Gonzaga, Baylor lead 1st Power 36 college basketball rankings for 2020-21
ONE SHINING MOMENT FOR BAYLOR'S 2019-20 SEASON
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Here is my first Power 36 look at the 2020-21 season. The NBA draft is likely going to extend deep into the summer, possibly the fall. So rosters may not be set until school starts, hopefully with the fall semester.
What’s to like about these teams?
1) Gonzaga: Corey Kispert, Filip Petrusev, Drew Timme, Joel Ayayi and newcomer Jalen Suggs, assuming he doesn’t turn to the NBA, should keep the Zags rolling. This team will be just as deep as it was this past season.
2) Baylor: Jared Butler can lead the Bears to another possible No. 1 seed. The Bears will once again be a stingy defensive team, too.
3) Villanova: Collin Gillespie, Jermaine Samuels and a newcomer crew that means the Wildcats will be in the thick of the chase for a top seed. As expected, Saddiq Bey and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl are testing the NBA draft process.
4) Creighton: The Bluejays, like Nova, won a piece of the Big East regular-season title. The majority of the crew returns, led by Marcus Zegarowski, who could be the Big East Player of the Year.
5) Iowa: The Hawkeyes should be the pick to win the Big Ten with the likely return of the player of the year in Luka Garza. Getting Joe Wieskamp alongside him means the Hawkeyes offense will be loaded again.
6) Wisconsin: The Badgers got a piece of the Big Ten regular-season title in their final game at Indiana. They will be picked with Iowa to make another run by returning the core of the team, a full season from Micah Potter and a heralded recruiting class.
7) Kansas: The status of Devon Dotson isn’t known yet. But what we do know is the top defensive player in the country — Naismith Award winner Marcus Garrett — should be back. David McCormack should star in replacing Udoka Azubuike. And the addition of Bryce Thompson means KU will be the pick in the Big 12.
8) Michigan: The Wolverines do take a hit by losing Zavier Simpson and Jon Teske. But if Isaiah Livers returns then the Wolverines will be even higher than this prediction. Livers could be a first-team all-Big Ten if he comes back. Having Franz Wagner, Brandon Johns, Eli Brooks and bigs Austin Davis and Colin Castleton means this squad has more significant rotation players than most. The Athletic reported David DeJulius entered the transfer portal. Oh and they’ve potentially got a top-five recruiting class with Isaiah Todd.
9) Kentucky: The roster is still in flux with the draft (Tyrese Maxey and Ashton Hagans declared), but one thing is certain — the Wildcats will be loaded with star talent with the top recruiting class. Six players from the top 50, led by Terrence Clarke and B.J. Boston.
10) Virginia: The Cavaliers figured out how to win in the second half of the season. Add in Marquette transfer Sam Hauser and the Cavs will be ready to go on day one.
11) Duke: The Blue Devils are getting gutted by the draft (so far Tre Jones and Cassius Stanley), but it’s hard to see them falling too far with a top two recruiting class, led by Jalen Johnson. The Blue Devils will need experience off the bench and if it comes through then they will be in the case for the ACC title.
12) Michigan State: No Cassius Winston. No Xavier Tillman for now (still a chance he could come back). But the Spartans have a slew of wings/forwards that will rival any roster with Rocket Watts, Gabe Brown, Aaron Henry, Malik Hall, Marcus Bingham Jr., and Marquette transfer Joey Hauser.
13) Rutgers: The decision by 6-10 top 50 player Cliff Omoruyi to stay home in New Jersey and play for the Scarlet Knights pushed Rutgers higher in the top 25. Geo Baker, Ron Harper Jr. and Myles Johnson are all supposed to be back. Baker is one of the best late-game shot makers returning.
14) Florida State: Leonard Hamilton said on our March Madness 365 podcast that he expects Devin Vassell and Patrick Williams to stay in the NBA draft. But he said he still thinks the Seminoles will be a top-10 team. It’s hard to argue after the Seminoles won the ACC regular season and were poised for another deep run. For now, we’ll put them in the teens, but Hamilton will probably be right that this squad could be in the top 10 by December or January.
15) North Carolina: Declarations for the draft haven’t been announced yet. But the Tar Heels actually played decent down the stretch (won four of last six). Having a top five recruiting class, led by Day’Ron Sharpe, Walker Kessler and Caleb Love means UNC shouldn’t expect last season’s postseason miss (had there been one) to carry over to this season.
ONE SHINING MOMENT FOR BAYLOR'S 2019-20 SEASON
SHARE
Here is my first Power 36 look at the 2020-21 season. The NBA draft is likely going to extend deep into the summer, possibly the fall. So rosters may not be set until school starts, hopefully with the fall semester.
What’s to like about these teams?
1) Gonzaga: Corey Kispert, Filip Petrusev, Drew Timme, Joel Ayayi and newcomer Jalen Suggs, assuming he doesn’t turn to the NBA, should keep the Zags rolling. This team will be just as deep as it was this past season.
2) Baylor: Jared Butler can lead the Bears to another possible No. 1 seed. The Bears will once again be a stingy defensive team, too.
3) Villanova: Collin Gillespie, Jermaine Samuels and a newcomer crew that means the Wildcats will be in the thick of the chase for a top seed. As expected, Saddiq Bey and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl are testing the NBA draft process.
4) Creighton: The Bluejays, like Nova, won a piece of the Big East regular-season title. The majority of the crew returns, led by Marcus Zegarowski, who could be the Big East Player of the Year.
5) Iowa: The Hawkeyes should be the pick to win the Big Ten with the likely return of the player of the year in Luka Garza. Getting Joe Wieskamp alongside him means the Hawkeyes offense will be loaded again.
6) Wisconsin: The Badgers got a piece of the Big Ten regular-season title in their final game at Indiana. They will be picked with Iowa to make another run by returning the core of the team, a full season from Micah Potter and a heralded recruiting class.
7) Kansas: The status of Devon Dotson isn’t known yet. But what we do know is the top defensive player in the country — Naismith Award winner Marcus Garrett — should be back. David McCormack should star in replacing Udoka Azubuike. And the addition of Bryce Thompson means KU will be the pick in the Big 12.
8) Michigan: The Wolverines do take a hit by losing Zavier Simpson and Jon Teske. But if Isaiah Livers returns then the Wolverines will be even higher than this prediction. Livers could be a first-team all-Big Ten if he comes back. Having Franz Wagner, Brandon Johns, Eli Brooks and bigs Austin Davis and Colin Castleton means this squad has more significant rotation players than most. The Athletic reported David DeJulius entered the transfer portal. Oh and they’ve potentially got a top-five recruiting class with Isaiah Todd.
9) Kentucky: The roster is still in flux with the draft (Tyrese Maxey and Ashton Hagans declared), but one thing is certain — the Wildcats will be loaded with star talent with the top recruiting class. Six players from the top 50, led by Terrence Clarke and B.J. Boston.
10) Virginia: The Cavaliers figured out how to win in the second half of the season. Add in Marquette transfer Sam Hauser and the Cavs will be ready to go on day one.
11) Duke: The Blue Devils are getting gutted by the draft (so far Tre Jones and Cassius Stanley), but it’s hard to see them falling too far with a top two recruiting class, led by Jalen Johnson. The Blue Devils will need experience off the bench and if it comes through then they will be in the case for the ACC title.
12) Michigan State: No Cassius Winston. No Xavier Tillman for now (still a chance he could come back). But the Spartans have a slew of wings/forwards that will rival any roster with Rocket Watts, Gabe Brown, Aaron Henry, Malik Hall, Marcus Bingham Jr., and Marquette transfer Joey Hauser.
13) Rutgers: The decision by 6-10 top 50 player Cliff Omoruyi to stay home in New Jersey and play for the Scarlet Knights pushed Rutgers higher in the top 25. Geo Baker, Ron Harper Jr. and Myles Johnson are all supposed to be back. Baker is one of the best late-game shot makers returning.
14) Florida State: Leonard Hamilton said on our March Madness 365 podcast that he expects Devin Vassell and Patrick Williams to stay in the NBA draft. But he said he still thinks the Seminoles will be a top-10 team. It’s hard to argue after the Seminoles won the ACC regular season and were poised for another deep run. For now, we’ll put them in the teens, but Hamilton will probably be right that this squad could be in the top 10 by December or January.
15) North Carolina: Declarations for the draft haven’t been announced yet. But the Tar Heels actually played decent down the stretch (won four of last six). Having a top five recruiting class, led by Day’Ron Sharpe, Walker Kessler and Caleb Love means UNC shouldn’t expect last season’s postseason miss (had there been one) to carry over to this season.
