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17. Southern Methodist Mustangs

Gone: Nick Russell, Shawn Williams

Returning: Nic Moore, Markus Kennedy, Yanick Moreira, Keith Frazier, Ben Moore, Jean-Micheal Mudiay, Cannen Cunningham, Sterling Brown, Ryan Manuel, Crandall Head

Coming in: PG Emmanuel Mudiay (ESPN No. 5), F Jordan Tolbert (Texas Tech transfer)

Key Riser: Keith Frazier -- He was a highly touted kid coming out of high school, but came in and was a role player for Larry Brown. With a year under his belt, the 6-foot-5 wing is ready to make a nice jump.

Analysis: Brown nearly took the Mustangs to the NCAA tournament, and now they add one of the elite freshmen in the nation with athletic 6-foot-5 point guard Mudiay. Moore and Mudiay should be one of the top backcourts in the country, and Kennedy gives SMU an inside presence and a veteran down low. If Moreira stays healthy, he could be key for Brown & Co.

Summer Buzz: The Mustangs already have a commitment from California point guard Sedrick Barefield, and now will go hard after an elite wing. The targets include in-staters D.J. Hogg and Matt McQuaid as well as Missouri native Jimmy Whitt and Louisiana native Chad Lott. SMU is also pursuing elite big man Diamond Stone out of Milwaukee and in-state big man Tyler Davis.

Look who is #1 Standup. Guess I should've bet you that UK would be #1.

1. Kentucky Wildcats

Gone: Julius Randle, James Young, Jarrod Polson, Jon Hood

Returning: Andrew Harrison, Aaron Harrison, Willie Cauley-Stein, Alex Poythress, Dakari Johnson, Marcus Lee, Dominique Hawkins, Derek Willis

Coming in: PF Trey Lyles (ESPN No. 6), C Karl Towns (ESPN No. 9), SG Devin Booker (ESPN No. 18), PG Tyler Ulis (ESPN No. 25)

Key Riser: Dakari Johnson -- He only averaged 5.2 points and 3.9 rebounds as a freshman, but much of that was because he played limited minutes behind Cauley-Stein the first half of the season. He played well in the NCAA tourney and he should get more playing time as a sophomore, even with Cauley-Stein returning.

Analysis: The Wildcats are absolutely loaded -- at every position. In fact, John Calipari is two-deep at every spot. They have six quality big men with returnees Cauley-Stein, Johnson, Lee and Poythress and the addition of two guys who are more talented than any of them in Towns and Lyles. The return of the Harrison twins was critical, though, because now UK has backcourt depth with the twins and the addition of point guard Ulis and talented wing Booker.

Summer Buzz: As usual, John Calipari and his staff have targeted most of the elite players in the country. They missed on Luke Kennard (Duke), but already have shooting guard Charles Matthews (ESPN No. 12) and are in pursuit of big men Ivan Rabb, Stephen Zimmerman, Diamond Stone, Cheick Diallo, Skal Labissiere and Carlton Bragg as well as guard Malik Newman and wing Derrick Jones.

Link to article? Or is this insider or where'd you see it? I'd like to read about all 50, don't really care about UK lol.

Insider.

If UK lands Bragg(like they're expected to do), I'm going to be livid. OSU needs him badly and that kid can flat out play. Also, Duke landed an absolute scoring machine in Kennard. Have had the pleasure of watching him 5 or 6 times now and he can really pour it in. Deadly shooter and knows how to finish around the rim, just a crafty player with good, not elite athleticism. Should be a phenomenal college player.

My $ is on Bragg to KU.

CoxMustangFan wrote:My $ is on Bragg to KU.

You mean Kentucky right? He's almost certainly ending up there unfortunately. Spent a lot of time around him at tournaments and stuff, I really doubt he ends up anywhere else unless there is a major change in heart.

OhioBrownFan wrote:

CoxMustangFan wrote:My $ is on Bragg to KU.

You mean Kentucky right? He's almost certainly ending up there unfortunately. Spent a lot of time around him at tournaments and stuff, I really doubt he ends up anywhere else unless there is a major change in heart.

Meant KU given recent swing in insider gossip. Was just joking as I doubt they can pull two and Diallo is turning into a big(ger) KU lean.