NCAA Basketball: Biggest x-factor for each top-25 team for 2022-23 season

8. Duke Blue Devils – Mark Mitchell

The easy answer would be junior point guard Jeremy Roach but this team also has some questions at the frontcourt. Dereck Lively, the No. 1 incoming freshman player, is locked in to start at center. However, who starts next to him isn’t as clear. 6’11 big man Kyle Filipowski is another top-5 overall freshman recruit and can shoot the ball but center may be his best position and defensively, the fit may have issues.

Of course, Duke has yet another five-star prospect in Mark Mitchell, a true power forward at 6’8. He may not be as good a player as Filipowski but is likely a better fit to play at the four-spot. He’s a physical frontcourt player with a solid offensive game and can be a really good defender. Assuming he gets the start, it could make things interesting in the frontcourt but the best thing for the team is probably Mitchell getting the nod.

7. UCLA Bruins – Adem Bona

The backcourt for the Bruins is fine, with returning senior Tyger Campbell and five-star freshman Amari Bailey leading the way, while All-Pac-12 defenders, Jaime Jaquez and Jaylen Clark handle the wings. The one position where there may be questions is at center, with Myles Johnson and Cody Riley both gone.

Replacing them is Bona, a five-star freshman center prospect. He’s a solid defender and rim runner but still fairly raw overall and might not be ready to start for the team. Yet his backups are Kenneth Nwuba and Mac Etienne, who aren’t great options at extended minutes. The weak spot in the lineup is the freshman big but if he can have a nice impact at least on the defensive end, UCLA will be in great shape.