College basketball is coming off an offseason unlike any other.
asserted
basketball → come → other
Between the ongoing saga of the high school class of 2022 playing out in courtrooms across the country and the continued lobbying in Congress for the passage of the Protect College Sports Act — it’s really the give-power-back-to-the-NCAA and take-it-away-from-players bill — it was a mess all summer and into the fall.
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it → play → fall
In June, the NCAA passed a new eligibility model that allowed for five seasons of competition over a five-year period.
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that → pass → period
It declined to grandfather in that extra year of eligibility to the high school class of 2022 (seniors last season), while for some reason giving an extra year to athletes who were juniors, sophomores and freshmen in 2025-26.
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who → decline → 2025
A strong contingent of those players sued for an extra year of eligibility, and committed to schools in August.
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contingent → sue → August
Some are eligible, others aren’t, and this issue remains unresolved.
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issue → remain → ?
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questions → access → subscribers
SIGN UP NOWFortunately, the season is here, although the off-the-court drama has no end in sight.
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drama → sign → sight
A number of elite players returned to school rather than going the pro route and the migration of top international talent only increased.
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migration → return → talent
It promises to be a fascinating year.
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It → promise → ?
The Post’s Zach Braziller breaks it all down in his preseason Top 25.
1.
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Braziller → break → Top
Duke has all the pieces to win its first title since 2015 after agonizing collapses in the Final Four and Elite Eight the previous two years.
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Duke → have → Four
Coach Jon Scheyer’s team is so deep, his second unit would be ranked in our Top 25.
2.
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unit → rank → Top
The Gators kept almost their entire roster together — most notably the robust frontcourt of Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh and Rueben Chinyelu.
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Gators → keep → Condon
Bronx native Boogie Fland returns to Gainesville for his junior year, and Denzel Aberdeen is back after a year away at Kentucky to form an experienced backcourt.
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Aberdeen → return → backcourt
The opposition is going to dare Florida to shoot from the perimeter.
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opposition → go → perimeter
After snapping a 25-year Final Four drought, the Wildcats are legitimate contenders to return.
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Wildcats → snap → drought
Coach Tommy Lloyd kept 7-foot-2 center Motiejus Krivas and two-way wing Ivan Kharchenkov, giving him two returning stars to build around.
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Lloyd → keep → stars
Caleb Holt, one of the nation’s premier incoming freshmen, has one-and-done, top 10 potential.
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Holt → have → potential
Godfrey, the Wildcats’ projected starting power forward, is in limbo after he withdrew his name from a case in Georgia suing the NCAA.
4.
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he → project → NCAA
The Huskies have reached the final Monday of the season in three of the past four years, and they can get back there again this April.
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they → reach → years
The returning backcourt of Big East preseason player of the year Silas Demary Jr. and Braylon Mullins is elite, and UConn added high-ceiling transfers in center Na’jai Hines (Seton Hall) and floor-pacing forward Nik Khamenia (Duke) to replace departed stars Tarris Reed Jr. and Alex Karaban.
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UConn → return → Jr.
Top 30 freshmen Colben Landrew and Junior County impressed in the preseason, and veteran sharpshooter Solo Ball (wrist) could return at some point in the middle of the year to provide even more shotmaking firepower.
uncertain
Ball → impress → firepower
Tom Izzo mostly does it the old-fashioned way: high school recruiting and internal development.
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Izzo → do → it
He might be a dinosaur, but his philosophy of roster building still works.
uncertain
philosophy → work → building
It helps when you have one of the premier guards in the country in Jeremy Fears Jr., and quality pieces around him such as jumping jack wing Coen Carr, sharpshooter Kur Teng, and forwards Cam Ward and Jordan Scott ready for their opportunity to shine.
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you → help → opportunity
He could carve out a significant role off the bench.
uncertain
He → carve → bench
Three-point bombing Providence transfer Stefan Vaaks feels like a perfect fit at Illinois, joining a crew of gifted returnees from the Illini’s first Final Four team in 21 years.
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Vaaks → feel → years
As long as do-it-all forward David Mirkovic’s left foot isn’t a long-term issue — he is a national player of the year contender if healthy — Illinois has the pieces to return to the final weekend.
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Illinois → have → weekend
Few coaches will have more pressure to win big this winter than Pat Kelsey.
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coaches → have → Kelsey
In six trips to the NCAA Tournament, he’s won one game, and he put together a loaded roster this offseason — highlighted by high-level newcomers Flory Bidunga of Kansas, Jackson Shelstad of Oregon, Seth Trimble of North Carolina and Karter Knox of Arkansas.
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he → win → Arkansas
In two years at Louisville, he’s won 51 games, but has yet to beat Duke and is 5-11 against ranked opponents.
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he → win → opponents
A monster season awaits for the high-priced Cardinals.
8.
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season → await → Cardinals
The Cougars are coming off a 30-win campaign and Sweet 16 appearance, and it was a slightly down year.
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it → come → campaign
That’s how high the standard now is in Houston.
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standard → ’ → Houston
Court orders have given an extra year of eligibility to returnees Tre White and Melvin Council Jr., in addition to former Purdue star Trey Kaufman-Renn.
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orders → give → Renn
Add in No. 1 overall high school recruit Tyran Stokes, and Bill Self has a Final Four-caliber roster — as long as those court cases hold.
10.
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cases → add → roster
Gonzaga
Calling Gonzaga’s offseason a roller coaster would be an unstatement.
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offseason → call → ?
They kept top forward Braden Huff, beat out St. John’s for one of the premier transfers in the country, Arizona State 7-footer Massamba Diop, saw top guards Mario Saint-Supery and Jack Kayil opt for the professional ranks, and added three fifth-year players (Florida’s Xaivian Lee, Dayton’s Javon Bennett and Florida State’s Chauncey Wiggins) who are part of the high school class of 2022 suing for a fifth season.
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who → keep → season
St. John’s
Few teams will be able to match the Johnnies’ perimeter attack of EuroLeague point guard Quinn Ellis, returning shooting guard Ian Jackson and high-scoring Baylor wing Tounde Yessoufou.
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teams → match → Ellis
…and 49 more, not listed.
The Aporia
