With about three months between now and the start of college basketball, it is a good time to start looking at how conferences will look this upcoming season.
It will be difficult for the Pac-12 to live up to the hype surrounding their top teams last season, but that may be what happens. With one team looking like a National Championship favorite, and three others right behind them, this is looking like a good year for the top of the conference. With a lot of talent leaving, plenty returning, players getting healthy, and new players coming in, it should be an exciting year for the Pac-12.
Let’s take a look at the Pac-12, from the bottom up.
Note: All “Key Additions” are players who didn’t play during the 2016-2017 conference schedule. Unless otherwise noted, additions are true freshmen from the 2017 recruiting class.
12) California Golden Bears
2016-2017 Record: 21-13 (10-8, T-5th Pac-12)
Head Coach: Wyking Jones, 1st Season
Top Departures: Ivan Rabb, Jabari Bird, Grant Mullins, Sam Singer, Kameron Rooks, Stephen Domingo, Roger Moute a Bidias
Returning Players: Kingsley Okoroh, Don Colemon
Key Additions: Marcus Lee (Transfer, Kentucky), Justice Sueing, Juhwan Harris-Dyson, Deschon Winston, Darius McNeal
Analysis:
It is almost impossible to have high hopes for Cal, as they return very little talent and have a brand-new head coach. Wyking Jones will have a tough task, especially when it comes to figuring out the team’s offense.
Returning to the Golden Bears are Kingsley Okoroh and Don Coleman, neither of whom was a particularly strong offensive player. Okoroh, however, could be one of the best interior defenders in the Pac-12.
One key addition that will be crucial to Cal, is Kentucky transfer Marcus Lee. Lee is an incredibly efficient scorer around the basket, and should have more opportunities to score this season. Cal also has a good core of freshman coming in, and they will be needed early and often this season.
For right now the Cal Golden Bear have too many question marks on offense to put them any higher than last in the Pac-12. If Jones is able to answer these questions early, Cal could definitely rise a few spots in these rankings.
11) Washington State Cougars
2016-2017 Record: 12-18 (6-12, T-9th Pac-12)
Head Coach: Ernie Kent, 4th Season
Top Departures: Josh Hawkinson, Ike Iroegbu, Charles Callison, Conor Clifford,
Returning Players: Malachi Flynn, Viont’e Daniels, Robert Franks
Key Additions: Drick Bernstine (Transfer, North Dakota), Kwinton Hinson (JUCO Transfer), Milan Acquaah (Redshirt Freshman), Jamar Ergas (Redshirt Freshman), Roberto Gittens
Analysis:
After finishing toward the bottom of the Pac-12 last season, the Washington State Cougars lost four of their five best scorers from one of the Pac-12’s worst offenses.
While Josh Hawkinson and Ike Iroegbu are both gone, Malachi Flynn is poised to take over as a sophomore. Along with Flynn, the Cougars will rely on the veteran leadership of Robert Franks and gras transfer Drick Bernstine.
Roberto Gittens, the only true freshman on scholarship, joins three redshirt freshman, all of whom need to produce in order for the Cougars to be successful.
The reason the Cougars are above the Bears on this this is their stability at Head Coach. That said, they could very well finish at the bottom of the conference, if some of the younger players do not perform.
10) Washington Huskies
2016-2017 Record: 9-22 (2-16, 11th Pac-12)
Head Coach: Mike Hopkins, 1st Season
Top Departures: Markelle Fultz, Malik Dime
Returning Players: David Crisp, Matisse Thybulle, Noah Dickerson, Dominic Green, Carlos Johnson, Sam Timmins
Key Additions: Jaylen Nowell, Hameir Wright, Nahziah Carter
Analysis:
It may be surprising that Washington, who finished 11th last season before losing Markelle Fultz, is not at the bottom of this list. This is due to the talent they return, and a new head coach that has spent years learning from one of the best in the country.
Despite losing Fultz, the Huskies return a solid core, featuring David Crisp, Matisse Thybulle, and Noah Dickerson. All three of these players were solid scorers on a team whose above average offense was negated by it’s terrible defense.
Another big win for the Huskies was that, despite Lorenzo Romar leaving, they were still able to keep the commitments of some of their top recruits. Freshman Jaylen Nowell reaffirmed his commitment shortly after Romar’s departure, becoming Washington’s best recruit.
Ultimately, Washington’s slight rise can be attributed to the arrival of coach Mike Hopkins. There is no doubt that the talent on the team can score, and Hopkins experience at Syracuse should help him improve their atrocious defense.
9) Colorado Buffaloes
2016-2017 Record: 19-14 (8-10, 7th Pac-12)
Head Coach: Tad Boyle, 8th Season
Departures: Derrick White, Xavier Johnson, Wesley Gordon, Josh Fortune, Bryce Peters, Thomas Akyazili
Returning Players: George King, Dominique Collier, Tory Miller, Lucas Siewart
Key Additions: Namon Wright (Transfer, Missouri), Dallas Walton (Redshirt Freshman), D’Shawn Schwartz, Tyler Bey, Evan Battey, McKinley Wright
Analysis:
Another team with question marks up front, the Colorado Buffaloes have lost a lot from last year’s team. Their middle of the road finish in the Pac-12 was led by seniors Xavier Johnson, Wesley Gordon and Derrick White.
With these three players gone, the Buffaloes will look to George King as the team leader, on a team with a lot of question marks. Between King, Dominique Collier, and transfer Namon Wright, the Buffaloes won’t have to worry too much about their backcourt.
Despite having a pretty good backcourt, the front court of the Buffaloes is a bit of a mystery. Beyond freshman small forward D’Shawn Schwartz, there are not many players that stand out. While we can expect senior Tory Miller to get solid minutes, both he and Lucas Siewart were somewhat pedestrian last season. The top two freshman down low are Tyler Bey and Dallas Walton, whose injury history may limit his minutes.
This will be another down year for the Buffaloes, who will need to quickly answer the questions regarding their interior play.
8) Arizona State Sun Devils
2016-2017 Record: 15-18 (7-11, 8th Pac-12)
Head Coach: Bobby Hurley, 3rd Season
Departures: Torian Graham, Obinna Oleka, Sam Cunliffe,
Returning Players: Tra Holder, Shannon Evans, Kodi Justice, Ramon Vila
Key Additions: De’Quon Lake (JUCO Transfer), Romello White (Redshirt Freshman), Vitally Shibel (Redshirt Freshman), Kimani Lawrence, Remy Martin
Analysis:
Arizona State will once again have one of the highest scoring backcourts in the Pac-12, if not the country. Despite losing Torian Graham, they have three returning guards who all have the ability to score at a high rate.
Tra Holder, Kodi Justice, and Shannon Evans return to lead a team that will need to maintain its high offense in order to be successful. In losing Obinna Oleka and Sam Cunliffe, the Sun Devils lost the two best defenders on a Pac -12 worst defense.
The biggest question that will need to be answered is how Arizona State’s frontcourt is going to perform. Ramon Vila is the only returning forward, and their high profile transfers will all need to sit out this season. JUCO transfer De’Quan Lake and freshmen Romello White, Vitally Shibel, and Kimani Lawrence will need to excel for the Sun Devils to address their glaring weakness down low.
Head Coach Bobby Hurley has made major moves since arriving at Arizona State, but expect one more mediocre year before the Sun Devils break out.
7) Utah Utes
2016-2017 Record: 20-11 (11-7, 4th Pac-12)
Head Coach: Larry Krystkowiak
Departures: Kyle Kuzma, Lorenzo Bonam, Devon Daniels, JoJo Zamora, Gabe Bealer
Returning Players: David Collette, Sedrick Barefield, Tyler Rawson, Parker Van Dyke, Jayce Johnson
Key Additions: Justin Bibbins (Transfer, Long Beach State), Chris Seeley (Redshirt Freshman), Donnie Tillman, Christian PoPoola
Analysis:
There is no doubt that Utah loses a lot of talent this season, specifically Kyle Kuzma and Lorenzo Bonam. Kuzma, who averaged 16.4 points, 9.3 rebound, and 2.4 assists, was a big reason for the 4th place finish last season.
Despite these losses, however, the Utes still return some solid talent, with David Collette and Sedrick Barefield both coming back. Collette, who was second on the team in scoring, will have the tough task of replacing Kuzma as the team’s best big man.
The key to Utah’s success may be the play of grad transfer Justin Bibbons, who played for Long Beach State last season. The small guard is the favorite to start at point guard, where he has been a great distributor for the 49ers. Along with Bibbons, the Utes will have three freshmen looking to make an immediate impact.
While this is not the most talented roster, and there certainly could be an argument for teams like Arizona State and Colorado to jump the Utes, Larry Krystkowiak is known for getting the most out of his players.
6) Oregon State
2016-2017 Record: 5-27 (1-17, 12th Pac-12)
Head Coach: Wayne Tinkle, 4th Season
Departures: Matt Dahlen
Returning Players: Drew Eubanks, Stephen Thompson, Jaquori McClaughlin Kendal Manuel, Gligorije Rakocevic, Ben Kone
Key Additions: Cheikh N’Diaye (Medical Redshirt Senior), Tres Tinkle (Medical Redshirt Sophomore), Kylor Kelley (JUCO Transfer), Ethan Thompson, Alfred Hollins, Zach Reichle
Analysis:
When considering the outlook for this season’s Oregon State, last season’s woes should not be taken too heavily into account. While Oregon State may have been the worst High-Major team in the country, a lot of their struggle was due to injuries.
This season, Cheikh N’Diaye and Tres Tinkle are expected to be back, to join Drew Eubanks, Stephen Thompson, and Jaquori McLaughlin on a talented Beavers squad. Eubanks was an All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention last season, and Tinkle could be one of the best players in the conference.
Joining this core of talented players is a solid recruiting class, led by Ethan Thompson, the younger brother of Stephen Thompson. The Beavers will also add a solid JUCO transfer in Kylor Kelley.
If health doesn’t become an issue this season, the Beavers will be a tough team in the Pac-12 this season. They may not be a tournament level team, but this may be our best opportunity to see how well Wayne Tinkle can coach when given the talent.
5) Stanford Cardinal
2016-2017 Record: 14-17 (6-12, T-9th Pac-12)
Head Coach: Jerod Haase, 2nd Season
Departures: Marcus Allen, Christian Sanders, Grant Verhoeven
Returning Players: Reid Travis, Dorian Pickens, Robert Cartwright, Michael Humphrey, Marcus Sheffield, Josh Sharma
Key Additions: Kodye Pugh (Redshirt Freshman), KZ Okpala, Daejon Davis
Analysis:
The Stanford Cardinal, like the Oregon State Beavers, do not lose much talent this season. While Marcus Allen is graduating, his production is more replaceable than other players on this list.
Dorian Pickens and Reid Travis both return to the Cardinal, forming one of the better duos in the Pac-12. Robert Cartwright and Michael Humphrey will also be solid pieces on a team that aims to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014.
The Cardinal not only return quite a bit of talent, they also have three highly recruited freshmen on the roster. Kodye Pugh redshirted last year after being recruited by Northwestern and Maryland. He is joined by 2017 recruits KZ Okpala and Daejon Davis, which could push Stanford into tournament bid conversations.
Jerod Haase is entering his second season at the helm, and already has a team that should be competitive in the Pac-12. Stanford may not be a favorite to make the tournament, but if the team plays to its potential, a bid is not out of the question.
4) Oregon Ducks
2016-2017 Record: 29-5 (16-2, T-1st Pac-12)
Head Coach: Dana Altman, 8th Season
Departures: Dylan Ennis, Tyler Dorsey, Jordan Bell, Dillon Brooks, Chris Boucher, Casey Benson
Returning Players: Payton Pritchard, Roman Sorkin
Key Additions: Elijah Brown (Transfer, New Mexico), MiKyle McIntosh (Transfer, Illinois State), Michael Cage (Redshirt Freshman), Troy Brown, Victor Bailey, Kenny Wooten, Abu Kigab
Analysis:
After losing pretty much everyone from last season’s Final Four squad, the Oregon Ducks will rely on a talented group of transfers and freshman this season. With Payton Pritchard and Roman Sorkin representing the only returning player who averaged more than 10 minutes per game, chemistry will be the biggest question.
Fans should not expect too huge a drop, as the talent coming to Eugene will most likely keep them in the top half of the conference. When searching for a potential leader, look no further than Oregon’s two transfers Elijah Brown and MiKyle McIntosh. Brown recorded 18.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.1 assists last season, with New Mexico. McKintosh also played well, putting up 12.5 points and 5.6 rebounds for Illinois State.
Joining these two transfers is a solid group of freshman, including Troy Brown, Victor Bailey, and Michael Cage, a 2016 recruit.
This great incoming talent should be enough to help Oregon return to the tournament this season. However, if the chemistry isn’t there, don’t be surprised if Oregon is one of last season’s Final Four teams that get left out.
3) UCLA Bruins
2016-2017 Record: 29-4 (15-3, 3rd Pac-12)
Head Coach: Steve Alford, 5th Season
Departures: Lonzo Ball, Bryce Alford, Isaac Hamilton, TJ Leaf, Ike Anigbogu
Returning Players: Aaron Holiday, Thomas Welsh, GG Goloman
Key Additions: Prince Ali (Redshirt Sophomore), Jaylen Hands, Kris Wilkes, Cody Riley, Jalen Hill, Chris Smith, LiAngelo Ball
Analysis:
After losing so much talent, it would be easy to expect the Bruins to drop in the rankings. This year, however, looks to be a good one in Westwood.
While much of UCLA’s historic offense is gone, Aaron Holiday and Thomas Welsh return to lead the young team. Holiday, who was the first off the bench last season, will step back into the starting role this coming season. Welsh, a seven-foot senior, is probably the best mid-range shooter in college basketball.
Along with Holiday and Welsh, GG Goloman should have an expanded role, and Prince Ali returns from a redshirt season. UCLA also has one of the best recruiting classes in the country, including consensus 5-stars Jaylen Hands and Kris Wilkes. LiAngelo Ball, younger brother of Lonzo Ball, will also have an opportunity to make an immediate impact for the Bruins.
Head Coach Steve Alford will have yet another young, talented team heading into the 2017-2018 season. This squad should find itself well position for the NCAA Tournament next March.
2) USC Trojans
2016-2017 Record: 24-9 (10-8, T-5th Pac-12)
Head Coach: Andy Enfield, 5th Season
Departures: None
Returning Players: Bennie Boatwright, Chimezie Metu, Jordan McLaughlin, Elijah Stewart, De’Anthony Melton, Shaqquan Aaron, Jonah Mathews, Nick Rakocevic
Key Additions: Derryck Thornton (Transfer, Duke), Charles O’Bannon, Victor Uyaelunmo, Jordan Usher
Analysis:
When it comes to returning talent, the Trojans are among the best in the NCAA. Led by forwards Bennie Boatwright and Chimezie Metu, the top eight scorers from last season are all returning for USC. Even without new additions, the Trojan’s returning talent alone would be enough to land them on most Top 25 lists.
Joining the returning talent is Duke Transfer Derryck Thornton, who should make a strong case to start. Head Coach Andy Enfield has also managed to add some solid recruits, highlighted by small forward Charles O’Bannon.
The Trojans may have the best, with Thornton joining Jordan McLaughlin, Elijah Stewart, De’Anthony Melton, Shaqquan Aaron, and Jordan Mathews. McLaughlin is the senior leader of the Trojans, while Melton is one of the most well-rounded players in the conference.
The argument could probably be made that USC has Top 5 talent, and, barring health issues, there is a strong chance that they could challenge Arizona for the Pac-12 title.
1) Arizona Wildcats
2016-2017 Record: 30-4 (16-2, T-1st Pac-12)
Head Coach: Sean Miller, 9th Season
Departures: Lauri Markkanen, Kadeem Allen, Kobi Simmons, Chance Comanche
Returning Players: Allonzo Trier, Rawle Alkins, Dusan Ristic, Parker Jackson-Cartwright, Keanu Pinder
Key Additions: Dylan Smith (Transfer, UNC-Asheville), DeAndre Ayton, Emmanuel Akot, Ira Lee, Brandon Randolph, Alex Barcello
Analysis:
While the outlook for Arizona initially looked grim, the return of star Allonzo Trier and freshman standout Rawle Alkins instantly propelled Arizona to the top of most early Top 25 lists. Along with Trier and Alkins, Arizona will also return seniors Dusan Ristic, Parker Jackson-Cartwright, and Keanu Pinder.
Even though the Wildcats lose key players Lauri Markkanen and Kadeem Allen, plenty of freshmen come in to replace them. Led by consensus 5-star recruit DeAndre Ayton, Arizona has put together one of the top recruiting classes in the country.
Lost in the news of returning stars and incoming freshman is UNC-Asheville transfer Dylan Smith. As a freshman with the Bulldogs, Smith scored 13.5 points on 37% shooting. Smith will not be a starter but should be a solid role player for Arizona.
Next: Ranking top coaching moves of the offseason
In his ninth season with Arizona, Sean Miller is the longest tenured head coach in the Pac-12. This could be the year when he finally reaches a Final Four, but his first goal will be winning the Pac-12.