Will 2024-25 be the year of the blue blood?

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Apr. 10—Late Monday night, Connecticut won its sixth national title at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. Just like our Scott Richey predicted when he had the Huskies at No. 1 in his way-too-early Top 10 a year ago. The rest of it? No need to look and see how right — or wrong — our Illinois men’s basketball beat writer and AP Top 25 voter was last April, as he tries to predict the future again with another way-too-early Top 10 for the 2024-25 season:

1. Duke

It was a typical recruiting cycle for the Blue Devils, who will welcome the No. 1 class in the country to Durham, N.C., for the 2024-25 season. That includes No. 1 overall prospect Cooper Flagg, Khaman Maluach — a 7-footer also projected as a top-five pick for the 2025 NBA draft — a dynamic wing in Isaiah Evans and a knockdown shooter in Kon Knueppel. But it won’t just be a freshman-dominated team. Duke can return a veteran backcourt of Jeremy Roach and Tyrese Proctor in addition to multiple sophomores, who were also once five-star recruits.

2. Connecticut

Three-peat? Why not? Donovan Clingan and Stephon Castle are definitely gone. Both should be lottery picks. Cam Spencer and Tristen Newton have run out of eligibility. That’s four starters out the door. But let’s just assume Dan Hurley can piece together another national title-caliber team since he’s done it twice already. An Alex Karaban and Samson Johnson frontcourt, plus Hassan Diarra, several soon-to-be sophomores in bigger roles, a couple of intriguing freshmen and a portal move or two to round it out should keep the Huskies contending.

3. Kansas

Bill Self’s early portal moves — landing guards Zeke Mayo (South Dakota State) and Riley Kugel (Florida) — show the Kansas coach isn’t about to be caught without enough actual basketball players for a second straight season. Zero depth this past season was the Jayhawks’ Achilles heel. That’s been addressed. Add in the return of Dajuan Harris Jr. and KJ Adams Jr., the chance big man Hunter Dickinson could also…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/2024-25-blue-blood-144800112.html

Author : The News-Gazette, Champaign-Urbana, Ill.

Publish date : 2024-04-10 14:48:00

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