Mountain West Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2020-21 season

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 16: The Mountain West Conference logo is seen before the championship game of the Mountain West Conference basketball tournament between the Utah State Aggies and the San Diego State Aztecs at the Thomas & Mack Center on March 16, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) /

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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 16: Sam Merrill #5 of the Utah State Aggies (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) /

Mountain West Basketball was strong and even had a potential #1 NCAA Tournament seed last season. How does the league look for 2020-21?

Mountain West Basketball may have never looked so good top to bottom as it does heading into the 2020-21 college basketball season. Household names like Malachi Flynn and Sam Merrill are gone, but the conference brings back plenty of stars and all-conference honorees like UNLV’s Bryce Hamilton and Boise State’s Derrick Alston who will both have their sights set on All American awards this season.

Another MWC storyline to watch is the entrance of a great crop of transfers. David Jenkins Jr, (South Dakota St -> UNLV), Junior Ballard (Cal Poly -> Fresno St), Emmanuel Akot (Arizona -> Boise St), and Desmond Cambridge (Brown-> Nevada) are only four of the impact transfers who will challenge returning players for all league considerations. The transfer portal has added more talent to the Mountain West than just about any conference in America.

The league was a little bit top-heavy in 2019-20, but it will be as deep as its ever been as we head in 2020-21. You’ll have to read further to dig into the details, but teams ranked 1, 2, and 3 looks like sure-fire NCAA Tournament squads; 4, 5, and 6 are teams that will be right there all year and will find their way on one side of the bubble or the other; and teams ranked 7 and 8 are talented enough to give themselves a shot at the postseason. It’s going to be as competitive as ever.

This preview of the MWC estimates which transfers are getting waivers, and as we know, that is currently a moving target. All transfers will have an asterisk* by their name and returning starters will be in BOLD.

Buckle up for a fun season in the Mountain West conference, but first, get a taste of each team through these preseason power rankings.