2025 SEC Basketball Projections, Rankings Updates

[jbcarol]

Joe Lunardi
@ESPNLunardi

Men's Bracketology: 2025 NCAA Tournament https://espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/page/bracketology/ncaa-bracketology-2025-march-madness-men-field-predictions. 🏀🏀 Barely a week has elapsed since UConn's dominant NCAA tournament performance led to a repeat national championship, but the unfettered movement of players from one school to another had already begun. And it will continue well past the May 1 deadline to enter this year's transfer portal, making a moving target of any serious attempt at Bracketology. Yet we begin our off-season projections with a familiar name at the top. Duke, led by generational recruit Cooper Flagg, starts our 2024-25 bracket cycle as the No. 1 overall seed. The Blue Devils' high-end returnees -- led by guards Jeremy Roach and Tyrese Proctor -- combine with Flagg and three other ESPN Top 100 freshmen to make Duke a fairly clear choice at this point. Also worth noting are a few updates to our off-season methodology. First, this projection includes all portal activity through close of business on April 15. Second, it excludes all players that are consensus NBA first- or early second-round picks as well as other underclassmen who have renounced their college eligibility. Finally, it assumes the return of the last class of COVID-year players unless announced otherwise. Remember this is a very early snapshot and we are a long, long way from November.

There is no longer an off-season in college basketball. With more than 1,500 Division I players changing teams, the majority of programs are dependent on the transfer portal to stock and re-stock their rosters each spring. The resulting tumult creates wide swings in projected performance for the following year, and we're here to track it for you with monthly bracket updates until opening night on November 4.

 1 UA-aq
 3 AU
 4 TX
 5 TN
 6 UF
 8 MS
 9 A&M
10 USC
11 MU

SEC
9
Big Ten
9
Big 12
8
ACC
7
Big East
6

[jbcarol]

Kentucky freshman Reed Sheppard to forgo eligibility, enter 2024 NBA Draft

by: Andrew Graham
•

Kentucky legacy and star freshman Reed Sheppard will pass on his remaining college eligibility and enter the 2024 NBA Draft, according to ESPN's Jonathan Givony. Sheppard was considered a potential lean to stay at Kentucky for a sophomore season.

Instead, Sheppard, a McDonald's All-American and a bit of a surprise star in Kentucky's loaded 2023 signing class, will leave for the NBA, where he's projected to be a potential lottery pick. Various mock drafts throughout the season have projected him as a potential Top 5 pick, though his stock has cooled.

This story will be updated.

[jbcarol]

Jon Rothstein@JonRothstein

The ROTHSTEIN 45 is changing HOURLY.

Some recent updates:

*UConn enters Top 10.
*Florida moves to 17.
*Xavier holds strong at 19.
*Indiana enters Top 20.
*UCLA jumps to 22 with addition of Tyler Bilodeau.

CC: @FDSportsbook, @FanDuelResearch.



This list will be updated DAILY as its tracks every single piece of player movement during the offseason.

All players who have an additional year of eligibility will be penciled in to return unless they're projected to be first-round picks in the 2024 NBA Draft.

If those players announce other plans, their status will be updated accordingly.

All college basketball odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook.

3. Alabama (+1600)
Projected Starting 5:
G Aden Holloway
G Mark Sears
G Latrell Wrightsell
F Jarin Stevenson
F Grant Nelson
Projected Bench: Derrion Reid, Mouhamed Dioubate, Mohamed Wague, Aidan Sherrell, Naas Cunningham, Houston Mallette, Chris Youngblood
Key Newcomers: Derrion Reid, Aidan Sherrell, Naas Cunningham, Houston Mallette (Pepperdine), Chris Youngblood (South Florida), Aden Holloway (Auburn)
Key Losses: Aaron Estrada, Rylan Griffen
COVID Seniors with additional eligibility: Mark Sears, Latrell Wrightsell, Grant Nelson
Entered 2024 NBA Draft while retaining eligibility: Mark Sears

11. Auburn
Projected Starting 5:
G JP Pegues
G Denver Jones
G Chris Moore
F Chad Baker-Mazara
F Johni Broome
Projected Bench: Jahki Howard, Tahaad Pettiford, Dylan Cardwell, CJ Williams, Chaney Johnson
Key Newcomers: Tahaad Pettiford, Jahki Howard, JP Pegues (Furman)
Key Losses: Jaylin Williams, Lior Berman, K.D. Johnson, Tre Donaldson, Aden Holloway
COVID Seniors with additional eligibility: Chris Moore

15. A&M
Projected Starting 5:
G Wade Taylor
G Manny Obaseki
F Andersson Garcia
F Solomon Washington
F Henry Coleman
Projected Bench: Hayden Hefner, Tyler Ringgold, Jaelyn Lee, Brandon White, Andre Mills, George Turkson, Jace Carter
Key Newcomers: Andre Mills, George Turkson
Key Losses: Tyrece Radford, Wildens Leveque, Eli Lawrence

17. Florida
Projected Starting 5:
G Walter Clayton
G Will Richard
G Alijah Martin
F Alex Condon
C Micah Handlogten (if back from injury)
Projected Bench: Thomas Haugh, Isaiah Brown, Olivier Rioux, Sam Alexis, Reuben Chinyelu, Denzel Aberdeen
Key Newcomers: Isaiah Brown, Olivier Rioux, Sam Alexis (Chattanooga), Reuben Chinyelu (Washington State), Alijah Martin (Florida Atlantic)
Key Losses: Zyon Pullin, Tyrese Samuel, Julian Rishwain, Riley Kugel
Entered 2024 NBA Draft while retaining eligibility: Walter Clayton

25. Tennessee
Projected Starting 5:
G Zakai Zeigler
G Jordan Gainey
G Jahmai Mashack
G Darlinstone Dubar
C JP Estrella
Projected Bench: Cade Phillips, Bishop Boswell, Cameron Carr
Key Newcomers: Bishop Boswell, Darlinstone Dubar (Hofstra)
Key Losses: Dalton Knecht, Josiah-Jordan James, Santiago Vescovi, Freddie Dillione, Tobe Awaka, Jonas Aidoo

38. State
Projected Starting 5:
G Ye
G Josh Hubbard
G Claudell Harris
F Cam Matthews
C Michael Nwoko
Projected Bench: Adrian Myers, Martavious Russell, Dellquan Warren, Chol Machot, Eric Paymon, Gai Chol, Shawn Jones
Key Newcomers: Dellquan Warren, Chol Machot, Kanye Clary, Eric Paymon, Michael Nwoko (Miami), Claudell Harris (Boston College)
Key Losses: DJ Jeffries, Tolu Smith, Jimmy Bell, Dashawn Davis

42. Georgia
Projected Starting 5:
G Silas Demery
G Blue Cain
F RJ Melendez
F Dylan James
F Asa Newell
Projected Bench: Dylan James, Frank Anselem, De'Shayne Montgomery
Key Newcomers: Asa Newell, De'Shayne Montgomery (Mount St. Mary's)
Key Losses: RJ Sunahara, Russel Tchewa, Jalen Deloach, Justin Hill, Jabri Abdur-Rahim
COVID Seniors with additional eligibility: Frank Anselem

[jbcarol]

2024-25 Top 25 college basketball rankings 4.0:

NBA Draft entry deadline passes

by: James Fletcher III
•

Here are the guidelines you need to know:

All NBA Draft decisions will not be made for the player, despite the early entry deadline. They are considered back unless they have been listed in the latest On3 Mock Draft. Any other decisions will be accounted for when the player announced their plan moving forward. In addition, this is the final year of COVID eligibility rules, and each roster has been traced the best it can to determine which players hold additional eligibility. Waivers and senior decisions will shape the final roster.

Teams without a full rotation of returning and incoming players at the time of ranking were not considered.

3. Alabama
Key returns: Mark Sears, Grant Nelson, Latrell Wrightsell, Jarin Stevenson
Key additions: Derrion Reid, Aidan Sherrell, Houston Mallette, Chris Youngblood, Naas Cunningham, Aden Holloway, Labaron Philon (may get Onyenso)
Key departures: Aaron Estrada, Rylan Griffen, Nick Pringle, Sam Walters

9. Auburn
Key returns: Johni Broome, Chad Baker-Mazara, Denver Jones, Dylan Cardwell
Key additions: Tahaad Pettiford, JP Pegues
Key departures: Jaylin Williams, Aden Holloway, KD Johnson, Tre Donaldson

Auburn got a transfer portal commitment from JP Pegues over the past week, adding to their collection of backcourt talent heading into next season beside Pettiford.

12. Texas
Key returns: Kadin Shedrick, Chendall Weaver
Key additions: Tre Johnson, Tramon Mark, Julian Larry, Jayson Kent, Jordan Pope
Key departures: Max Abmas, Dylan Disu, Tyrese Hunter, Dillon Mitchell

17. Florida
Key returns: Walter Clayton, Will Richard, Alex Condon, Micah Handlogten
Key additions: Sam Alexis, Rueben Chinyelu, Alijah Martin
Key departures: Zyon Pullin, Riley Kugel, Tyrese Samuel

20. Tennessee
Key returns: Zakai Zeigler, Jordan Gainey
Key additions: Darlinstone Dubar, Felix Okpara (, Igor Milicic, Jr.)
Key departures: Dalton Knecht, Santiago Vescovi, Josiah-Jordan James, Jonas Aidoo, Tobe Awaka

22. A&M
Key returns: Wade Taylor, Andersson Garcia, Henry Coleman, Solomon Washington, Jace Carter, Manny Obaseki, Hayden Hefner
Key additions: CJ Wilcher, Pharrel Payne
Key departures: Tyrece Radford

23. Ole Miss
Key returns: Matthew Murrell, Jaemyn Brakefield, Jaylen Murray, TJ Caldwell
Key additions: John Bol, Mikeal Brown-Jones, Malik Dia, Davon Barnes, Dre Davis, Sean Pedulla
Key departures: Allen Flanigan

So Flanigan and Jaylin Williams are no longer in the SEC

[jbcarol]

Casagrande: Time to Crank up preseason hype machine for Alabama, Auburn

Ms. Sears little boy

We're a day away from May and there's a real preseason buzz in the state of Alabama.

Top recruiting classes are merging with high-profile transfers while big-name returnees are grabbing headlines.

We're talking basketball here.

The news Monday of Grant Nelson's return to Alabama for one final collegiate season just added to the momentum of these two as they rise in the preseason projections.

Almost two weeks earlier, it was Auburn All-American Johni Broome's return that gave a jolt to the Tigers offseason.

Sandwiched in the middle was the transfer of former 5-star Aden Holloway from Auburn to Alabama which served as a lightning rod.

What an ending for a month of April that began with the Crimson Tide's surprising run to the program's first Final Four.

Now, anything short of a repeat would feel like a failure.

Just look at the rankings.