Preseason

HoopsReport.com 2007-08 College Basketball Preview
9.12.2007

Lexington, Ky.- HoopsReport.com takes an early look at the upcoming college hoops season. The addition of Derrick Rose (pictured) to the already loaded Memphis team lands the Tigers at #1 in our preseason top 30. Read more about the nation’s best diaper dandies and teams in the first installment of our Early College Hoops Preview.

Well, the best player in college hoops last season was Kevin Durant and perhaps the most dominating big man was Greg Oden.  The best point guard?  Some would say Acie Law or maybe Aaron Brooks-- but it’s hard to make a case against Mike Conley.  So, like last year, when Kevin Durant, Greg Oden and other diaper dandies stole the spotlight, we expect this will be another year of the freshman. 

NBA commissioner David Stern didn’t plan it this way (although we think he had an inkling as to the number of players that were likely preps-to-pros candidates in the classes of 2006 and 2007), but the NBA Draft age limit coincides with two of the most talented classes of hoops talent in the modern era.  What does that mean for college basketball this season?  It means another influx of NBA-caliber talent is on it‘s way.

Because of the tremendous talent in the class of 2007, we have chosen four freshmen-- OJ Mayo, Derrick Rose, Eric Gordon, and Michael Beasley-- as either first, second, or third team Preseason All-Americans.  And barring injury, we are confident that each player will live up to those lofty expectations.

Mayo will pickup where Nick Young and Gabe Pruitt left off last season at USC and he has made it no secret that his goal is to win a national championship before he leaves the school-- which will undoubtedly be at the end of his freshman year.

While USC appears to be a longshot to win it all, Derrick Rose joins a Memphis squad that is preseason #1 and fresh off back-to-back Elite 8 appearances.  Exactly what can Memphis fans expect when Rose hit’s the court on November 5th at the 2K College Hoops Classic?  Quite possibly the best point guard in the school’s history (and, yes, we know about Anfernee Hardaway, Elliot Perry, Dajuan Wagner, and Darius Washington).

Eric Gordon is another player that is expected to become one of his school’s all-time greats when he joins fellow preseason All-American, senior DJ White, at Indiana University.  Gordon, a high-scoring power guard, is the Hoosier’s most highly coveted recruit since Isiah Thomas.

The best freshman big man this season is Michael Beasley who will join Bill Walker and David Hoskins at Kansas State to form what might be the nation’s top frontcourt.  Beasley is an athletic 6’9 future-lottery pick that could follow in Kevin Durant’s footsteps and be the Big 12’s top player as a freshman.

Not to be overlooked, Kevin Love could be the best player on UCLA’s loaded team that checks in at #2 in our Early Preseason Top 30.  Others freshman that we expect to make a lot of noise this season are Anthony Randolph (LSU), JJ Hickson (NC State), Jerryd Bayless (Arizona), Kosta Koufos (Ohio State), Nick Calathes (Florida), Kyle Singler (Duke), Pat Patterson (Kentucky), and Blake Griffin (Oklahoma).

If your like us and can’t wait to see these phenoms take the court, you should mark down December 4th on the calendar.  That’s the day of the Jimmy V Classic.  In the first game Kansas State and Michael Beasley will take on Notre Dame, but the nightcap is the game that gets us truly excited:  Derrick Rose and Memphis will take on OJ Mayo and USC in a showdown between two of the highest rated point guard prospects of the modern era.

Thank you, Jimmy V.

Early Preseason Top 30

Final Four:

1.  Memphis 33-4 (16-0 Conference)
Only one player is gone from a team that has been to back-to-back Elite 8’s.  Returning veterans include Chris Douglas-Roberts, Antonio Anderson, Joey Dorsey, and Robert Dozier-- all of which have all-league talent.  The addition of Derrick Rose, who will be one of the nation’s best point guards from day one, will get this team over that Elite 8-hump and have them cutting down the nets in San Antonio.

2.  UCLA 30-6 (15-3)
Arron Afflalo left for the league, but everyone else returns for this back-to-back Final Four program including point guard Darren Collison who is a legit All-American candidate.  Freshman Kevin Love is the most highly touted recruit in the school’s modern day history and he is an immediate impact player on the frontline.  With the addition of Love to four players with Final Four experience (Collison, Josh Shipp, Lorenzo Mata-Real, and Luc Richard Mbah-a-Moute) the Bruins look the part of a national title contender.

3.  Kansas 33-5 (14-2)
Four starters are back from a team that was a one-seed and went to the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament last season.  The Jayhawks season will largely depend on how Brandon Rush recovers from his off-season knee surgery (ACL), but if he comes back strong and lives up to his All-American potential we expect this team to advance a step further in the tournament than they did last season.

4.  Tennessee 24-11 (10-6)
The top six leading scorers are back from a team that was up 17 points on national runner-up Ohio State at halftime of last season’s Sweet 16, including Chris Lofton-- who is a frontrunner for National POY.  Add transfer Tyler Smith, a third team All-Big Ten selection as a freshman at Iowa, and Cameron Tatum, one of the nations top prep school players last season, into the mix and this team should be prime for a Final Four appearance.

Elite Eight:

5.  Georgetown 30-7 (13-3)
The Hoyas lose Jeff Green to the NBA but return four starters from their Final Four team including preseason All-American Roy Hibbert.  We expect sophomores DaJuan Summers and Vernon Macklin to be much improved this season and they’ll join Hibbert to form one of the nation’s most intimidating frontcourts.  Throw in veteran guards Jessie Sapp and Jonathan Wallace in addition to a top-15 recruiting class led by McDonald’s All-Americans Austin Freeman and Chris Wright and this team has to be considered a legit national title contender.

6.  North Carolina 31-7 (11-5)
The Tar Heels return National POY candidate Tyler Hansbrough in addition to Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington and we expect Deon Thompson to become a major contributor, but is this team going to be improved without the help of Reyshawn Terry and Brandan Wright?  We’ll give them the nod as the team to beat in the ACC, but we‘re going to hold off before labeling them a Final Four team.

7.  Louisville 24-10 (12-4)
The Cardinals return their top six leading scorers from last season’s squad that came within three points of advancing to the Sweet 16.  Sophomore point guard Edgar Sosa looked like a stud at the end of last season and veterans Terrence Williams, Juan Palacios and David Padgett give this team plenty of experience.  Sophomores Jerry Smith and Earl Clark are possible double-digit scorers and if Derrick Caracter even scratches the surface of his potential he could become this team’s most dangerous player.

8.  Indiana 21-11 (10-6)
DJ White was Team USA’s most productive player at the Pam Am games this summer and he appears ready to make his case for All-American honors, but the Hoosier’s best player will likely be freshman Eric Gordon who could lead the Big 10 in scoring.  White and Gordon will have a solid supporting cast with Armon Bassett, AJ Ratliff, Lance Stemler and junior college transfer Jamarcus Ellis in addition to several newcomers with ability to contribute.  This team will be better than last season’s that advanced to the second round of the tournament before being exited by UCLA.

Sweet 16:

9.  Duke 22-11 (8-8)
The Blue Devils aren’t going to be a popular pick for a ranking this high after their first-round exit from the NCAA tournament last season (not to mention the loss of Josh McRoberts to the NBA).  But they return everyone else from a team that was, at times, very good (remember the 13-1 start that included wins over Air Force, G’Town, Davidson, IU, G’ Mason and Gonzaga?) and when you throw a trio of McDonald’s All-American recruits (Nolan Smith, Kyle Singler and Taylor King) into the mix this team is hard to ignore.  Expect breakout seasons from Jon Scheyer and Gerald Henderson in addition to leadership from veterans Greg Paulus and DeMarcus Nelson.  The team’s Achilles-heel however, appears to be it’s frontcourt.  They will need major contributions from Lance Thomas, Brian Zoubek and freshman Kyle Singler if they plan to make noise come March.

10. USC 25-12 (11-7)
There aren’t going to be many publications that will have USC in the top 10, but let’s not forget they return three key players from a Sweet 16 squad-- one of which has all-league talent (Taj Gibson).  That’s not a bad core to build around and build is what Coach Floyd did when he rounded up the nation’s #2 recruiting class.  OJ Mayo is a probable All-American and could have the closest thing to a Kevin Durant-like freshman campaign that we’ll see this season.  Davon Jefferson is another newcomer that comes in with a big reputation: he was the #1 ranked post-grad player in the country this year.  The question with this team will be chemistry.  If the trio of all-world talents (Gibson, Mayo, and Jefferson) compliment each other it’s possible the Trojans will be a Final Four contender.  If Gibson, Mayo and Jefferson don’t mesh, on the other hand, they might not make it out of the loaded Pac-10.

11. Michigan State 23-12 (8-8)
The Spartans return all five starters-- including All-American candidate Drew Neitzel-- from a 23-12 squad that advanced to the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament.

12. Arizona 20-11 (11-7)
Jerryd Bayless and Chase Budinger are as talented as any duo you’ll find in college hoops.  Will the Wildcats finally have the chemistry to match the talent?

13. Stanford 18-13 (10-8)
The Cardinals have arguably the nation’s top frontcourt with Lawrence Hill and the Lopez twins (Robin and Brook).  They were very good at times last season but also very bad at times.  Which will it be this year?

14. Marquette 24-10 (10-6)
Every player returns from a team that won 24 games a year ago-- including All-American candidate Dominic James.

15. Kentucky 22-12 (9-7)
First-year head coach Billy Gillispie is a plus and the backcourt will be tough with seniors Ramel Bradley and Joe Crawford in addition to talented underclassmen Jodie Meeks, Derrick Jasper and Alex Legion, but will newcomer Pat Patterson be able to carry the load in the frontcourt? 

16. North Carolina State 20-16 (5-11)
Four starters return from a team that nearly won the ACC tournament.  The addition of McDonald’s All-American JJ Hickson to an already loaded frontline will make sure this team won’t have to settle for the NIT this time around.

Best of the Rest:

17. Kansas State 23-13 (10-6)
Second team All-Big 12 selection David Hoskins returns from a team that barely missed the NCAA tourney-cut.  Sophomore Bill Walker, a player with All-Big 12 potential, will be back after sitting out most of last season with a torn ACL and Michael Beasley is rated by some as the nation’s top incoming freshman.

18. Washington State 26-8 (13-5)
Four starters (Kyle Weaver, Derrick Low, Robbie Cowgill and Daven Harmeling) return from a team that was a #3-seed in the NCAA tournament last season.

19. Gonzaga 23-11 (11-3)
The Bulldogs should be prime to dominate their conference once again, but will they be a better team despite the loss of Derek Raivio?

20. Oregon 29-8 (11-7)
Aaron Brooks is gone, but every other impact player is back from an Elite 8 squad including 5‘6 sophomore-sharpshooter Tajuan Porter who scored 27, 28, and 38 points in the first three games of his college career.  

21. Texas 25-10 (12-4)
National POY Kevin Durant left for the pros but enough talent returns that the Longhorns could be better than they were a year ago-- even without Durant.  Sophomore point guard DJ Augustin is a HoopsReport.com Third Team All-American choice and AJ Abrams, Damion James, and Justin Mason should have breakout seasons.

22. Florida 35-5 (13-3)
The best six players from the National Championship team are gone so this is going to be a rebuilding year, but Coach Donovan has plenty of talent to work with after bringing in the nation’s #1 recruiting class.  Expect big seasons from returning players Walter Hodge and Marreese Speights and newcomers Nick Calathes and Alex Tyus.  This team will surprise a lot of people.

23. Davidson 29-5 (17-1)
All five starters return from a squad that went 29-5 a year ago, including Stephen Curry-- a HoopsReport.com Third Team All-American choice (preseason) that scored a combined 89 points in his final three games as a freshman.

24. Arkansas 21-14 (7-9)
The top eight scorers from last season’s NCAA tourney team return, including sophomore Patrick Beverly who is an All-SEC candidate.

25. Ohio State 35-4 (15-1)
It would be hard for any team to recover after losing five of their top players including a pair of NBA Draft lottery picks, but the Buckeyes return Jamar Butler, David Lighty and Othello Hunter-- three players that had their moments on last season’s national runner-up team-- and McDonald’s All-American Kosta Koufos will is ease the pain from the loss of Greg Oden.  Like Florida, don’t sleep on this squad.

26. Texas A&M 27-7 (13-3)
Coach Gillispie is now at Kentucky and All-American Acie Law is in the League but new head coach Mark Turgeon has three starters back, including All-Big 12 candidate Joseph Jones in addition to a top recruiting class.

27. VCU 28-7 (16-2)
We all remember what Eric Maynor did to Duke in the NCAA tournament last season.  Well, that performance wasn’t a fluke-- he’s one of the nation’s very best point guards and he’s back for his junior season along with a pair of fellow returning-starters from last season’s 28-7 squad.

28. Alabama 20-12 (7-9)
The Crimson Tide underachieved last season and missed an NCAA tournament birth and then to make matters worse lost to UMASS in the first round of the NIT.  The good news is veterans Ronald Steele, Alonzo Gee, Richard Hendrix, and Brandon Hollinger return and they’ll get plenty of help from a top-25 recruiting class.

29. Purdue 22-12 (9-7)
The Boilermakers will likely get slept on this season because Carl Landry and David Teague are gone, but three starters return from a team that made it to the second round of the NCAA tournament (where they lost to eventual champ Florida).  The real reason to get excited though, is the top-5 recruiting class that includes four top-50 freshmen (E’Twaun Moore, Scott Martin, Robbie Hummel, and JaJuan Johnson).