Posted below is what I feel all of us need right now!! Joby Fortson has taken our offseason JNG Rankings, which is among the most successful metrics when it comes to forecasting what the actual selection committee will do (you can read all about that by CLICKING HERE) and put them into a bracket that is posted below. Joby has added some comments below that to better explain what it is we are actually looking at.
COMMENTS FROM JOBY:
-After the NBA declaration has come and gone, we have a better feel of what rosters will look like for the 2023-24 season. The JNG rankings take statistical projections for 2023-24 but of course the best Committee projections will take into account actual results, not just statistical projections so stay tuned during the season for daily updates of the JNG. I expect a couple of more tweaks before the season starts.
-The most notable return likely belongs to #2 overall seed Purdue as Zach Edey w.ill return to West Lafayette. Immediately Purdue finds themselves in championship contention.
-On the other end of the spectrum is Kentucky who had 4 early entries into the NBA draft as well several transfer out of the program with nobody of note coming into the program. Adding insult to injury is the wandering eye of Antonio Reeves and the foot injury to top recruit Aaron Bradshaw. While plenty of raw talent still exists in Lexington, it is no longer a protected seed and falls to the 6 line.
-Another SEC team also took an unexpected departure with Bediako leaving for the NBA. While Quinerly and Sears are still in Tuscaloosa, the Tide falls from a 2 seed to a 4.
-Defending national champions UConn have had a mixed offseason with early departures from Sanogo and Andrew Jackson but Tristen Newton is back leading to a #2 seed for the Huskies.
-Staying in the Big East Villanova goes from out of the field and now sit in the top half of the bracket. No other team benefited from the transfer portal as much as the Wildcats who added TJ Bamba from Washington St, Hakim Hart from Maryland, and Tyler Burton from Richmond. Each had double digit scoring averages last year. When added to Justin Moore and Eric Dixon, you will be hard pressed to find another team with 5 double digit scorers returning.
-Like Villanova, Wisconsin looks trio rebound this year with 5 returning starters thanks to Tyler Wahl’s decision to stay in Madison.
-A special note to Florida Atlantic who contrary to initial thought were not picked apart in the transfer portal and return the core of their final four run, keeping a protected 4 seed in the process.