ESPN updates Way Too Early Top 25 ahead of 2023-24 college basketball season
ESPN has updated their Way-Too-Early Top 25 ahead of the 2023-23 college basketball season.
The latest update comes after Jeremy Roach finalized his plans to return to Duke for another season, spurning the 2023 NBA Draft in the process. Evidently, that was enough to convince ESPN’s Jeff Borzello that the Blue Devils deserve the No. 1 spot over the Kansas Jayhawks.
“While the top of the rankings has fluctuated since the buzzer of last season’s national championship game, the debate for preseason No. 1 can now officially begin, following Duke point guard Jeremy Roach’s announcement that he would withdrawn from the NBA draft and return to Durham for another season,” prefaced Borzello.
“Roach wasn’t expected to be drafted, so this was always the most likely outcome. With him back in the fold, Duke’s core is mostly set. The Blue Devils’ primary competition for the top spot — Kansas — also has its roster solidified after Mackenzie Mgbako chose Indiana over the Jayhawks last week.”
While the Blue Devils are solidified at the top at the moment, we all know a ton could change from now until the start of the season. Nevertheless, here’s Borzello’s Top 25 at the moment, find out where your favorite team ended up.
ESPN’s Updated Way-Too-Early Top 25:
- Duke Blue Devils
- Kansas Jayhawks
- Marquette Golden Eagles
- Michigan State Spartans
- Connecticut Huskies
- Houston Cougars
- Tennessee Volunteers
- Gonzaga Bulldogs
- Florida Atlantic Owls
- Arkansas Razorbacks
- Kentucky Wildcats
- Alabama Crimson Tide
- Saint Mary’s Gaels
- USC Trojans
- Miami Hurricanes
- Creighton Blue Jays
- Baylor Bears
- Purdue Boilermakers
- Texas A&M Aggies
- North Carolina Tar Heels
- Colorado Buffaloes
- Wisconsin Badgers
- Arizona Wildcats
- Maryland Terrapins
- San Diego State Aztecs
The biggest movement within the Top 25 from this version to the last was the Miami Hurricanes moving up from No. 19 to No. 15 in the rankings. According to Borzello, that had a lot to do with the addition of former Florida State star Matthew Cleveland.
“Jim Larrañaga replaced a departed Jordan Miller with an ACC-proven forward in Florida State transfer Matthew Cleveland, who should add more rebounding and paint production to the Hurricanes,” wrote Borzello. “He also showed he was capable of being a go-to scorer after averaging 17.5 points and 11.9 boards during an eight-game stretch midway through the season.”
Outside of Miami, there wasn’t much movement within the Top 25, sans for the Arizona Wildcats moving up one spot from No. 24 to No. 23.
Alas, more will change throughout the remainder of the offseason, but Jeff Borzello is remaining relatively steadfast with his Way-Too-Early Top 25 at the moment.