A good offseason for North Carolina got even better Tuesday when Elliot Cadeau, a five-star prospect in the Class of 2024, announced he's reclassifying to the Class of 2023 and planning to play for the Tar Heels next season. That means a possible starting lineup for UNC now looks like this:
- G: R.J. Davis
- G: Elliot Cadeau
- G: Cormac Ryan
- F: Harrison Ingram
- F: Armando Bacot
That's a lineup with experience, talent and everything it should take for North Carolina to return to the 2024 NCAA Tournament after a disappointing season in which the Tar Heels became the first team to miss the Big Dance (in the modern era) after being ranked No. 1 in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll. Is it possible they'll underachieve again relative to the roster? Sure, I guess. But, make no mistake, this roster is talented enough to accomplish big things, and that's why I've moved North Carolina from unranked to No. 24 in Version 15.0 of the 2023-24 CBS Sports preseason Top 25 And 1 college basketball rankings.
(The addition of UNC pushed Auburn out of the Top 25 And 1. Bruce Pearl's Tigers are now what amounts to No. 27.)
The only other movement in Version 15.0 is connected to Marquette and Arizona, both of which had notable roster moves in recent days. Last Friday, Marquette's Olivier-Maxence Prosper announced his intention to remain in the 2023 NBA Draft, meaning the Golden Eagles will no longer return every relevant player from a team that won the Big East regular-season title and Big East Tournament. Instead, they're now losing their third-leading scorer (12.5 points per game) and second-leading rebounder (4.7 boards per game), which is why the Golden Eagles are down to No. 7 in the Top 25 And 1. Meantime, on Tuesday, former North Carolina standout Caleb Love announced his intention to transfer to Arizona. where he'll join an already talented backcourt featuring Jaden Bradley and Kylan Boswell. That addition compelled me to move the Wildcats up to No. 16 in the Top 25 And 1, where Kansas remains No. 1 thanks largely to the addition of former Michigan All-American Hunter Dickinson and the return of two-time Naismith Memorial Defensive Player of the Year semifinalist Kevin McCullar.
A possible KU starting lineup now looks like this:
- G: Dajuan Harris
- G: Nick Timberlake
- G: Kevin McCuller
- F: K.J. Adams
- C: Hunter Dickinson
That's a lineup with size, shooting and experience, one so strong that former five-star prospects like Elmarko Jackson and Arterio Morris will likely begin games on the bench. Combine that with the fact that Naismith Memorial Hall of Famer Bill Self — a man who has made 24 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and earned No. 1 seeds in 10 of the past 16 — will be the person developing the roster and coaching the team, and it's pretty clear to me that Kansas will probably begin the season at No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll for the first time since 2018.
Top 25 And 1 rankings
Rk | Teams | Chg | Rcrd | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | This ranking is based on the Jayhawks returning three starters - Dajuan Harris, Kevin McCullar and K.J. Adams - from a team that won the Big 12 regular-season title before securing a No. 1 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Bill Self has reshaped the roster with a top-10 recruiting class highlighted by former Michigan All-American Hunter Dickinson, former Towson sharpshooter Nick Timberlake, former McDonald's All-American Arterio Morris and five-star freshman Elmarko Jackson. | -- | 8-2 |
| 2 |  | This ranking is based on the Huskies returning four of the top six scorers from a team that won the 2023 NCAA Tournament - specifically everybody except Jordan Hawkins and Adama Sanogo, both of whom are expected to remain in the 2023 NBA Draft. That core combined with a top-five recruiting class should have UConn as a real contender to win back-to-back national championships. | -- | 8-3 |
| 3 |  | This ranking is based on the Boilermakers returning six of the top seven scorers - everybody except Brandon Newman - from a team that won the Big Ten regular-season title and the Big Ten Tournament before securing a No. 1 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. CBS Sports National Player of the Year Zach Edey has a decision to make, obviously, but for now I'm projecting him to return to Purdue. | -- | 8-3 |
| 4 |  | This ranking is based on the Blue Devils returning the top four scorers - Kyle Filipowski, Jeremy Roach, Tyrese Proctor and Mark Mitchell - from a team that finished 10-1 in its final 11 games and won the ACC Tournament. Duke is also enrolling a top-two recruiting class and will be among the most talented teams in the country, per usual. | 1 | 8-2 |
| 5 |  | This ranking is based on the Owls returning all five starters from a team that won the C-USA regular-season title and the C-USA Tournament before advancing to the 2023 Final Four. FAU should be the AAC favorite in its first season in its new conference. | 1 | 7-5 |
| 6 |  | This ranking is based on the Spartans returning five of the top six scorers - everybody except Joey Hauser -- from a team that advanced to the Sweet 16 of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Michigan State will combine that core with a top-five recruiting class headlined by five-star prospects Xavier Booker and Jeremy Fears. | 1 | 8-2 |
| 7 |  | This ranking is based on the Golden Eagles returning every relevant player - except for Olivier-Maxence Prosper - from a team that won the Big East regular-season title and the Big East Tournament before securing a No. 2 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Tyler Kolek and Kam Jones should provide Shaka Smart with a core capable of competing for a national championship. | 3 | 9-2 |
| 8 |  | This ranking is based on the Cougars returning five of the top eight scorers - Jamal Shead, J'Wan Roberts, Emanuel Sharp, Ja'Vier Francis and Terrance Arceneaux - from a team that won the AAC regular-season title before securing a No. 1 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. The addition of Baylor transfer LJ Cryer should have Houston competing for a league title in its first season in the Big 12. | -- | 6-3 |
| 9 |  | This ranking is based on the Razorbacks returning five of the top eight scorers - Trevon Brazile, Davonte Davis, Jordan Walsh, Makhi Mitchell and Jalen Graham - from a team that advanced to the Sweet 16 of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Five-star prospects Baye Fall and Layden Blocker, plus transfers Tramon Mark and Khalif Battle, will combine with that core and give Eric Musselman a chance to make a fourth straight Sweet 16. | -- | 9-2 |
| 10 |  | This ranking is based on the Bluejays returning everybody except Ryan Nembhard and Arthur Kaluma from a team that won 24 games and advanced to the Elite Eight of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. The addition of Steven Ashworth, a transfer from Utah State, is significant considering he's a point guard who averaged 16.2 points per game for a team that made the 2023 NCAA Tournament. | -- | 7-4 |
| 11 |  | This ranking is based on the Hurricanes returning three starters - Nijel Pack, Norchad Omier and Wooga Poplar - from a team that shared the ACC regular-season title with Virginia and advanced to the 2023 Final Four. The addition of Florida State transfer Matthew Cleveland should help offset the loss of Isaiah Wong and Jordan Miller. | -- | 4-7 |
| 12 |  | This ranking is based on the Zags returning four of the top seven scorers - Anton Watson, Malachi Smith, Nolan Hickman and Ben Gregg - from a team that shared the West Coast Conference title with Saint Mary's before making the Elite Eight of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Mark Few will combine that core with a recruiting class headlined by transfers Ryan Nembhard (Creighton), Graham Ike (Wyoming) and Steele Venters (Eastern Washington) and have a chance to finish in the top 25 at KenPom for the 13th straight season. | -- | 7-3 |
| 13 |  | This ranking is based on the Trojans returning four of the top seven scorers - Boogie Ellis, Kobe Johnson, Joshua Morgan and Vincent Iwuchukwu - from a team that won 22 games and secured a No. 10 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. USC is also enrolling two heralded guards - Isaiah Collier, the No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2023, and Bronny James, the son of NBA legend LeBron James. | -- | 7-4 |
| 14 |  | This ranking is based on the Wildcats enrolling the nation's top-ranked recruiting class featuring four five-star prospects - among them Justin Edwards, DJ Wagner and Aaron Bradshaw -- to pair with a returning core headlined by two-time All-American Oscar Tshiebwe. It's a roster that could give John Calipari a realistic chance to return to the Final Four for the first time since 2015. | -- | 10-1 |
| 15 |  | This ranking is based on the Aztecs returning four of the top six scorers - everybody except Matt Bradley and Keshad Johnson - from a team that won the Mountain West Conference regular-season title and the Mountain West Tournament before advancing to the championship game of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Another MWC title seems likely for San Diego State. | -- | 7-2 |
| 16 |  | This ranking is based on the Wildcats returning two of the top four scorers - Oumar Ballo and Pelle Larsson - from a team that won the Pac-12 Tournament before securing a No. 2 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. If Kylan Boswell and Alabama transfer Jaden Bradley have breakthrough sophomore seasons, and North Carolina transfer Caleb Love has a nice bounce-back year, Arizona should compete for the Pac-12 title. | 5 | 4-5 |
| 17 |  | This ranking is based on the Vols returning three of the top four scorers - Santiago Vescovi, Zakai Zeigler and Josiah-Jordan James - from a team that secured a No. 4 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament and made the Sweet 16. Chris Ledlum, a transfer from Harvard, should slide into the starting lineup and help the Vols make the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight year. | 1 | 10-0 |
| 18 |  | This ranking is based on the Aggies returning four starters - everybody except Dexter Dennis - from a team that won 25 games and secured a No. 7 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. A second straight trip to the NCAA Tournament is a likely scenario for Texas A&M. | 1 | 9-2 |
| 19 |  | This ranking is based on the Crimson Tide returning three of the top seven scorers - Mark Sears, Jahvon Quinerly and Rylan Griffen - from a team that won the SEC regular-season title and SEC Tournament before securing the No. 1 overall seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Jaden Bradley and Charles Bediako both following Brandon Miller and Noah Clowney out the door are notable blows. | 1 | 8-2 |
| 20 |  | This ranking is based on the Longhorns returning two of the top five scorers - Tyrese Hunter and Dylan Disu - from a team that won the Big 12 Tournament before securing a No. 2 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. The enrollment of Max Abmas, a transfer from Oral Roberts who has scored 2,562 points in four years of college, is a big addition. | 1 | 9-2 |
| 21 |  | This ranking is based on the Bears returning three of the top six scorers - Jalen Bridges, Langston Love and Jonathan Tchamwa-Tchatchoua - from a team that won 23 games and secured a No. 3 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. The loss of Adam Flagler (NBA Draft), Keyonte George (NBA Draft) and LJ Cryer (transfer portal) will be tough to overcome but should be somewhat offset by the arrival of top-45 freshmen Ja'Kobe Walter, Yves Missi and Miro Little. | 1 | 7-3 |
| 22 |  | This ranking is based on the Bruins returning three of the top seven scorers - Jaylen Clark, Adem Bona and Dylan Andrews - from a team that won the Pac-12 regular-season title before securing a No. 2 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. That core combined with a top-15 recruiting class highlighted by four-star prospect Sebastian Mack and Slovenian guard Jan Vide should allow UCLA to be a Pac-12 contender again. | -- | 9-1 |
| 23 |  | This ranking is based on the Gaels returning four of the top five scorers - everybody except Logan Johnson - from a team that shared the West Coast Conference title with Gonzaga before securing a No. 5 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Aidan Mahaney should return as one of the best point guards in the country. | -- | 9-2 |
| 24 |  | This ranking is based on the Tar Heels returning two of the top three scorers - R.J. Davis and Armando Bacot - from a team that spent much of the season ranked in the top 30 at KenPom.com. The addition of Harrison Ingram, Cormac Ryan and Jae'Lyn Withers via the transfer portal, and five-star prospect Elliot Cadeau via reclassification, should provide Hubert Davis with enough to return to the 2024 NCAA Tournament after UNC missed it in 2023. | NR | 6-4 |
| 25 |  | This ranking is based on the Cyclones returning five of the top nine scorers - Tamin Lipsey, Tre King, Robert Jones, Hason Ward and Demarion Watson - from a team that started 13-2 and secured a No. 6 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Iowa State is also enrolling a top-10 recruiting class highlighted by five-star prospect Omaha Biliew. | 1 | 9-1 |
| 26 |  | This ranking is based on the Bulldogs returning the top five scorers - Tolu Smith, Shakeel Moore, D.J. Jeffries, Dashawn Davis and Cameron Matthews - from a team that won 21 games and secured a No. 11 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Mississippi State should be a factor in the SEC race. | 1 | 9-1 |
