NCAA Basketball: Top-25 impact incoming recruiting classes entering 2024-25 season

11. Miami (FL) Hurricanes

It was a woeful season in Coral Gables as the Miami (FL) Hurricanes ended the season on an 11-game losing streak. They would finish its 2023-24 campaign with a 15-17 (6-14) record after appearing in the program’s first-ever Final Four the year before.

With last year’s struggles (hopefully) gone and forgotten, incoming five-star SG Jalil Bethea is a major reason the Hurricanes expect to take a step forward this season.

Bethea, a 2024 McDonald’s All-American, is a projected lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, finding himself inside the top 10 in The Athletic’s recent 2025 NBA Mock Draft.

Where Bethea excels the most is his shooting abilities. According to senior basketball writer Sam Vecenie, Bethea is a “serious shooter” and is one of the best scorers in the incoming 2024 recruiting class. By being able to shoot off the catch and off of pull-up situations while breaking down defenders along the perimeter and inside the arc, Bethea possesses translatable skills that will make an immediate impact for the Hurricanes this season, especially in their efficient offensive system.

In addition to Bethea, Miami (FL) welcomes the 7th-ranked composite recruiting class, according to 24/7 Sports, instantly helping fill depth, keep legs fresh and get the program back to its winning ways in 2024-25.