We are 101 days away from the first day of the 2022-23 men’s college basketball season!
A lot has happened since “One Shining Moment” played in New Orleans to celebrate Kansas’ national championship. From shocking coaching changes to massive transfers to high-stakes NBA draft decisions, next season has been shaped by a near-endless series of roster and coaching moves over the past four months that have only recently slowed down.
All these changes and domino effects are almost impossible to follow. That’s why Sports Illustrated has rounded up the biggest moves you should know about to prepare for the upcoming season. Consider this your one-stop guide to the 2022 offseason.
From left to right: Pack, Payne, Timme, Calipari and Sasser
Michael C. Johnson/USA TODAY Sports; By Pat McDonogh/Courier Journal/USA TODAY Network; Soobum Im, Jordan Prather, Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports
Coaching carousel:
We knew before the start of the season that the sport would lose a legend in Mike Krzyzewski, but the big shock of the offseason was Jay Wright (1) retiring at Villanova. The move shocked college basketball, forced to deal with the loss of another legend from its coaching ranks who built arguably the best program in the sport in the last decade. Read also : The top 10 real estate markets in the U.S. are cooling fast: here’s what you need to know if you’re a potential buyer. His replacement was announced within minutes: Fordham’s Kyle Neptune (2), who was a mainstay on Wright’s staff before taking the Fordham job a year ago and played a role in both of the Wildcats’ national titles.
Louisville turned to alum and longtime Kentucky assistant Kenny Payne to replace Chris Mack as coach (3). Considered an ace recruit, Payne immediately became a top recruit for 2023. D.J. Wagner is a priority, even hiring DJ’s grandfather Milt, 4, to his support staff to sweeten the deal. It’s a Bluegrass State battle between Louisville and Kentucky to land Wagner’s services. Payne also hired Duke assistant Nolan Smith from Jon Scheyer’s (5) staff, so Scheyer raided Kentucky’s bench to add rising recruit Jai Lucas (6).
The carousel’s first vacancy was at Maryland, which parted ways with Mark Turgeon at the start of the 2021-22 season. From the moment the job opened, Seton Hall’s Kevin Willard was considered a strong candidate, and the Terrapins’ pursuit eventually led to Willard, 7, shortly after the Pirates’ season ended in a blowout against TCU. Between another early exit from the NCAA Tournament and a “classless” final press conference, the Willard era in South Orange ended rather unceremoniously. But Seton Hall fans should be excited about the future after landing alum Shaheen Holloway, 8, who broke out into coaching superstardom leading Saint Peter’s to the Elite Eight.
But the center of this year’s coaching carousel was, without a doubt, the SEC. Six of the league’s 14 schools changed coaches this offseason, and in many cases the schools competed for the same candidates.
A pair of familiar faces from their schools have returned to Big East programs: Thad Matta (16) at Butler and Sean Miller (17) at Xavier. At each coach’s peak, they were among the top 10 in college basketball. But health problems have helped sideline Matt for the past five years, and Miller has had to emerge from under the cloud of an FBI investigation into the sport that sent one of his Arizona assistants to prison.
The other major story from the coaching carousel season was the jobs that didn’t open up. Patrick Ewing received the trust of AD Lee Reed (18) despite a historically poor season at Georgetown. Arizona State (19), Stanford (20) and Washington (21) stood to leave the Pac-12 unchanged this cycle, as did Northwestern (22) and Nebraska (23) in the Big Ten, as did Pitt (24). ) and NC State (25) in the ACC. If you’re compiling a list of hot spots for early 2023, that group would be a good place to start.
Bacot headlined the return of UNC’s core that could have the Tar Heels atop the preseason polls.
Who’s back?
Namely, great people! The combination of name, image and likeness (NIL) contracts and a dwindling market for real NBA players has left men’s college basketball with some high-profile returning stars in the frontcourt. That starts with defending national player of the year Oscar Tshiebwe, 26, who returned to Kentucky after briefly testing the NBA waters. He will earn about $2 million (or more) in NIL revenue this year, according to Jeff Goodman, and is the first male NPOY back in college since Tyler Hansbrough.
Joining Tshiebwe in the “star returns for more” contingent: Read also : Books “meant to be” by local children’s authors.
Bacot’s return to Chapel Hill set the tone for the rest of UNC’s core to bring him back. Caleb Love (31), RJ Davis (32) and Leaky Black (33) could have explored professional options but decided to return to school and chase a national title with Bacota. That means four of North Carolina’s five starters are back after falling three points short of the championship in April, and those four returners are a big reason why UNC is No. 1 in the summer SI top 25.
Timme also got some help from revamped big names, as Rasir Bolton (34) opted to use his extra year of eligibility and Julian Strawther (35) also withdrew from the draft process to give Gonzaga a strong core of returnees. The Zags need to replace star point guard Andrew Nembhard, but should again be a legitimate contender for the national title.
Some of the other most influential back-to-school decisions:
Plus, some mid-sized stars who decided to repeat it:
Can Scheierman help shoot the Bluejays to the top of the Big East?
Steven Branscombe/USA TODAY Sports
Who transferred?
The Verbal Commits transfer list includes 1,750 names, eight of which top the list for 2021. This may interest you : What are You Not Knowing Me on Netflix?. Which of those moves were the most impactful?
Whether Kansas State transfer Niel Pak (46) was the best in this year’s cycle is up for debate, but his hiring had the biggest impact on the portal by far. The first-team All-Big 12 selection committed to Miami in mid-April, a big win for the Hurricanes over Purdue, Ohio State and a host of other suitors. But the impact of Pack’s dedication was felt not only by the Canes, but by all of college basketball. The two-year, $800,000 NIL deal with Lifewallet (and Hurricanes booster John Ruiz) signed by the Pack and announced at the same time as the junior’s commitment set the market for future contracts and cashed out many schools in the process.
Figures like what Pack received were thrown into the rumor mills around the sport in the days leading up to his commitment, but the very public nature of it created a real shift in player expectations and reality for coaches trying to navigate the portal. One of the top middle coaches told Sports Illustrated this offseason that after the Pack deal, any big man they felt would improve their team would have a $100,000 price tag.
Some of the other top MVP candidates to change hands this offseason: Tyrese Hunter (47), Pete Nance (48), Kendric Davis (49) and Baylor Scheierman (50). Hunter was one of the best freshmen in the country and led Iowa State to the Sweet 16, but now he’s gone to Texas, where he’ll fit in well in Chris Beard’s defensive scheme. You couldn’t find a better replacement for Brady Manek at North Carolina’s forward position than Nance, who is headed to Chapel Hill after four years at Northwestern. He’s skilled, versatile and will look even better with a more talented supporting cast. Davis was one of the best point guards in the country during his time at SMU, and he will be the centerpiece of a retooled Memphis team for his final year of eligibility. And then there’s Scheierman, who has seen virtually every top school express interest after hitting the portal. Could he be the missing piece for a Creighton team with an outstanding young core?
One driver of the movement of the transfer portal is always coaching changes. One illustration: LSU’s parting ways with Wade led to a mass exodus, including seven players to the portal. Seven of them scattered across the country to major programs, including Brandon Murray (51) to Georgetown, Efton Reid (52) to Gonzaga and Alex Fudge (53) to Florida. Then new coach Matt McMahon brought in three of Murray State’s best players in KJ Williams (54), Justice “Juice” Hill (55) and Trae Hannibal (56) to start a rebuild in Baton Rouge. Of course, that left Murray State in need of a quick turnaround, so the Racers added six transfers (including two from D-II ranks).
Ten more transfers that could significantly affect the upcoming season:
Who’s gone?
Aside from the players who are finally out of eligibility (looking at you, Brad Davison), here’s a rundown of some of the big names you won’t be seeing in college hoops this season.
The two biggest decisions to return to school in the 2021 offseason were Johnny Juzang, 67, and Kofi Cockburn, 68, college stars with questionable pro futures who decided to return for another season of seasoning. This time, Juzang and Cockburn decided it was time to turn professional. Both are in the Jazz organization, with Juzang signing a two-way contract and Cockburn signing a 10-year contract with the organization.
The only lottery pick whose stay-or-go decision was in question was Shaedon Sharpe, 69, the former No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2022 who reclassified to join Kentucky in the middle of the season. After it became clear that Sharpe would be eligible for the ’22 draft, most expected him to turn pro right away. But the process wasn’t exactly smooth, and it caused frustration in Lexington as the Cats realized a significant part of their ’22-23 plans wouldn’t be there.
A few names that came up during the predraft process and ended up in the first round after initially appearing 50-50: Dalen Terry (70), Arizona’s connective tissue last season who went No. 18 to the Bulls; Jake LaRavia (71), who exploded onto the scene at Wake Forest after transferring from Indiana State and coming down from the No. 20 Grizzlies; Christian Braun, 72, who impressed scouts with his toughness and polish after winning a national title with Kansas and is leaving for the Nuggets; and David Roddy, 73, the lineman-bodied Colorado State forward whose departure to the pros dropped the Rams from the preseason top 25. Roddy went No. 23 to the Grizzlies.
The loss of Arkansas Jaylin Williams (74) to the pros was a significant departure from a national standpoint. Considering the Hogs’ loaded incoming class, Arkansas would have a strong case to be No. 1 in the preseason polls with its star center. The other professional departure that had a real impact on the top spot was the transfer of Kenneth Lofton Jr. (75), who starred in the G League’s elite camp and the NBA draft before earning a two-way contract with the Grizzlies. Several industry sources expected Lofton to choose Houston had he returned to college, which would have been a big impact and pushed the Cougars over the top.
Five other high-impact professionals who were eligible:
Scheyer’s first Duke recruit includes Whitehead, who is shooting here for Montverde Academy.
Landon Bost/Naples Daily News/USA TODAY Network
Freshmen to know:
We may not be completely done adding elite talent to the sport for next season. Last year, for example, both Jalen Duren and Bates committed to Memphis in August. And just last week, top 2023 recruit G.G. Jackson, 81, reclassified in 2022 and committed to South Carolina, where he will be the centerpiece in his first year under Lamont Paris.
Here’s a quick scout of 10 freshmen whose names you’ll want to know long before the season starts in November:
82. Nick Smith (Arkansas): Smith might be the best NBA prospect in college hoops this year. A smooth 6’5″ guard who can play on or off the ball, the Little Rock native should be one of the best playmakers in the sport and the centerpiece of a Hogs team ranked No. 5 in SI’s Summer 25 of the best He is one of three McDonald’s All-Americans in Arkansas’ 2022 recruiting class.
83 + 84. Dariq Whitehead and Dereck Lively II (Duke): It’s hard to pick just one player from this group at Duke. Whitehead is a play-ready wing who played at prep powerhouse Montverde, while Lively should be one of the best defenders in the sport as a rim protector. These two were a real hit for Scheyer in his first season.
85. Cam Whitmore (Villanova): There’s a very good chance Whitmore becomes the rare Villanova one-and-done. He put up eye-popping numbers for Team USA at the FIBA U-18 Americas earlier this summer and should carry significant output for a Wildcats team that could be without Justin Moore for the season after he suffered an Achilles injury during the NCAA Tournament.
86. Keyonte George (Baylor): George is a smooth ball operator and should provide a major shakeup in Baylor’s backcourt. He scored an astounding 37 points with Baylor at the GLOBL JAM against a Canadian team that featured college stars like Marcus Carr, Ryan Nembhard and Quincy Guerrier.
87. Jarace Walker (Houston): Walker was a five-star recruit at IMG Academy and fits like a glove in Kelvin Sampson’s system. He’s a high-motor forward with elite physical tools who should dominate the boards for a Houston team that prioritizes the offensive glass.
88. Cason Wallace (Kentucky): With TyTy Washington Jr. and Sharpe each to the professional ranks, the Wildcats needed a shot. That’s where Wallace comes in, a top-10 recruit, according to 247Sports, whose brother Keaton scored 2,000 points in his college career. Expect him to step in at the shooting guard spot next to Sahvir Wheeler in the backfield.
89. Gradey Dick (Kansas): Dick is probably the most ready to play in Kansas’ star-studded freshman class, and will be relied upon immediately with Ochai Agbaji and Braun moving on to the pros. He’s a strong outside shooter, but he also has great size and can really score off the bounce.
90. Skyy Clark (Illinois): The one-time Kentucky promise saw his stock slip a bit later in high school as he dealt with injuries, but at his best he was one of the most creative passers you’ll ever see in high school basketball. He should get the keys right away to lead the point guard for a new-look Illini group.
91. Jaxon Kohler (Michigan State): Kohler is ranked just outside the top 50 in his class by 247Sports, but is expected to play a major role for the Spartans from day one. a fun player to watch for his skill level and toughness and should be a reliable presence in the post for Tom Izzo’s club.
The 10 big story lines of 2022–23:
92. The pressure is on John Calipari to make another deep run at Kentucky. Recruiting hasn’t slowed down at all for the Wildcats, but they haven’t been to the Final Four since 2015 and Calipari has just one national title since taking over in 2009. A loss to Saint Peter’s in the first round of last year’s dance follows Kentucky’s disastrous 9–16 record in 2020–21. it didn’t help matters.
93. Is Indiana returning to the top of the sport? The Hoosiers had an uneventful Year 1 under Mike Woodson, but finished strong and reached the NCAA Tournament. Now every major player is back and two top-30 recruits join the fray. Without a clear dominant team in the Big Ten, the door is open for Indiana to return to the top.
94. Could Creighton have its best team ever? The Bluejays clearly exceeded expectations with a young team in 2021–22, and now they return a ton of talent and add a top transfer in Scheierman. Arthur Kaluma is getting hot in the first round of the NBA draft and Ryan Kalkbrenner is one of the most influential big men in the country.
95. Passing the torch at Duke and Villanova. Two of the greatest coaches in college basketball history are stepping down and being replaced by a pair of young up-and-comers in the industry in Scheyer and Neptune, respectively. Hubert Davis went through his early season struggles at North Carolina before nearly leading the Heels to a national title, so we’ll see how smooth the transition is for Scheyer and Neptune as they take over two of the best programs in the sport.
96. Can Gonzaga finally cut down the nets? The numbers don’t lie: In the past six years, Gonzaga has been the best team in the sport three times and second twice, according to KenPom. But until the Bulldogs actually win a championship, there will always be doubts about the conference they play in. Mark Few has a team with enough talent to pull it off this year… but that’s been the case for the last two seasons as well.
97. PK85 brings some of the best sports to Portland this November. Duke, North Carolina, Villanova, Michigan State, Gonzaga and a host of other high-profile programs converge on the biggest event of the non-conference season. This is a great opportunity to showcase the sport over the Thanksgiving weekend with elite level matches.
98. The big man who goes back to the basket is here to stay. As mentioned above, several top centers have returned to school instead of turning pro. Tshiebwe, Timme, Bacot, Dickinson, Jackson-Davis, Zach Edey, Kalkbrenner, Adama Sanogo, Colin Castleton… the list goes on. It is by far the deepest position in the sport in 2022-23.
99. The forgotten mid-major darlings are back in 2020. Before the NCAA Tournament was canceled due to COVID-19 two years ago, Dayton and San Diego State had legitimate chances to compete for the national title. Putting those expectations on this year’s Flyers and Aztecs is unfair, but both teams are in the top 20 of SI’s summer top 25. SDSU should have perhaps the best defense in the sport, and Dayton has an extremely talented big man in Holmes, who shined as a freshman.
100. Rearrangement background. The impact of the conference realignment for the 2022-23 season will be relatively limited at the sport’s highest levels: the most notable movement comes with Loyola Chicago moving to the Atlantic 10 and Murray State, Belmont and UIC joining the Missouri Valley. But the big future moves of Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC and UCLA and USC to the Big Ten loom over the sport right now as rivalries fade and financial situations change.
101. Unique destinations for early season play. After previous games attempted on aircraft carriers were plagued by condensation issues on the field, the sport is ready to try again with Michigan State and Gonzaga facing USA. Abraham Lincoln landed in San Diego on November 11. On the same day, Wisconsin and Stanford will play a basketball game on the baseball field at American Family Field, home of the Milwaukee Brewers. Grab some peanuts (or cheese curds) and enjoy!
More on college basketball:
• Men’s offseason winners and losers• Life at Saint Peter’s already looks a lot different• Ranking each Power 5 school by desirability
