Vitale’s preseason PTPers, floor generals and more players to watch
Credit to Author: Dick Vitale| Date: Tue, 17 Sep 2024 09:25:39 EST
College basketball is awesome, baby! Buckle up, men’s hoops fans, because we’re just weeks away from tip-off for the 2024-25 season, and I know you’re feeling it like I am. The excitement is building as a fresh batch of diaper dandies are getting ready to hit the hardwood and show what they’ve got.
We’ve seen more player movement than ever before, and how about that shocker — John Calipari is at Arkansas! Can you believe it?! The storylines this season are going to be out of this world, and I’m here to give you a sneak peek at what I’m looking forward to.
Last season, there was never any doubt: Zach Edey was a man among boys, taking home his second straight National Player of the Year honor. Tennessee‘s Dalton Knecht gave him a run, but no one was stopping Edey. This season, the race is wide open! Get ready, because here’s who I’m watching:
Cooper Flagg, Duke Blue Devils
Hunter Dickinson, Kansas Jayhawks
RJ Davis, North Carolina Tar Heels
Mark Sears, Alabama Crimson Tide
AJ Storr, Kansas Jayhawks
L.J. Cryer, Houston Cougars
Now, we all know come NCAA tournament time, you’ve got to have guys who can handle the rock under pressure. Teams with the best distributors are the ones dancing in March. These are my guards to watch this season:
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Mark Sears, Chris Youngblood, Latrell Wrightsell Jr. (Alabama Crimson Tide)
Dajuan Harris Jr., AJ Storr (Kansas Jayhawks)
RJ Davis, Elliot Cadeau, Ian Jackson (North Carolina Tar Heels)
Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer (Purdue Boilermakers)
Ryan Nembhard, Khalif Battle, Nolan Hickman (Gonzaga Bulldogs)
L.J. Cryer, Emanuel Sharp, Milos Uzan (Houston Cougars)
And let’s not forget the big boys down low. Dominating the paint, baby — it’s an art form! You need length in the lane to have success. Check out these big men who will be controlling the paint this year:
Hunter Dickinson, K.J. Adams Jr., Rylan Griffen (Kansas Jayhawks)
Cooper Flagg, Khaman Maluach, Maliq Brown (Duke Blue Devils)
Oumar Ballo, Mackenzie Mgbako, Malik Reneau (Indiana Hoosiers)
Clifford Omoruyi, Grant Nelson (Alabama Crimson Tide)
Alex Karaban, Samson Johnson, Liam McNeeley (UConn Huskies)
Ryan Kalkbrenner, Mason Miller, Jamiya Neal (Creighton Bluejays)
The impact of NIL is changing the game. Teams are finding it harder to keep their core players, but that means more impact transfers! Here’s my top transfers who are going to have immediate impacts:
Johnell Davis, Arkansas Razorbacks (from Florida Atlantic Owls)
Clifford Omoruyi, Alabama Crimson Tide (from Rutgers Scarlet Knights)
AJ Storr, Kansas Jayhawks (from Wisconsin Badgers)
Kadary Richmond, St. John’s Red Storm (from Seton Hall Pirates)
Oumar Ballo, Indiana Hoosiers (from Arizona Wildcats)
Norchad Omier, Baylor Bears (from Miami Hurricanes)
Finally, let’s give a standing O for the coaches, baby! These sideline maestros are doing double duty, not just coaching but also managing their rosters through the NIL maze. Here’s my list of the architects of success looking for the golden ring in 2025:
Dan Hurley, UConn Huskies
Mark Few, Gonzaga Bulldogs
Bill Self, Kansas Jayhawks
Nate Oats, Alabama Crimson Tide
Kelvin Sampson, Houston Cougars
Matt Painter, Purdue Boilermakers
It’s gonna be a phenomenal season! Can’t wait to see it unfold!