Saint Louis Basketball: Analyzing newcomers on the 2020-21 roster

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 17: Javon Bess #3 and head coach Travis Ford of the Saint Louis Billikens celebrate their win against the St. Bonaventure Bonnies after the championship game of the Atlantic 10 2019 tournament at the Barclays Center on March 17, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The Saint Louis Billikens defeated the St. Bonaventure Bonnies 55-53. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

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FAIRFAX, VA – MARCH 04: Jordan Goodwin #0 of the Saint Louis Billikens (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

Saint Louis Basketball has added depth and high upside potential to an already loaded Billiken roster for the 2020-21 season. What does each newcomer contribute to the team?

Travis Ford has put together his best team since the Marcus Smart/Markel Brown led teams during his tenure at Oklahoma State. Those teams ultimately never got out of the first weekend of the NCAA tournament (let alone the first round), but the point remains the same. For the first time in his time at Saint Louis Basketball, the stars have seemed to align on his roster (ignoring the pandemic and all).

Led by a team of three seniors (who are all top-50 players in the A-10 and potential first-team all-conference type players) and a strong group of supporting underclassmen who got significant time in last year’s 23-win season, the Billikens boast a talent depth even without the incoming recruiting class.

SLU returns nine guys who were all contributors. Even without this bizarrely large recruiting class, Travis Ford and his group would be on their way to competing for another A10 Championship.

Fellow Busting Brackets writer Adam Bernstein already has them as the toast of the A10 going into the 2020-21 season in his preseason power rankings, and many agree. This team has the clout and talent to not only be an A10 power… but a potential NCAA cinderella.

But alas, the Bills have added five players to its roster after losing just one player of note. With only Tay Weaver graduating, and Madani Diarra and KC Hankton transferring after receiving little to no time on the court this past season, have its most talented roster since Rick Majerus led the program.

Two transfers, two freshmen, and a high-end walk-on all will be joining #TeamBlue in Midtown St. Louis this season. Four of which will be playing immediately. Their stories unique, their potential contributions, and immediate impacts differing. But ultimately, they will each have an opportunity to play a role on Travis Ford’s best roster.

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