The college basketball season is less than 20 days away and this week’s roundtable takes a peek ahead at what’s to come, as Rivals national analysts Rob Cassidy and Travis Graf address three questions related to the upcoming campaign.
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COMMITMENTS: Michigan lands Papa Kante | Jayden Hastings chooses Boston College
2023 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2025 Rankings: Top 40
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Who is your preseason pick for national player of the year?
CASSIDY: The easy pick is Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe, but easy is never fun. Let’s instead go in a different direction and discuss the possibility of Armando Bacot. Nobody finished the season hotter than Bacot, who averaged 16 points and 13 rebounds per game on his way to leading North Carolina to the national title game. The Naismith Award oftentimes goes to the best player on the best team, and Bacot seems likely to fill that bill as the top-ranked Tar Heels figure to be a juggernaut this year. The UNC senior should be overflowing with confidence based on how last season ended, so I expect a dominant start out of the Virginia native.
GRAF: I’m going to agree with Rob here regarding Tshiebwe. While he’s immensely talented, I think this Kentucky team is constructed to not have to rely on him nearly as much as it did last season. Looking ahead to this season, I’m going to go with Houston’s Marcus Sasser, who is returning from injury after missing the majority of the 2021-2022 season. His ability to knock down outside shots, defend and create offense are second to none in the country. He should be the anchor of a Houston squad that has a chance to make a lot of noise.
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The AP preseason poll is out. Which team do you think might be undervalued?
CASSIDY: Even at No. 9, Creighton seems a bit low. The Bluejays are a veteran team full of future pros, and have now added one of the top transfers in the country in the form of Baylor Scheierman to the mix. Scheierman shot nearly 47% from three-point range last year and he is exactly the kind of well-rounded guard Creighton needs to run what should be a balanced attack, led by experienced options Ryan Nembhard, Ryan Kalkbrenner and Trey Alexander. If Greg McDermott’s team can keep up the defensive intensity it showcased last season, this could be a top-five squad by year’s end.
GRAF: Indiana is a top-10 team in the country on paper in my opinion, and it really has an argument to be ranked that high in the preseason. The Hoosiers, who are ranked No. 13, return Trayce Jackson-Davis, one of the best players in the country, and surround him with talent in the frontcourt and on the perimeter. Xavier Johnson will be a key piece for the Hoosiers, as will Race Thompson. Miller Kopp and Tamar Bates should be good rotational pieces as well. Lastly, the Hoosiers have one of the most underrated freshmen duos in Jalen Hood-Schifino and Malik Reneau.
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Which freshman that was ranked outside of the top 50 do you think will have the biggest impact on the upcoming season?
CASSIDY: There’s plenty to be said about picking a school based on fit, and Taylor Hendricks did just that when he signed with UCF. The 6-foot-8 forward has the versatility to give AAC teams nightmares as he can really shoot it from deep and he became a bit more physical on the inside near the end of his high school career. Hendricks is likely to play big minutes for the Knights this season, and he will impact games in a number of ways. His name might be a bit off the national radar, but plenty of American Conference fans will be familiar with his game by season’s end.
GRAF: I’ll go with Ole Miss freshman Amaree Abram here. Abram’s ability to get downhill and make plays for himself and others will allow him to see the floor early and often, and I think he develops a very strong role as the season goes on. Hypothetically, Abram could play 1 through 3 in Kermit Davis’ offense and will be able to play all over the court, depending on matchups, due to his height and skill set. Abram was ranked 91st in the final Rivals150 for the class of 2022.
