NCAA Basketball: “League Pass Rankings” for 2022-23 season

Tier One: Must-Watch TV

8. UCLA

I think it’s fair to say UCLA was a tad bit disappointing last season as the heavy title favorites in the Pac-12, finishing second and getting bounced in the Sweet Sixteen. Tyger Campbell has returned and should be one of the best guards in the country. There’s little flash to his game, but I love his meticulousness and poise in big moments. I’m expecting a huge year from Jaime Jaquez Jr., who also isn’t very flashy but just has a knack for getting buckets, guarding players way bigger than him, and then torching them on the other end. I expect him and Jaylen Clark to win every loose ball.

The highlight plays should come from freshman guard Amari Bailey, who is a terrific athlete that should pair nicely off the ball next to Campbell. Freshman center Adem Bona had a good summer at the U20’s, and should block a ton of shots.

I don’t think Cronin is on the hot seat or anything, but there is some pressure to live up to the lofty expectations. In all honesty, it’s fun to hop on UCLA Twitter after a loss and see fans acting like the world is ending and Cronin is the worst coach ever because of one game. This is likely the last year of Campbell, Jaquez, and Bailey, so now is the time to make a run. I’m also a proponent of the color scheme/home court combo and you can’t beat Bill Walton calling a big Bruin game.

7. Villanova

Maybe the most surprising news of the offseason was Jay Wright’s retirement on the heels of a Final Four run. Former Fordham coach Kyle Neptune is now in charge, and I am curious to see how the Wildcats adapt. Under Wright, they were a slower team that used guard post-ups and well-crafted sets to get mismatches and a lot of threes. This is also the first Villanova roster since 2015-2016 that doesn’t feature one of Jalen Brunson or Collin Gillespie. This year’s Nova team will be more wing-heavy than usual. Five-star freshman Cam Whitmore might be the most athletic wing in the country and should bless us with plenty of highlights.

Caleb Daniels is a big-bodied wing that isn’t gun-shy. Brandon Slater is another good athlete on the perimeter, with a terrific nose for the ball. Freshman guard Mark Armstrong will have to provide some buckets out of the backcourt.

The key here is injuries as Justin Moore recovers from a torn Achilles suffered last march, and Whitmore recovers from a broken hand he suffered this offseason. They should both be back before conference play, as Neptune will enter his first season as an underdog to Creighton in the Big East.

6. Alabama

Alabama
No team was more Jekyll and hyde last season than the Crimson Tide, who had wins over Gonzaga and Houston and losses to Iona and Missouri. The Tide have had a handful of changes in the backcourt the past three seasons, but the one constant? They are going to take a ton of threes. In Nate Oates’ three years in Tuscaloosa, the Crimson Tide have averaged 30.3 threes attempted per game. They’ve been top 13 in pace in Oates’ three years.

Jahvon Quinerly is still making his way back from injury, but in the meantime, Ohio transfer Mark Sears and five-star freshman Jaden Bradley can man the backcourt.  The star power x-factor comes from the wing, where freshman Brandon Miller has raved about all off-season. A three-level scorer, he could be in line for some huge games. Also keep an eye on former five-star Nimari Burnett (missed last season with an ACL injury), who should provide some three-and-D ability on the wing. This isn’t Oates’ most high-end talent team, but they should play better as a group than last year’s team, and could maybe surprise some people. At a minimum, I know they’ll play fast and take some mind-boggling shots, so I am here for it.

5. Baylor

A staple in these rankings, Baylor was hit or miss last year with up-and-down starters James Akinjo and Matthew Mayer. But, those guys are out, and in is five-star freshman guard Keyonte George, West Virginia wing Jalen Bridges, and redshirt Langston Love back from injury.

The Bears maybe don’t have the best individual guard in the country, but their backcourt room collectively is the deepest and most dynamic. George is a star in the making, but returning guard Adam Flagler has also proven to be a tough shot-maker. LJ Cryer and Dale Bonner can go on heaters as well, giving the Bears a lot of firepower.

Their “no-middle” defense forces a lot of turnovers and can be fun to watch when all their athletes are flying around in sync. The Bears have a handful of important games on the schedule and should be atop the competitive Big 12 all season. Some bonus points here for some sweet jersey combos, and the potential of Fran Fraschilla on the call.

4. Duke

Gone is Coach K and the wild media circus that followed him in his final year. Jon Scheyer is now in Durham, and on an X’s and O’s level I’m curious to see what adjustments he makes.

This isn’t the most high-end talented Duke roster, but there’s enough here to compete for an ACC and national title. Freshman Dariq Whitehead is a big-bodied wing with plus athleticism and some shooting upside. Freshman center Derrick Lively will protect the rim and finish lobs. But, I am most excited for freshman Tyrese Proctor who should wow audiences with his connective passing.

This team has a handful of vets too. The national consensus is high on Jeremy Roach after his stellar March Madness run. I’m a tad more skeptical, but he could take a big leap as a scorer and have some big outings.

Scheyer has said he wants to shoot a lot of threes and play a bit faster, so we’ll see if that comes to fruition. But there’s enough talent, intrigue, competitiveness at the top of the ACC, and of course the “Duke discourse” to make me regularly tune in.

3. Houston

Despite not having Marcus Sasser for their tournament run, the Cougars still upset No. 1 seed Arizona and found themselves in the Elite Eight once again. Now? Sasser is back and is primed to be one of the best guards in the country and a potential Player of the Year candidate. Joining him in the backcourt are juniors Jamal Shead and Tramon Mark, making the Cougars’ three-headed monster very enticing.

The frontcourt is composed of hard-nosed, tough athletes. Five-star freshman Jarrace Walker is one of the most physically imposing freshmen in the country. J’Wan Roberts has a lot of positive buzz this offseason as another tough forward, and undersized Reggie Chaney is back as well.

Houston doesn’t play particularly fast, but their menacing, trapping defense will force a lot of turnovers, and they crash the glass as hard as anyone in the country (top 11 in rebound percentage the last three seasons). Their front-court versatility will allow them to play small, with their three guards in the backcourt getting them buckets. I docked them a bit because they are massive favorites in the AAC and should cruise through that league. But, their marquee games in both non-con and league play should be a treat.

2. Creighton

Whether you buy the Creighton hype or view Greg McDermott as just an above-average head coach, he undeniably runs some fun offensive sets. The young Bluejays took some lumps last season, but now return key starters Ryan Nembhard, Trey Alexander, Arthur Kaluma, and Ryan Kalkbrenner. Nembhard has a chance to be a breakout star this season and become a household name with his speed and playmaking ability. Kaluma and Alexander are already getting NBA Draft buzz as well.

The big transfer was South Dakota State wing Baylor Scheirman, who has real dribble-pass-shoot ability with unlimited range. The smooth senior can be used in a lot of fun ways under McDermott.

Kaluma is the best NBA prospect. A big 6’7 forward, he is a plus athlete on both ends. Trey Alexander is capable of some impressive shot-making and slashing. With Jay Wright no longer at Nova, there might be a changing of the guard at the top of the league. The Bluejays have a top 10 ranking, but have some skeptics so they’ll have to meet expectations every night in what should be a competitive top of the Big East.

1. Arkansas

This could easily come back to haunt me as Arkansas’ mix of talent and depth could take some time to figure out (for what it’s worth they just lost in an exhibition to Texas by 30). But there are so many aspects of this Arkansas team I am intrigued by.

For one, Eric Musselman’s teams like to play fast, finishing 31st and 15th in possessions per game the last two years. That should only continue this year with freshman guards Nick Smith and Anthony Black, both projected first-round 2023 NBA draft picks. Smith has real scoring upside and can a guy that single-handedly wins games with his heaters.

Gone is charge maestro Jaylin Williams, but the Razorbacks have some interesting front-court options. They can play small and fast with Missouri transfer Trevon Brazille or Arizona State transfer Jalen Graham, or play with a traditional big in either of the Mitchell twins (imports from Rhode Island).

Arkansas is one of the more athletic teams in the country with Black, Brazille, the uber-quick Devo Davis, five-star freshman Jordan Walsh, and Wichita State transfer Ricky Council. They can do a ton of different things on both ends, and it’ll be fascinating to see Musselman piece rotations together. They have a pretty raucous homecourt and could be in the thick of a competitive SEC title race. It could go south, but whatever happens in Fayetteville, I cannot wait to watch.