Emanuel Miller, Micah Peavy, Chuck O’Bannon and Xavier Cork all started at least eight games at TCU last year, and the frontcourt could be better, anchored by the defense of Kansas transfer Ernest Udeh.
No. 22: North Carolina Tar Heels
247Sports overall class rank: No. 15
These Tar Heels just seem better put together than last year’s version that shockingly missed the NCAA Tournament, with more complementary pieces around honors candidates Armando Bacot and R.J. Davis. Freshman Elliot Cadeau should fit in seamlessly next to Davis, and transfers like Harrison Ingram (Stanford), Cormac Ryan (Notre Dame) and Jae’Lyn Withers (Louisville) have already proven they can play at the major conference level.
No. 23: Colorado Buffaloes
247Sports overall class rank: No. 33
Take an experienced team with four players who started at least 10 games and add in Cody Williams, the No. 4 overall player in the class. Williams is one of the highest potential players in college hoops, and with a team that includes KJ Simpson and Tristan da Silva, he won’t have to be everything every night. Can Colorado coach Tad Boyle get the most out of TCU transfer Eddie Lampkin Jr.?
No. 24: Kentucky Wildcats
247Sports overall class rank: No. 1
John Calipari brings in the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class, but this wasn’t a classic class in terms of talent. Still, this will be a really talented team, and Justin Edwards is a five-star freshman who does all the little things to help his team win. There’s a chance that Antonio Reeves steps into total stardom and Kentucky’s freshmen all find their niches, but this is probably too many new pieces for the Wildcats to be a true national title contender.
No. 25: St. John’s Red Storm
247Sports overall class rank: No. 27
Will this be college basketball’s version of Colorado football? Rick Pitino might wind up being more effective in year one after overhauling the roster with transfers. St. John’s ranks second nationally in Torvik’s transfer points after Pitino essentially hit the reset button on the roster outside of Joel Soriano. Jordan Dingle is the biggest prize, but players like Chris Ledlum and Daniss Jenkins should help push this team into the NCAA Tournament, while Kansas transfer Zuby Ejiofor and former UNC signee Simeon Wilcher — technically not a transfer — provide hope for the future.
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