Pac-12 Basketball: Preseason rankings for 2019-20 season
By Connor Hope
2018-19 Record: 8-23 (3-15 Pac-12)
Head Coach: Mark Fox (1st Season)
Key Returners: Paris Austin, Matt Bradley, Andre Kelly, Juhwan Harris-Dyson, Jacobi Gordon
Big Departures: Justice Sueing, Darius McNeil, Connor Vanover
Top Newcomers: Kareem South, DJ Thorpe, Joel Brown, Kuany Kuany
After two seasons at the bottom of the conference standings, without any improvement to speak of, the California athletic department announced that they were letting go of head coach Wyking Jones. To replace Jones, the school brought in former Georgia Bulldogs head coach Mark Fox.
While this decision was one of the least exciting coaching hires of the offseason, Fox’s previous success at Nevada, along with his ability to put together a relatively competitive program at Georgia, should give fans at least some hope. His first few seasons in Berkeley, however, will not be easy.
For starters, this year’s roster is incredibly thin after three of the team’s starters (Justice Sueing, Darius McNeil and Connor Vanover) decided to take their talent elsewhere. This leaves just Matt Bradley, Paris Austin and Corpus Christi transfer Kareem South to shoulder most of the load. Despite the trio’s hard work in the backcourt, Cal’s roster would probably struggle to compete in the Mountain West or West Coast Conference, let alone the Pac-12.
All is not lost, however, as Cal fans will get a great opportunity to see some of their young players take on hefty roles this season. Freshman DJ Thorpe and Joel Brown, in particular, will get a chance to show immediate impact, while sophomores Jacobi Gordon and Andre Kelly will need to play more minutes than they were afforded last year.
While Mark Fox may have inherited one of the weakest rosters in Cal’s lengthy history, his resume of disciplined teams on both ends of the floor should help the Golden Bears grind out a few conference victories.