NCAA Basketball: 10 teams with most to lose with pending 2023 NBA Draft decisions
1. Purdue Boilermakers
Player to watch: Zach Edey
I went back-and-forth on having a team with just one player to watch as No. 1 but when it involves the reigning National Player of the Year, it’s hard to find a more important and impactful future decision. Especially since that individual singlehandedly carries a program to a 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Edey entered the 2022-23 season as a consensus breakout candidate for Purdue, having the center position to himself after sharing it previously with Trevion Williams. No one expected to see him become an All-American and star of the season, averaging 22.3 ppg and 12.9 rpg on 61% shooting from the field.
On a team with young players, Edey helped Purdue win the Big Ten titles and with the exception of the first-round loss to Fairleigh Dickinson, had a great overall year. And they have the chance to repeat the success, bringing back just about everyone of importance and adding Southern Illinois transfer, Lance Jones.
Next. Updated WTE top-25 rankings for 2023-24. dark
With guards Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer having another year of experience, the Boilermakers could be the team to beat and like Virginia after losing to UMBC the year prior in 2018, could rebound to win the national title the following season. But that won’t be in the cards if Edey stays in the NBA Draft and doesn’t return. If he does, the Big Ten programs will have to go through him.