Men’s college basketball has long been marked by short-term dominance from individual programs while parody permeates all around. UConn is the latest to try their hand at a mini-dynasty, but NBA departures may cost them the opportunity to three-peat.
Like the programs that came before them, continuing to find the right ingredients to keep the special sauce “special” is difficult. Adding to the difficulty is a wide-open transfer portal and boosters waiting with fists full of NIL money. This year we may be in for a treat. There are several programs that feel like they have the right combination cooked up and are ready to allow the world to taste their special sauce. Whether it is talent or veteran leadership, teams are lining up to end the Huskies' reign at the top. Let’s take a look at several teams and their potential to cut down the nets.
Taking Aim!
Alabama +1000 on DraftKings
Alabama may have the deepest collection of talent in the country and a head coach whom head coaches believe in. That's a great recipe for success. Mark Sears, Grant Nelson, and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. are back as graduate students to lead the team and they are up to the challenge of exceeding last season’s success. Joining them is one of the nation's best transfer classes led by Chris Youngblood, a grad transfer from USF and Clifford Omoruyi from Rutgers. Alabama offensive efficiency mixed with a little more rim protection on defense should make the Crimson Tide scary for all opponents. There are three-point shooters everywhere and it is a great mix of seniors, fresh blood, and hyper-focused mercenaries. It should be too much for the league to handle. You should be all over this team as a potential champion.
Gonzaga +1400 on DraftKings
You knew that after a down year from the Zags they would be primed for a massive bounceback. The problem for the team last season was that it had little depth and lacked true experience. Now, Gonzaga has veterans everywhere. When I say everywhere I mean this squad is deep. Double-digits deep.
Ryan Nembhard is the leader and the extension of head coach Mark Few. The rest of the guard group is filled with shooters. It would take too long to name them all, but you will hear from them soon enough. Some have been with the team and some are just joining the squad, but there's a lot of danger in the group.
The Bulldogs also added a potential defensive stopper in Tarleton State transfer Emmanuel Innocenti. They have athletic wings and bigs who can shoot. You will have to outscore this team to beat them, and if you let them get you into foul trouble the game is all but over.
North Carolina +1800 on DraftKings
The path to the championship always runs through guard play and UNC has guard play in spades. RJ Davis is one of the best players in the country and he brings leadership and immense experience. Add Elliot Cadeau and Seth Trimble to the backcourt and that will be one of the most difficult trios to handle in the country.
In addition to an experienced starting lineup, the Tar Heels dipped into the portal to add Belmont sharp shooter Cade Tyson. That should give them the ability to attack the basket as well as strike from deep. They also added three top-70 recruits as they need to continue to build and develop talent. That includes Drake Powell and Ian Jackson; both are five-star recruits. Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis will likely employ a pace-and-space approach in this hyper-guard-centric system.
Waiting to Strike!
Michigan State +5500 on DraftKings
Tom Izzo is one of the best to ever do it, there's no doubt about that. However, the first half of last season seemed as if the Hall of Fame coach was losing his ability to reach his players. But in true Izzo fashion he circled the wagons and returned to the tournament, where they were ousted by North Carolina. The Spartans lost their top three scorers off that team but it was not his most cohesive unit.
This squad has a much better chance to assume the identity of its head coach much sooner. With veteran leadership from returning starter Jaden Akins, the potential of two athletic 6-foot-11 bigs like sophomore Xavier Booker and junior Carson Cooper, and the scoring prowess of Nebraska-Omaha transfer Frankie Fidler, the Spartans could do what they do best, shock the country and notch another legendary run in Izzo’s career.
Miami +7000 on DraftKings
Yes, head coach Jim Larranaga has once again done a complete renovation of his team. They have 11 new players on this 2024-25 squad. So why are they potential championship sleepers? Well, nobody does a better job of galvanizing a new team than Larranaga, so you can bet they will take on the identity he wants.
The other reason does not get spoken about enough. This team is full of grown men. The team has six players who are working on Master’s degrees. Nijel Pack is a 1,000-point scorer who started his career at Kansas State before spending the last two seasons at Miami. Jalen Blackmon is another 1,000-point transfer from Grand Canyon and Stetson. Matthew Cleveland is yet another 1,000-point scorer who spent two years at Florida State before coming to Miami last season. That's a lot of firepower and veteran leadership at the position that matters the most come tournament time.
Long-Range Sniper
BYU +8000 on DraftKings
Yes BYU lost its head coach, but the Cougars are going to be fun to watch in the Big 12. They will not be afraid to get into a shootout with any team they face and as the new faces gel with the veterans as well as the transfers, this team will have a legitimate shot to knock off any team it faces on again given night.
The Cougars will possess the ultimate eraser and equalizer to athleticism and talent; a multitude of skilled long-range shooters. They are going to shoot a lot of three-pointers and they are going to make a lot of them. They will also be long enough to combat teams with length inside. Outside of the two freshman phenoms Egor Demin and Kanon Catchings, much of this roster is not known nationwide. BYU does return several players from last season's squad, including three of its top five scorers. Forward Fousseyni Traore and guard Trevin Knell lead that pack of returners. They will be fun to watch this season and extremely dangerous.
