Pac-12 basketball experienced a resurgence last season. Here’s a way-too-early look at the conference’s pecking order for the 2020-21 season.
Pac-12 basketball was expected to have a major bounce-back year last season and, while the conference didn’t have the number of elite teams many thought they would (looking at you, Washington), it was still a step in the right direction.
The Pac-12 should take another step forward in 2020-21, too. A few of teams bring back experienced cores (Oregon, UCLA, Utah), but many of the conference storylines surround the number of elite freshmen entering the conference. Three of the nation’s top seven overall prospects (Evan Mobley, Ziaire Williams, Joshua Christopher) committed to three different schools (USC, Stanford, and Arizona State, respectively) while another (Arizona) is bringing in the conference’s highest-rated recruiting class.
That influx of talent spread across the Pac-12 has given championship hopes to over half the teams in the conference. Even those that have traditionally finished at the bottom of the conference have heightened expectations for the new year, setting up what should be one of the nation’s most exciting conference races.
It will undoubtedly take an unexpected turn or two – just look at what UCLA and Arizona State did last year – but how do all 12 teams project to stack up against each other ahead of the new season?
Here’s a way-too-early look at our Pac-12 Basketball Power Rankings for the 2020-21 season: