2022-23 season record: 31-8 (13-7 Big East)
Expected losses: Tristen Newton, Jordan Hawkins, Joey Calcaterra, Naheim Alleyne
There’s going to be some pushback on this because I could easily be accused of living in the moment. I would argue that even assuming that Hawkins leaves for the NBA Draft (protected top-20 pick), there’s still plenty of talent left over.
There’s even a question about the fate of leading scorer and rebounder, Adama Sanogo. Whether he goes pro or not, his backup, Donovan Clingan, is going to be a national breakout candidate one way or another. The freshman, starting forward Alex Karaban, is set to return as another impact player.
UConn loses a bunch of guards but its top passer and constant triple-double threat will be back in Andre Jackson. He’s joined by a top-5 recruiting class, led by five-star combo guard, Stephon Castle. He may actually be better than any of the outgoing guards on the roster. Four-stars Solomon Ball and Jaylin Stewart also join the rotation.
What makes UConn my way-too-early preseason No. 1 team is that even if the worst-case scenario occurs with roster changes, they’re already prepared with a backup plan before even dealing with the transfer portal. There may be a few teams who land players that get them in the convo for the top spot but right now, it’s the national champions to lose.