Way-too-early 2024-25 men's basketball Power 36 rankings (2024)

Final seconds from UConn's second men's basketball title in a row

I know it’s educated guessing, but so be it! Coaching changes still loom along with NBA decisions, and of course, the transfer portal. All are due to shake up teams across the country. Nevertheless, here is my way-too-early Power 36 for the 2024-25 season following UConn's second-straight and sixth national championship win.

🏆 UCONN WINS 2024 TITLE:How it happened

  1. Houston: J'Wan Roberts and L.J. Cryer are both expected to return and keep Houston near the top of the Big 12 and the nation's best.
  2. Duke: Despite a few losses, the Blue Devils have the nation's No. 1 recruit in Cooper Flagg.
  3. UConn: The back-to-back defending champs look to make it three in a row.
  4. Alabama: Nate Oates is poised to continue the momentum for the Crimson Tide after leading Alabama to its first Final Four.
  5. Creighton: The Big East is loaded but Creighton always seems to find a way near the top under Greg McDermott.
  6. North Carolina: Replacing the production of Armando Bacot and Cromac Ryan will be key, but Hubert Davis added five players from the portal last year and will likely be active again.
  7. Iowa State: T.J. Otzelberger led the Cyclones to a second-place finish in the Big 12 in 2023-24 and has takenIowa Stateto theSweet 16 in two of his first three seasons as head coach. The Clones are in good hands.
  8. Gonzaga: The Zags return most of their roster including their leading scorer in Graham Ike.
  9. Kansas: Bill Self admitted to looking ahead to the 2024-25 season following KU's exit in the Round of 32. Look for Self to be active in the portal and the Jayhawks to have a bounce-back season.
  10. Clemson: Ian Schieffelin is expected to return this fall and the Tigers look to build on the success from the 2023-24 season
  11. Tennessee: The Volunteers finished fifth in both the final AP poll and coaches poll of the season. Expect them to be near the top of the SEC again next season.
  12. Arizona: Under Tommy Lloyd, the Wildcats have finished in the top 15 in offensive efficiency in each of Lloyd's first three seasons at the helm.
  13. Purdue: The national runner-ups lose the national player of the year in Zach Edey, but do return key players in their backcourt such as Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith who made up one of the most dynamic backcourts in the country.
  14. Auburn: Perhaps the biggest questionmark for the Tigers is whetherJohni Broome will declare for the NBA draft. If he returns to Auburn, look out.
  15. Illinois: The 2024 Big Ten tournament champs are in good hands under Brad Underwood who has rebuilt the program.
  16. Baylor: The Bears have a good incoming freshmenclass headlined byfive-star VJ Edgecombe.
  17. Florida: The biggest question mark isWalter Clayton Jr. who is testing NBA waters.
  18. Texas A&M: Aggies return Wade Taylor who was named to theNaismithPlayer of the Year midseason team.
  19. Dayton: The Flyers ranked 25th in the final AP poll of the 2024 season and starters Javon Bennett, Enoch CheeksandNate Santos all expected to return.
  20. Boise State: A record six teams from the Mountain West got into the 2024 NCAA tournament including Boise State. Leon Rice has guided the Broncos to 10, 20-win seasons and has the program in good shape to build offof a strong 2023-24 season.
  21. Wisconsin: A.J. Storr entered the portal and Wisconsin will have to replace the production from the guard, but incoming freshmanDaniel Freitag might see significant time and help returning Chucky Hepburn in another solid Greg Gard-led backcourt.
  22. Xavier: The Musketeers had six freshmen who logged over 30% of the minutes played this season. That will pay dividends next season.
  23. Ohio State: A new era for Ohio State (sort of) with former assistantJake Diebler having his interim tag removed following the season.
  24. Marquette: TheGolden Eagles are expected to loseTyler Kolek, but withKam Jones and David Joplin back, Marquette will still be a very good team.
  25. Michigan State: Tom Izzo always seems to find a way into the tournament.
  26. Oregon: Will be interesting to see who makes it out of a tough Big Ten with realignment taking its shape in the fall, but Oregon has something to build on after winning the Pac-12 tournament in its final year.
  27. Seton Hall: The 2024 NIT champs return threestarters under Shaheen Holloway who went 25-12 in his first year with a solid conference record of 13-7.
  28. San Diego State: Brian Dutcher lost five key players following their run to the 2023 title game but that didn't stop them from putting together a solid 2023-2024 campaign. Look for them to do the same next season.
  29. UCLA: Mick Cronin labeled 2023-24 as a "rebuilding year" for the Bruins but the foundation has been set once again and Cronin returns star sophom*ore Dylan Andrews and will likely be active in the portal.
  30. Texas: The Longhorns bring in a good freshman class that ranked in the nation's top 75.
  31. Saint Mary’s:Star guardsAugustas Marčiulionis and Aidan Mahaneyshould be back next season.
  32. Nebraska: Fred Hoiberg brought the Huskers back to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2014 and returned two key startersJuwan Gary and Brice Williams.
  33. Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons went 11-9 in what was a loaded ACC, and were an incredible 17-2 at home. I expect them to have a good offseason and be able to compete once again.
  34. NC State: Kevin Keatts has a lot of work to do replacingDJ Horne and DJ Burns, but the Wolfpack should be able to continue to build off of 2023-24's tremendous tournament run to the Final Four.
  35. BYU: Looking to build off a successful first season in the Big 12 with the Cougars finishing 23-11 and earning a trip to the tournament.
  36. Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights have two of the top five players in the freshmen class in Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper.

NCAA men's basketball champions from 1939 ➡️ today

Under consideration: Cincinnati, Villanova, Mississippi State, Maryland, Providence, Indiana, UNLV, New Mexico, Kansas State, Syracuse, Memphis, Minnesota, St. John’s, Colorado, Loyola-Chicago, VCU, Pitt, Northwestern, UAB, South Florida, Colorado State, Kentucky, Arkansas, Princeton, Vermont, Saint Louis, Miami, Georgia, South Carolina, Massachusetts, Richmond, Bradley, Northern Iowa.

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FAQs

Who withdrew from the 2024 NBA draft? ›

Dribble Handoff: Coleman Hawkins, Mark Sears, Hunter Sallis among the best 2024 NBA Draft withdrawal decisions - CBSSports.com.

What's the most points ever scored in a men's college basketball game? ›

On January 12, 1992, Troy State University, now known as Troy University, defeated DeVry University of Atlanta 258–141 in a game that is considered to have established several unbreakable records.

Who is the all time points leader in the NCAA Tournament? ›

1. 407 points (23 games) -- Christian Laettner, Duke, 1989-92.

Who is number one in the nation for men's basketball? ›

Men's College Basketball Rankings
RKTeamPTS
1CONN (58)1450
2PUR1386
3ALA1216
HOU1216
21 more rows

Who will get the first pick in the 2024 NBA Draft? ›

The Atlanta Hawks have the first pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Below are some notes on the 2024 NBA Draft presented by State Farm which will be held on June 26 & 27. The Atlanta Hawks are set to make the first pick in the NBA Draft for the second time in the common draft era (since 1966).

Who dropped out of NBA draft? ›

Alabama's Mark Sears will withdraw from the NBA draft and return to school for his final season of eligibility, he told ESPN on Wednesday. "I got good feedback from the NBA," Sears told ESPN.

Can Caitlin Clark pass Pete Maravich? ›

Iowa's Caitlin Clark passes Pete Maravich to set the all-time NCAA scoring record Breaking records has been standard practice for Iowa basketball star Caitlin Clark during her NCAA career, and she did it again Sunday when she became the all-time leading scorer in Division 1.

Who is the greatest college basketball player of all time? ›

remembers Bill Walton ❤️ "He may have been the greatest college basketball player of all time. He was an all-time great pro as well. ... But more than that ... He was an absolutely magnificent, beautiful person that you just loved to be around at all times."

Has any team ever scored 200 points in a basketball game? ›

The Detroit Pistons achieved this record feat 41 years ago. The 2024 NBA All-Star Game was held in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was a high-scoring game, with the Eastern All-Stars defeating the West 211-186.

Has a ranked team ever missed NCAA Tournament? ›

In the 2020-21 season, both Duke (No. 9) and Kentucky (No. 10) started the season ranked in the top 10 but missed the tournament.

How many points does Caitlin Clark need to break Pete Maravich's record? ›

Clark needed just 18 points to surpass the record, scoring her 3,668th point from the free-throw line just before the end of the first half. Caitlin Clark passes Pete Maravich on the all-time NCAA scoring list on a technical free throw at the end of the first half.

Who has the most 3 pointers in a single NCAA Tournament? ›

Here's the top 10 list of players with the most single-game 3-pointers in the NCAA Tournament: 1. Jeff Fryer (11): 1990. T-2 Jack Gohlke (10): 2024.

What is the best USA men's basketball team ever? ›

The 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team, nicknamed the "Dream Team", was the first American Olympic team to feature active professional players from the National Basketball Association (NBA). The team has often been described as the greatest sports team ever assembled.

Who won the most college basketball championships? ›

Who is the best men's basketball team in the world? ›

Men's Baseball as of 18 December 2023
Men's Baseball as of 18 December 2023
RankTeamPoints
1Japan5797
2Mexico4764
3United States4492
18 more rows

When can players withdraw from NBA draft? ›

Players have until 5 p.m. ET on June 16, 2024 to decide whether or not to keep their names for selection in the NBA Draft.

How many draft picks do the Lakers have in 2024? ›

The Lakers now have the Nos. 17 and 55 picks in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Who is left from the 2003 NBA draft? ›

As of 2024, James is the only remaining active player from the 2003 draft class. Eleven of the players selected in this draft never played in an NBA game throughout their professional basketball careers.

What 2004 NBA draft players are still playing? ›

This is currently the most recent draft class with no remaining players active in the NBA, as Andre Iguodala announced his retirement in 2023.

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