NBA Draft Rankings by Position

 

2025 NBA Draft's Most Underrated

 Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton

Most mock drafts predict Ryan Kalkbrenner to be a late-1st or early 2nd-round pick, but he might just be the best center in this draft. While his lack of elite athleticism is likely keeping him under the radar, he’s much more athletic than he might seem at first glance, and his subtle ability to read the game and nearly always make the right play seems to be going unnoticed. Kalkbrenner’s feel for how the defense is reacting to him and his teammates is about as good as it gets, and he’s nearly always instinctively in the right position on both ends of the floor.

While it seems most projections put a heavy emphasis on “potential,” Kalkbrenner is ready to step in and play right away. He has great size and strength, and plays with a toughness and physicality that’s hard to deal with. He’s always focused and determined to impact the game, with his aggression, activity, and effort never being a question.

Offensively Kalkbrenner can do it all. He runs the court extremely well, often beating his man down the court for easy baskets or setting up massive advantages to seal his opponent off with his positioning. He’s extremely dangerous in the post with great footwork, a plethora of post moves, and the decision-making ability to find a teammate when the time is right. He’s a great finisher around the basket, but he also has a great jumpshot with the ability to step out and hit the 3.

Kalkbrenner sets great screens and threatens the defense immediately after. He’s a constant lob threat when diving toward the rim, but his deadly shooting ability makes the defense pick its own poison when deciding how to guard him. His high IQ and ability to adjust to whatever the opponent is doing is extremely undervalued, as this is what ultimately wins games. Kalkbrenner has tons of big-time experience on the game’s biggest stages, and his Creighton teams had lots of success throughout his time there.

While I haven’t heard much talk about his defense, the tape shows a guy who’s always competing and in the right position. He defends the rim at a high level, and he’s always there to help if a teammate gets beat. Kalkbrenner isn’t an elite rebounder, but he boxes out and typically seals his man off from getting the rebound himself. His game reminds me of Brook Lopez, and it won’t be long before he becomes one of the better centers in the league.

 

Danny Wolf, Michigan

Danny Wolf is projected to go in the mid-to-late 1st or early 2nd-round, but his unique skill-set at 7’0” and 250 pounds should have him ranked much higher. His ability to handle and pass like a point guard evokes Jokic comparisons, and while he’s not quite as strong or as dominant a rebounder as the Nuggets superstar, he’s quicker and runs the floor even better.

Offensively Wolf does everything extremely well. His expert ball-handling and tremendous footwork make him an extremely difficult matchup, as he’s capable of driving to the basket and creating for himself or his teammates. He’s a great finisher around the basket, even through contact, and he always fights hard for position. He’s also a very good shooter with deep 3-point range.

He’s not thought of as a guy who blocks a lot of shots, but he’s nearly always in the right position, and he actually defends the rim extremely well. Wolf is a very intelligent player who has won everywhere he went, a trend I expect to continue at the NBA level. He’s already better than most centers in the league and is ready to step in and play right away.

Rocco Zikarsky, Australia

Although the sample size is small, I love what I’ve seen from Rocco Zikarsky. His tremendous size and length make him extremely tough to deal with around the basket, and while he’s still pretty thin, he plays with a toughness and aggression that can’t be taught. Still only 18 years old, Zikarsky has tons of room to continue growing into his 7’3” frame.

Zikarsky is actually a phenomenal athlete. He’s an absolute terror on the offensive boards, as he reads the ball extremely well off the rim and often dominates games with put-back dunks. He’s an aggressive finisher that looks to throw it down every time he touches it, and he does a great job moving to open space to create passing lanes.

Zikarsky sets great screens and rolls hard to the basket, where he’s almost impossible to stop. He’s a huge alley-oop threat, but he’s also shown a nice touch around the basket with floaters and layups. He gets great position and is patient with his footwork, and he’s already shown nice moves in the post. He’s even shown the ability to knock down 3’s.

Rocco is also really good defensively. He moves his feet extremely well to stay in front of opponents on the perimeter, and he defends the rim at a high level. He’s still just scratching the surface of what he can become, but he’s good enough to contribute right away. His competitive toughness makes me believe that he will continue improving and getting stronger, and I expect him to eventually develop into one of the better centers in the league.

Adou Thiero, Arkansas

Adou Thiero has the size, length, and athleticism to develop into a dominant NBA player. He plays with toughness and relentless aggression on both ends, making life difficult on any opponent he faces. His confident mentality will serve him well at the next level.

Thiero is a good ball-handler, and he uses his strength and physicality to get where he wants to go. He aggressively attacks the rim and finishes through contact, often with highlight reel dunks over and through defenders. He’s got a nice mid-range game and good touch around the basket, and he’s a very good passer who finds the open man, often with nice hit-ahead passes to start the break. While his 3-point shooting percentage wasn’t very good, his shot looks nice and I expect him to figure it out and continue improving throughout his career.

Thiero is really tough defensively as well. His elite physical attributes and athleticism give him the versatile tools to matchup up with almost anyone, and he always plays with great energy and effort. He reminds me a lot of OG Anunoby, and if he turns out anything like that he will be a steal in this draft.

2025 NBA Draft Rankings: Final Big Board

 

NCAA Tournament Bracket Cheatsheet, West Region

 West Region

(1) Florida

Florida’s dominant win at Auburn showed that they’re capable of beating anyone anywhere. Another huge win at Alabama put everyone on notice that the Gators were now among the national championship favorites. Their total domination of the SEC tournament, featuring probably the most stacked conference in the history of college basketball, makes the Gators THE championship favorite coming into the NCAA tournament.

They have the size, depth, and versatility to make life difficult for their opponents on both ends of the court. They can put lineups on the floor where all five guys can pass, dribble, and shoot, allowing them to space out and break down the defense in a variety of ways. Having multiple big guys who can pass and knock down an open shot makes them extremely difficult to guard. Combine that with a bunch of players who move well without the ball and unselfishly look to find the open man, and you have a free-flowing offense that’s beautiful to watch.

Florida has a bunch of good ball-handlers, as well as multiple guys who aren’t afraid to take and make a big shot. Their depth is a huge asset, giving them the size, strength, quickness, and toughness to match up well with any different kind of lineup. Their guards apply pressure defensively while breaking it offensively, and all these things combined make Florida the deepest and most versatile team in college basketball.

While they’ve had some lapses at times and let some big leads slip away this season, Florida has really stepped it up defensively in recent games and has kept their foot on the gas pedal. They’re completely healthy now, and they’ve got a long list of players with futures in the NBA. The Gators have the best chance to cut down the nets in San Antonio.

 

(16) Norfolk St

Norfolk St has a great basketball program and is seemingly always in the conversation to make the NCAA tournament. This year is no different, and they actually have a very talented team with the size, length, quickness, and athleticism to cause problems for a lot of opponents. Unfortunately for the Spartans, they drew the worst possible matchup in this entire tournament.

Norfolk St is led by their guards Brian Moore Jr and Christian Ings. It’s unfortunate that this team wasn’t given a little more respect by the committee, because under different circumstances, I’d say they might have a chance to pull a major upset. Florida is just too good.

 

(8) UCONN

 

UCONN is obviously well-coached and has a wealth of NCAA tournament experience, but this team isn’t quite at the level of the last 2. The Huskies still have a lot of ways to hurt their opponents with a well-rounded offensive group, but their defense is nowhere close to as good as the ones they had during their national championship runs. UCONN should have a good size and depth advantage against Oklahoma, but with Florida lurking in round 2 the Huskies are unlikely to win more than one game in this tournament.

(9) Oklahoma

 

Oklahoma is led by star freshman Jeremiah Fears, who is likely to be a lottery pick in this year’s NBA Draft, but unfortunately he doesn’t have a lot of help. Senior Jalon Moore has been great as well, but he’s been the only other consistent offensive contributor, and the Sooners will need at least 1 or 2 other players to step up if they have any hope of beating UCONN. UCONN’s depth and experience definitely gives them the edge in this matchup, but with a superstar like Fears, Oklahoma definitely has a chance. If the Sooners are able to get by UCONN, they’ll likely get blown out by Florida.

(4) Maryland

 

Maryland has one of the most talented starting 5’s of any team in the country. Derik Queen might be the best big man in college basketball, and Julian Reese joins him in the front-court to make life difficult on opponents around the basket and on the boards. Guards Ja’Kobe Gillespie, Selton Miguel, and Rodney Rice are all good shooters who can also get to the rim, but the Terps haven’t had much of a contribution from their bench all season long.

While Maryland is very talented offensively as has scorers at all 5 positions, their defensive effort has left a lot to be desired. They’ve lacked the toughness and physicality they need on that end of the floor, and they’ll have to play much better defense than they have all season if they want to make a deep run in this tournament. They’ve shown they have the ability to do it, but they have to be more consistent, and they need to find someone off the bench that can help them out a little bit. The Terrapins are certainly capable of making the Sweet 16, but they’re unlikely to have a chance to beat Florida, and it’s certainly a possibility that they lose to Grand Canyon in round 1, or to Memphis or Colorado St in round 2.

 

(13) Grand Canyon

 

I really like this Grand Canyon squad, but I don’t love the matchup. The Lopes knocked off St. Mary’s in the first round last season before losing a competitive game to Alabama, but this contest against Maryland is more like last year’s Alabama game than the one against St. Mary’s.

Grand Canyon has great length and several explosively athletic players, including last year’s tournament hero Tyon Grant-Foster. This team is tough, physical, and aggressive on both ends of the floor, and they certainly have the talent to win multiple games in this tournament. It’s a little unlucky to draw one of the biggest and best frontcourts in college basketball in round 1, but Grand Canyon has the length and toughness to battle Maryland’s talented bigs down low. While I definitely think Grand Canyon has a chance in this game, it’s more likely that they lose a close one.

(5) Memphis

 

Memphis has great size, length, and athleticism. They have one of the nation’s best scorers in PJ Haggerty, but unfortunately it looks like his backcourt teammate Tyrese Hunter is going to miss this game with an injury. This has led the bookies to make 12th-seeded Colorado St the favorite, which I think might be a mistake.

Colorado St lacks a true inside presence down low, which should have Memphis big man Dain Dainja licking his chops. The Tigers should look to pound the ball inside to Dainja as often as possible, as the Rams will likely have no answer for him.

This Memphis team can compete with anyone when they play their best, but they’ve had the tendency to get sloppy and lose focus a little too often. Their intensity can definitely waver at times, so they’ll need to be locked in to take care of business in this one. If they get by Colorado St they’ll have a decent chance to win their next game against Maryland or Grand Canyon, but the run will likely end there.

 

(12) Colorado St

 

Colorado St shares the ball extremely well and has great shooters all over the floor. Their excellent ball movement results in lots of high-quality looks from 3-point range, and they’ve been knocking them down at a high rate all season long.

The Rams are lead by future pro Nique Clifford, who’s been dominating his opponents in nearly every facet of the game. He’ll undoubtedly be a tough matchup for Memphis, but the Tigers have the size and length to at least disrupt him a little and keep him from having his way around the basket.

I really like how scrappy this team is, and they play a beautiful brand of high-IQ basketball that’s fun to watch. Unfortunately they lack the same kind of size and athleticism that Memphis possesses, and it will be tough for Colorado St to overcome their physical disadvantages.

 

(3) Texas Tech

 

This Texas Tech squad is pretty banged up. 2 of their top 3 scorers, Derrion Williams and Chance McMillian, missed their last game against Arizona and have been in and out of the lineup with injuries, but several players have stepped up in their absence. Freshman Christian Anderson looks more than comfortable taking on a bigger role, while Kevin Overton, Kerwin Walton, and Elijah Hawkins have also made some important contributions.

JT Toppin has been dominant inside all season, and while he’s not the biggest player, he’s consistently attacked the basket with aggression and ferocity. He’ll be up against a much bigger opponent in UNCW’s Harlan Obioha, but Toppin will certainly have the quickness and mobility advantage.

Despite the injuries continuing to mount, Texas Tech just keeps on competing and winning. They’re tough, physical, and play bigger than their size, but they’ll definitely need a few role players to step up if Williams and McMillian can’t suit up. I really like this Red Raiders team, and I look for them to still get through to the Sweet 16 even with the injuries.

 

(14) UNCW

 

UNCW is definitely the best 14-seed in the tournament, but unfortunately they drew one of the 2 best 3-seeds. The Seahawks are led by their talented backcourt, guards Donovan Newby and Bo Montgomery. They’re both tough, strong, and can get to the rim as well as knock down shots from the outside.

UNCW has the size and length to cause problems for Texas Tech. They play an aggressive brand of defense that makes life difficult on any opponent, with the versatility to cause matchup problems on both ends of the floor. They definitely have a chance to pull an upset or 2, and if you’re looking to back a 14-seed to beat a 3-seed, this is the one to pick.

 

(6) Missouri

 

Missouri has been consistently overlooked this season, so it’s no surprise that many of the TV personalities and talking heads of the sports-world are picking Drake to upset the Tigers. While Drake comes in winning 7 straight games and 18 of their last 19, none of those wins has come against a team with the size, speed, and athleticism of Missouri.

The Tigers play extremely tough, physical, and aggressive defense. They give relentless effort on both ends of the floor, and I expect their length and explosive athleticism to cause major problems for Drake.

Coach Dennis Gates has done a great job with this team. Missouri was 8-24 last year and lost all 18 games in conference play, but this season they finished 22-11 and 10-8 in the toughest conference in the country. This team lacks a true star, which has hurt them on several occasions when trying to close out tight games, but they know their identity and they always play extremely hard. Missouri is a dangerous team more than capable of reaching the Sweet 16.

 

(11) Drake

 

I love Drake’s point guard Bennett Stirtz, but his team will be at a significant size, speed, and athleticism disadvantage against Missouri. It will be extremely important for Drake to slow this game down and control the tempo, keeping it from turning into a track meet and limiting Missouri’s transition opportunities. If Drake can make this a half-court contest they’ve certainly got a chance, but that will be much easier said than done. I think Missouri likely wins and sends Drake home with another 1^st round loss.

 

(7) Kansas

 

Calling Kansas an experienced team is a massive understatement. Their entire roster has seemingly been playing college basketball for 10+ seasons, to the point where they actually seem to be getting too old to play at this level. This Jayhawks squad hasn’t had the success we’re used to seeing from most Kansas teams, and the main problem has been the lack of consistency from the wings.

However, the Jayhawks still have great size and play a tough and aggressive brand of basketball, and I think their experience will help them get past Arkansas in round 1. Their run will likely end in round 2, where they’ll almost certainly face an extremely tough St. John’s team.

 

(10) Arkansas

 

Despite having a roster loaded with talent, Arkansas just hasn’t been able to put it together this season. Several important injuries have made things difficult, but the Razorbacks just haven’t played very smart basketball and have been wildly inconsistent all season long.

It appears that Adou Thiero, who has been their best player for most of the year, will miss at least this first game against Kansas, but Arkansas will get Boogie Fland back after missing the last 2 months with an injury. This team is obviously extremely talented, and they’ve got the size, length, and athleticism to match up with anyone in the country, but I just don’t trust them to play to their potential.  I’m going with Kansas.

 

(2) St. John’s

 

St. John’s has been one of the most impressive teams in the country this season. They’ve got one of the best backcourts in college basketball with RJ Luis and Kadary Richmond, along with one of the most versatile big men in Zuby Ejiofor down low. They’re joined by a quick and athletic supporting cast that helped them dominate the Big East, easily winning both the regular season and conference tournament titles.

The Red Storm play an incredibly tough and physical brand of defense, which holds opponents in check until they can heat up offensively and reel off a big run. This has helped them weather the cold spells they can sometimes experience on the offensive end, which usually happen when they temporarily lose focus and get a little sloppy. These mental lapses make it hard for me to fully trust them against the nation’s best teams, but you don’t win 9 straight games and 19 out of 20 without doing a lot of things right. I expect St. John’s to reach the Elite 8, where I think they’ll run into a Florida team that is just playing better than everyone at the moment.

(15) Omaha

 

I really like Marquel Sutton and JJ White, but Omaha lacks the size, length, and athleticism to knock off St. John’s. While the Mavericks have been pretty good offensively, their defense hasn’t been very good, and they’ve really struggled to rebound. This will be a problem against a very good St. John’s team that crashes the glass and flies around for loose balls, so I fully expect St. John’s to take care of business in this one.

2025 NCAA Tournament Bracket Cheatsheet, South Region

It’s once again time for the 2025 NCAA Basketball Tournament Cheatsheet! We’ll go through the entire bracket region by region, projecting the most likely outcomes for every team in the tournament with an in-depth look at each first-round matchup.

Last year there was an overwhelming favorite in UCONN, and they steamrolled their way to a pretty easy National Championship. This year there are probably 7 teams with a realistic chance to cut down the nets in San Antonio, but I believe Florida and Duke are slightly above the rest of the field. We’ll start with the South Region.

 

South Region

(1) Auburn

Auburn is the top seed and overwhelming favorite to reach the final 4, but there are certainly a few potential roadblocks in their way. The Tigers have one of the nation’s best defenses, pressuring opponents with relentless aggression and effort. They have great size, length, and athleticism at every position, and they’re led by Player of the Year candidate Johni Broome.

Broome is a beast inside and on the boards, but he also has the ability to step outside and knock down the 3. While this Auburn team has plenty of offensive weapons, they can still get disjointed and go cold for stretches of time. They don’t always play intelligent basketball on the offensive end, and this could end up costing them against the very best teams late in the tournament. One reckless, turnover-prone game could spell the end, and while I still expect Auburn to win the South region and reach the Final Four, I think their run is likely to end there against SEC rival Florida.

The Tigers definitely have a chance to win the National Championship this season, but Coach Bruce Pearl’s playing time and lineup decisions could be the difference between potentially winning it all and coming up a little bit short. His decision to keep Tahaad Pettiford on the bench late against Duke cost them the game, and while I understand it’s a delicate balance when a veteran player like Denver Jones has been there for a while and has the experience, Pettiford is a potential NBA all-star and has to be in there for the majority of any big game. He’s one of the most underrated players in the country, and not playing him enough could be the thing that costs Auburn the title this season. Their offense just operates differently when he’s in there, as his ability to break down the defense and find the open man, along with his propensity to knock down big shots in clutch moments, takes their efficiency to another level. While there’s almost no chance they lose their first-round game, their path gets a lot tougher from there on.

 

(16) Alabama St

 

Alabama St won their conference tournament as the 5-seed, squeaking by every game on their way to a tournament berth, then won their first four game on a crazy last-second full-court miracle play. They have good size, length, and athleticism, with lightning-quick ball-handlers who can break down the defense. However, they haven’t been a very good outside shooting team this season, and most of their guys are pretty thin and are likely to get overpowered by an extremely strong and physical Auburn team.

 

(8) Louisville

 

Louisville is one of the most improved programs in the country this year, going from 8 wins a year ago to 27 this season. The Cardinals are a well-rounded team full of veteran players. They’ve got great size, length, and athleticism, and they share the ball offensively while playing very good defense.

Louisville is led by impact transfers Terrence Edwards Jr, Chucky Hepburn, and J’Vonne Hadley. All 3 have lots of big-game experience from previous schools, and while they’ve only spent one year playing together, their chemistry was great from day one. With Hepburn coming up clutch in the big moments, Edwards pacing the team in scoring, and Hadley doing all the dirty work, Louisville certainly has a chance to make a deep run. It won’t be easy though, as they’ve got a difficult first-round matchup in Creighton, with a potential 2^nd round matchup with Auburn if they can get by the Bluejays.

 

 

(9) Creighton

 

Creighton reached the Sweet 16 last year, losing a close game to Tennessee. They return center Ryan Kalkbrenner and point guard Steven Ashworth from that squad, but the losses of Trey Alexander and Baylor Scheierman to the NBA make this a far less experienced team.

The Bluejays have great size and are extremely tough and competitive, but the loss of Pop Isaacs to injury earlier in the season really hurt their depth. Some of their role players really need to step up for Creighton to make a deep run this year, with the 2 most important players being Jamiya Neal and Jasen Green. They’re both athletic wings capable of big offensive performances, and their contributions will likely be the deciding factor in how far this team can go. I give Louisville a slight edge in this first-round matchup, but that’s by no means a guarantee as both teams certainly have a chance in this one.

 

(4) Texas A&M

 

Texas A&M played an epic second-round game with Houston last season, nearly pulling off the upset before ultimately falling in overtime. The majority of that core returned this season, and with the additions of Zhuric Phelps and Pharrel Payne the Aggies appear to be even better this year.

They’ve got great size, length, and athleticism, and they play with an aggressive toughness and physicality that’s really difficult to match. While their decision-making and outside shooting has been questionable at times, the Aggies always put relentless pressure on their opponents on both ends of the floor and will be a tough team to knock out of this tournament.

They should have no trouble winning their opening round matchup, and they already have a win against top-seeded Auburn just 2 weeks ago, so Texas A&M is certainly capable of making a deep run. However, they could potentially have a tough 2^nd round matchup in Michigan, and I think a Sweet 16 appearance is probably the most realistic expectation for the Aggies this season.

 

(13) Yale

 

The Ivy League representative has been extremely tough in the NCAA tournament over the years, pulling several major first-round upsets, including Yale’s win over Auburn last season. This will undoubtedly make Yale a popular upset pick this year, and while it’s certainly a possibility, the matchup is not ideal.

Yale is a smart team that moves the ball and shoots it well from the perimeter. They’re led by John Poulakidas, Nick Townsend, and Bez Mbeng, all great shooters, but their lack of an inside scoring threat and inferior athleticism could be an issue against a bigger Texas A&M squad.

Yale came up big late to win the conference tournament over Cornell, but they’ll have to play much better if they want to knock off the Aggies. If somehow they are able to get by Texas A&M, they’ll likely draw another bad matchup against a Michigan team with great size inside.

 

(5) Michigan

 

I don’t fully trust this Michigan team, but it’s tough to dispute the fact that they’re playing some pretty good basketball right now.  They just won the Big Ten conference tournament, and they’ve got one of the biggest front-courts in college basketball.

Danny Wolf and Vladislav Goldin are imposing figures inside, and both have the size and skill to dominate in their own way. Danny Wolf is a point guard in a center’s body, while Goldin is a more traditional big in the post. The question mark with this team is the guard play and the defense.

Auburn transfer Tre Donaldson has had a good season, leading the way with his toughness and aggression. The role-playing guards on the perimeter will likely decide how far this team can go, and my eye will be on freshman L.J. Cason. He hasn’t played a lot of minutes this season, but I believe he has an NBA future, and if Michigan is going to make a deep run, I look for him to be the x-factor.

Michigan has drawn a great first-round matchup in UC San Diego, a team they should absolutely dominate. The road will get much harder in round 2 with a possible matchup against Texas A&M, a team whose toughness and physicality could be an issue for this Wolverine team.

(12) UC San Diego

 

UC San Diego is a great passing team with some good shooters, but they’re small and not very athletic, 2 things that could be a huge problem against a Michigan team with great size inside. A team that plays below the rim will have a very difficult time grabbing rebounds and scoring around the basket against Michigan, and unfortunately for UC San Diego, they just don’t have anyone big enough to contend with Michigan’s twin towers inside.

The spread is surprisingly set at only 2.5 points in this 5-12 matchup, but in my view Michigan should be a much bigger favorite. UC San Diego just doesn’t have the size, length, or speed to threaten Michigan, and I’d be shocked if the Tritons end up pulling off the upset. This seems more like a great betting opportunity to go with the Wolverines.

 

(3) Iowa St

 

Iowa St is an extremely tough team, but injuries are threatening to derail what has been a really good season. Iowa St reached the Sweet 16 last year, where they lost a tight game to Illinois, and they returned the core from that team to make another run at it this year. Unfortunately 2 of their leaders have been banged up late in the season.

2^nd-leading scorer Keshon Gilbert has already been ruled out for the season, and point guard Tamin Lipsey appears ready to give it a go despite missing their last game against BYU. This team is extremely tough when healthy, but there’s no doubt that these injuries will play a massive role. The supporting cast will need to step up in a big way for Iowa St to duplicate their success from last season, but the good news is they received a very favorable draw from the committee.

Iowa St draws Lipscomb in round 1, a smaller team that can really shoot it but lacks the elite speed and athleticism that could threaten the Cyclones. This section of the draw is the best opportunity to break through to an Elite 8, and while I think it’s probably more likely that Michigan St, Marquette, Ole Miss, or UNC will be the team that gets there, Iowa St could certainly be the team that emerges as well.

 

(14) Lipscomb

 

Lipscomb is absolutely deadly from 3-point range, giving them a shooter’s chance to pull off a few upsets. They play with great effort and intensity on both ends of the floor, but they’re undersized and not the quickest or most athletic team. They do pass the ball extremely well and play with a craftiness that can throw teams off, and with the way they shoot it from outside, they’re certainly capable of advancing in this section of the bracket.

Lipscomb plays below the rim and will likely have a tough time rebounding, but fortunately for them they’ve drawn what is probably the smallest section of the draw in the entire tournament. Despite this, I still think Lipscomb is unlikely to beat Iowa St.

 

(6) Ole Miss

 

Ole Miss is a well-rounded and tough defensive team. While they’re a little undersized, they make up for it with quickness, aggression, and physicality. Their lack of a true big man would normally be a big problem, but luckily this part of the bracket is void of teams with great size inside.

The door is open for a deep run to the Elite 8, and Ole Miss is one of the teams with a shot at it. The matchup with UNC is a much more difficult one than it might have been just a few weeks ago, but if Ole Miss is able to advance to play a banged-up Iowa St squad, they’d be in a favorable situation to move on to the Sweet 16. Truly anything could happen in this section of the bracket.

(11) UNC

 

North Carolina has been the focal point of criticism toward the NCAA tournament committee, as it seems that most everyone thinks the Tar Heels didn’t deserve to be included. I actually think the committee did the best job in recent memory this season, and it’s not just because I’m a UNC alum. The Tar Heels had a pretty rough first half of the season, but they’re playing their best basketball right now, and they’re certainly one of the best 68 teams in the country.

Being literally the last team in the tournament should give the Tar Heels something to prove, and judging by their performance against San Diego St, it definitely lit a fire under them. While UNC is uncharacteristically small this year and has shown a disappointing lack of problem solving when it comes to lineup changes and other strategic adjustments, the Tar Heels have landed in the most wide open section of the bracket, giving them the opportunity to make a deep run as far as the Elite 8. Carolina certainly has the talent and guard play to win a few games in this tournament, but they’re also more than capable of falling to Ole Miss in the first round.

 

(7) Marquette

 

Marquette returns a big part of the group from their Sweet 16 run last season, but much like the rest of the teams in this section of the bracket, they lack a true inside presence. They do have great guards led by senior Kam Jones, and he’s the kind of player who can capitalize on this opportunity to break through to an Elite 8.

Marquette is very good defensively and plays with toughness, aggression, and physicality on both ends of the floor. They’ve got some good slashers and guys who can knock down open threes, but they’ll likely need Kam Jones to carry them and score 20+ every game if they hope to advance deep into this tournament. He’s certainly capable of doing that, but he’ll also need some big contributions from a few of the role players if the Golden Eagles hope to get by the likes of New Mexico and Michigan St.

I’m looking at 2 guys in particular that I believe have NBA futures, sophomore Zaide Lowery and freshman Royce Parham. Marquette should be able to get by New Mexico, but one or both of those two young players probably need to have big performances for the Golden Eagles to advance past a potential matchup with Michigan St.

(10) New Mexico

 

New Mexico is the team with the best true big man in this section of the draw. Nelly Junior Joseph has great size and strength down low, and when you pair him with Donovan Dent, one of the most exciting players to watch in this tournament, they’ve also got a chance at a deep run.

Dent can put the ball in the basket in every way possible. At just 6’2” he’s not a very big guy, but he still finds ways to get to the basket and finish around the rim. He’s a great shooter with in-the-gym range, and he’s extremely good at breaking down the defense and finding the open man.

If New Mexico is going to advance past Marquette, they’re going to need some big contributions from some of the role players. Considering they just lost to Boise St I think they’re most likely to lose to the Golden Eagles in round 1, but the Lobos are also more than capable of winning that game and even a couple more.

(2) Michigan St

 

Michigan St and Coach Tom Izzo are always extremely dangerous in the NCAA tournament, and this year is no exception. The Spartans are led by a great group of guards, and while they’ve had a great year on their way to the regular-season Big Ten title, I do think Michigan St is by far the most vulnerable 2-seed in the tournament.

Much like the rest of this section of the draw, the Spartans lack a true big man inside, but they’re tough and physical and rebound extremely well, like all Michigan St teams tend to do. While the effort is always there, the offense can be inconsistent at times, and their lack of a real offensive threat down low could end up being a problem. This team is certainly capable of making a run to the Elite 8, but while I think they are likely to get past Bryant, potential trouble lurks with a possible matchup with Marquette in round 2.

(15) Bryant

 

Bryant is actually one of the bigger teams in the tournament, with all 5 starters coming in at 6’6” or taller. They have tremendous size and length, including 6’11” center Keyshawn Mitchell inside, and if you’re looking to pick a 15-seed to knock off a 2-seed, Bryant is the one to choose.

While their size and skill was very impressive in a bunch of blowout wins to win their conference tournament, the other teams in their conference don’t compare to the toughness and physicality of Michigan St. Bryant will have to bring much more intensity, physicality, and toughness than they’ve shown on the defensive end of the floor if they hope to knock off the Spartans.

Bryant hung with St. John’s for a while and didn’t look overwhelmed early in the season before ultimately losing by 22, but a concerning blowout loss to Grand Canyon doesn’t bode well for their upset chances against Michigan St. They were missing their leading scorer Raphael Pinzon for that one however, so maybe they should get somewhat of a pass.

The bottom line is that Bryant has a lot of talent, with the size, length, and athleticism to create problems for everyone in this section of the draw. They’ve got multiple ball-handlers, led by conference player of the year Earl Timberlake, who plays with the confidence to compete against anyone. If we’re going to see a true Cinderella team make a deep run in this tournament, I think Bryant is the most likely candidate.

link to last year's 2024 NCAA Tournament Bracket Cheatsheet

NCAA Tournament Cheat Sheet — March Madness Betting 2024

Basketball Newsletter #2 2024

 Basketball Newsletter #2

November 12, 2024

 

Only a few days after Newsletter #1 we have a few adjustments. While I still believe Alabama is the deepest and most talented team in the country, they obviously still have a few things to iron out, specifically problems with their lineups and who to play.

 

I’m sure it gets tricky when you have veteran guys who’ve been in the program for years, getting pushed by the young studs who are certain to be future NBA players.  While having such great depth is typically a good thing, right now it’s taking a toll on Alabama’s efficiency and continuity. They’ve had a few tough matchups against underrated teams in Arkansas State and McNeese, but at this point they don’t look like the best team.

 

Last year we were beating the drums for UCONN before the season even started, never wavering from that pick all season long. This year is different. There is no clear-cut best team, and while I think Alabama has the greatest potential, several other teams would have an edge if the tournament started today.

 

One of those teams unfortunately is Duke. As a UNC grad I can never advocate for the Blue Devils as the championship favorites, but an argument can certainly be made that they have looked the best so far.  They haven’t truly been challenged however, and their big game tonight against Kentucky should tell us a lot.  Both Duke and Kentucky are ranked in my top-five coming into this matchup, and it will be interesting to see how Duke’s freshman handle their first huge test.

 

Auburn and Houston played a thriller on Saturday in what could easily be a final four preview.  Both teams are certainly among the best teams in the country defensively, and the emergence of Tahaad Pettiford as the go-to guy late in games could boost Auburn into the championship conversation.

 

With lots of parity at the top, I can’t help but think about UCONN and their chances at the three-peat.  There’s no question that Dan Hurley seems to have the college game figured out, so I wouldn’t bet against them once the tournament gets underway.  Soloman Ball looks to have taken his game to the next level and is now one of the best point guards in the nation, and with the relatively easy schedule UCONN has this year, I actually expect them to enter the NCAA tournament as the #1 overall seed once again.

 

At this point North Florida looks to be the most underrated team in the country and a great team to bet on for the foreseeable future.  They’ve got one of the most efficient offenses and shoot lights out from the perimeter, but they’re also led by a future NBA player in Josh Harris that reminds me of Jeremy Sochan.  He does all the dirty work on both ends of the floor and has already lead them to two impressive road wins at South Carolina and Georgia Tech.  They try to make it three straight with another big matchup at Georgia tonight, and as 11.5 point underdogs they seem like a near lock to cover that number.

 

Here’s the updated team rankings and players to watch list…

 

Basketball Newsletter #1

 Basketball Newsletter #1

November 8, 2024

 

 

College basketball has been underway for less than a week, but the efficiency of this scouting work allows for a pretty clear picture to be taking shape already.

UCONN enters this season looking for a three-peat, but it is Alabama that looks like a substantial favorite to build on their Final Four appearance last season and cut down the nets in San Antonio.  Several other teams will certainly have a shot to deny Nate Oats his first championship, but at this point Alabama looks deeper and more talented than everyone else by a fairly significant margin.

While it’s obviously still very early, the talent in college basketball seems to be as good as it has ever been.  This year’s freshman class is one of the strongest I’ve ever seen, and it’s complimented by a deep group of all ages that will make all NBA draft picks meaningful in 2025.

 

I’ve currently got three guys in the mix for the #1 spot: Igor Demin of BYU, Derik Queen of Maryland, and Tre Johnson of Texas.

 

I don’t say this lightly, but Igor Demin reminds me of Luka Doncic.  He’s even quicker with more bounce.  At 6’9” he has the size to see over the defense and get his shot off whenever he wants.  Much like Doncic he easily breaks down defenses and seemingly knows exactly when to pass or shoot, controlling the game with his timing and decision-making.

 

Derik Queen doesn’t have a ton of help at Maryland, but his game reminds me of Nikola Jokic.  He has incredible footwork, gets great position, and finishes everything around the rim.  He handles the ball extremely well and has the court vision to break down the defense and find the open man. He’s also a tough defender with his impeccable timing when contesting shots.

 

Tre Johnson is a scoring machine.  He has the ability to create for himself and his teammates off the dribble, but putting the ball in the basket is definitely what he does best.  He has a great handle and can score from anywhere on the floor.  He’s a very good shooter with deep range, but he’s also deadly getting all the way to the rim or pulling up for a mid-range jumper.  He also stays engaged defensively with quick feet and hands.

 

The ACC, SEC, and the Big 12 are all loaded with talent, so there won’t be many opportunities to relax for teams in these conferences hoping to make the NCAA tournament.

For those who like to put down a few wagers, I’ve got a few suggestions that look like good opportunities. (updated from my preseason list)

 

UCONN at +130 to win the Big East is a near lock.

 

Alabama will be tough to beat at +220 to win the SEC.

 

South Florida (12-1) to win the American.

 

BYU (30-1) to win the Big 12 in their first year in the league.  The road certainly won’t be easy, but BYU has the best player and a tough team capable of getting it done.  While I currently have Houston rated just a touch higher, their odds at +275 aren’t nearly as enticing.

 

The Big Ten is pretty wide open, but Illinois (10-1), USC (40-1), Michigan (10-1), and Ohio State (9-1) all look like good teams to take a shot on if your heart desires.

 

I cover all of college basketball, the NBA, and even some G-League, so feel free to reach out for more information, specific questions, or other requests.