NCAA Basketball: “League Pass Rankings” for 2022-23 season
Tier Six: This team will be good, but I am not super enthused to watch
27. Virginia
Yeah, this style isn’t for everyone, me included. But, the Cavaliers bring back a ton of talent and are a sexy dark-horse ACC pick. I guess the good thing with their games is a lack of fouling means limited stoppages of play. If you only have an hour and 40 minutes to watch a game, this team is for you.
26. Indiana
A controversial team amongst experts, I do think Indiana will be a good team. But if you bring back a nearly identical team that I didn’t love watching in years prior, I can’t get too juiced up about watching them this year. The Hoosiers thrived on defense last year, with frontcourt duo Race Thompson and Trayce Jackson-Davis locking down the paint. Jackson-Davis is a star at the college level, and he does have some awesome dunks. But he can be frustrating to watch at times with his lack of passing ability out of the post, non-shooting ability, and complete reluctance to use his right hand.
The Hoosiers have also been a pretty disastrous three-point shooting team the last few years. The x-factor for watchability will be the backcourt. Xavier Johnson really came on at the end of last season, proving to be a fun pick-and-roll partner with Jackson-Davis. And the buzz about 6’5 freshman point guard Jalen Hood-Schifino. How he plays next to Johnson, who also needs the ball, will be interesting. And if Hood-Schifino is a stud, then this team could be really for fun.
It’s also Indiana basketball. A historic program with a great fanbase, awesome home court, and I am pro-candy-striped pants. When they are relevant, it’s good for the sport.
25. Kansas
This is a bit low for the defending national champions, but I rarely find Bill Self’s teams super exciting. They are usually a sturdy half-court defensive group, that Self diagrams efficient offenses for (more substance than flash). They also lost elite wings Christian Braun and Ochai Agbaji, as well as the rollercoaster that was Remy Martin. I guess I don’t have to watch David McCormack post-ups anymore, so there’s that.
Self is going to be playing some small ball this year with a pretty young team. The hope is that Gradey Dick becomes a star, or Jalen Wilson breaks out. Dick has the perfect amount of swagger that could make him a college basketball villain if it blends well. Dajuan Harris is good, but his on-ball defense and game-managing don’t scream “must watch TV” to me.
24. Kentucky
Probably a little low for a team I genuinely think is going to be very good this season, but maybe this is some Oscar Tshiebwe fatigue? I know he is good but it’s not like he is the most elegant post-scorer. I can go without watching him grab every rebound and finish inside. I understand the Sahvir Wheeler appeal, but I really don’t enjoy watching him play.
The other knock with Kentucky the past few years has been the lack of shooting. Maybe transfers Antonio Reeves and C.J. Fredrick can fix that? But I’m used to so many Kentucky games with one three made as a team. I’m interested to see freshman five-star Cason Wallace, a tenacious on-ball defender. Maybe Damion Collins pieces his upside into real production this year? Does Jacob Toppin take a huge step forward?
There are plenty of questions and I am curious to see how Calipari manages a talented backcourt, the four spot, and egos, and it’s a super nationally relevant team that I do believe in…but some nights the past few years they have been unwatchable.