SEC basketball offseason power rankings, v1

The deadline to withdraw from the NBA Draft has passed, players have moved to their new campuses, teams have started offseason workouts, and it seems, for the most part, rosters are set, barring any last minute additions from the European ranks.

After some surprise retention with players withdrawing from the NBA Draft, continuous elite recruiting in the conference, and some late splash additions, the SEC is poised yet again to be the top conference in college basketball.

With those expectations, though, it is difficult to judge which teams will be near the top of the league, which will be towards the bottom, and exactly how the middle fills out.

Coaches make general assumptions easier.

Alabama head coach Nate Oats will most likely have a team in the top-half of the league, along with Rick Barnes (Tennessee), John Calipari (Arkansas), Bruce Pearl (Auburn), and Chris Beard (Ole Miss). Outside of that group of coaches, assumptions and confidence are few and far between, and preseason rankings and season expectations are due in large part to retention and recruiting.

So, who is the favorite in the SEC at this point of the offseason? Who will be fighting for an NCAA Tournament bid? Who might be looking for a new coach after next season?

HawgBeat has you covered with the first version of the offseason power rankings. This is NOT a predicted order of finish for the SEC next season.

Since everyone has a different idea of what power rankings are, the criteria for this list is as follows, weighted equally: (1) Roster retention, (2) Recruiting rankings, (3) portal additions, (4) recent coaching prowess/experience/success, and (5) starting lineups.

Let’s jump into it.

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Projected Starters:

G – Xavian Lee

G – Boogie Fland

F – Thomas Haugh

F – Alex Condon

C – Reuben Chinyelu

Key Rotation:

Micah Handlogten, Isaiah Brown, Alex Lloyd, Urban Klavzar

Brief summary:

The defending national champions return their frontcourt, but replace most of the backcourt contributors. How that affects the frontcourt remains to be seen, but common concern about this Gators team will be that the backcourt took a step back from last year’s. The frontcourt is one of the best, if not the best in the country, though, and because of that, plus retention and coming off winning it all, it makes sense to have them No. 1 for now.

Projected Starters:

G – Darius Acuff

G – DJ Wagner

G – Karter Knox

F – Trevon Brazile

C – Malique Ewin

Key Rotation:

Billy Richmond, Nick Pringle, Meleek Thomas, Isaiah Sealy

Brief Summary:

Arkansas made a run to the Sweet 16 in Year One under Calipari, returned four key contributors from that team, including three starters, and added two quality transfers and a top-five ranked recruiting class. Depth might be a concern, particularly in the frontcourt, but the Razorbacks are as talented as any team in the conference and the retention lifts them towards the top of the conference.

Perimeter shooting might be an issue, as well, but if Trevon Brazile and Karter Knox shoot anything close to how they did to close last season, over 40% over the final 18 games, then that should greatly help. While the frontcourt depth is a concern, the Razorbacks might have the deepest and most talented backcourt in the SEC. One more piece at the backup four spot could have them surpass Florida for the top spot.

Projected Starters:

G – Labaron Philon

G – Latrell Wrightsell

G – Jalil Bethea

F – Taylor Bol Bowen

F – Aiden Sherrell

Key Rotation:

Aden Holloway, Noah Williamson, Houston Mallette, Keiten Bristow

Brief Summary:

On paper, this Alabama roster isn’t the most talented Oats has had in recent years, but there is some retention and some system fits added through the transfer portal. That, combined with the fact that Oats has finished in the top three of the SEC in four out of the last five seasons has me not wanting to doubt the Crimson Tide next season, no matter how far away that might be.

One concern I do have, though, is the battle on the boards. The frontcourt doesn’t look as solid in that realm as last year, when the Crimson Tide finished first nationally in defensive rebounds per game and second in total rebounds per game.

Projected Starters:

G – Jaland Lowe

G – Denzel Aberdeen

G – Otega Oweh

F – Mo Dioubate

F – Brandon Garrison

Key Contributors:

Jayden Quaintance, Collin Chandler, Kam Williams, Andrija Jelavic, Jasper Johnson, Malachi Moreno

Brief Summary:

This is a very deep, very talented roster, but I am not quite as high as others are on this Wildcat team. That mainly hinges on head coach Mark Pope going away from prioritizing shooting and buy-in guys. I know the counter is that his system can elevate average shooters because of open looks, and that still may well happen. If it does, look for Kentucky to be pushing for the top spot here. Also, they need Jayden Quaintance healthy and 100% by conference play, or the frontcourt could be an issue.

Projected Starters:

G – Tahaad Pettiford

G – Kevin Overton

F – Keyshawn Hall

F – Filip Jovic

C – KeShawn Murphy

Key Contributors:

Abdul Bashir, Elyjah Freeman, Sebastian Williams-Adams, Emeka Oporum, Kaden Magwood

Brief Summary:

If there’s any coach in the country who can land talent from the JUCO or Division-II ranks and have them contribute right away, it’s Bruce Pearl. He has an eye for talent and allows players to play in the system that fits their strengths. Returning Tahaad Pettiford was a major win, as was landing three major transfers in Kevin Overton, Keyshawn Hall, and KeShawn Murphy, but there are still question marks.

How much Abdul Bashir, Emeka Oporum, Elyjah Freeman, and Filip Jovic contribute is a big question. While there is history in Pearl getting the most out of these non-traditional style of players, that doesn’t guarantee anything. Pettiford and Hall could be one of the highest-scoring duos in the country, but the team is more than just two players. Giving Pearl the benefit of the doubt here and including Auburn at No. 5 anyway based on history and the starting squad.

Projected Starters:

G – Ja’Kobi Gillespie

G – Amaree Abram

F – Nate Ament

F – Jaylen Carey

C – Felix Okpara

Key Contributors:

Cade Phillips, Amari Evans, Bishop Boswell, JP Estrella

Brief Summary:

Tennessee has a ton of talent and firepower again, and retained a couple key pieces in Cade Phillips and Felix Okpara, but the rest of the roster is a big question mark. Ja’Kobi Gillespie could be one of the best scorers in the conference, Amaree Abram can be a solid spot-up shooter, but to be a top team in the conference they need a huge impact from five-star Nate Ament.

If they get that, they could push for a top-five conference finish. Another question is how the culture will be after losing multi-year guys Zakai Zeigler and Jahmai Mashack, who were cornerstones to the program on both ends of the floor. Adding another veteran piece could push this team over the edge, though.

Projected Starters:

G – Jordan Pope

G – Tramon Mark

G – Simeon Wilcher

F – Dailyn Swain

C – Matas Vokietaitis

Key Contributors:

Chendall Weaver, Lassina Traore, John Clark, Camden Heide

Brief Summary:

First-year head coach Sean Miller managed to retain some big pieces from a Longhorns team that made the NCAA Tournament last season, plus brought over a couple Xavier transfers, as well. The talent is there to compete with most teams in the SEC, but the Longhorns are still a bit of an unknown.

Miller has proven himself to be a good head coach, and some of his better teams of late have been very good from beyond the arc, but I don’t envision that being the case this year. These Longhorns probably end up being average in the three-point department, but will have athleticism to make up for not being great shooters. There aren’t a ton of glaring holes in the roster, and the talent level is solid, but not quite up to par with the teams listed ahead.

Projected Starters:

G – Frankie Collins

G – Tyler Harris

G – Tyler Nickel

F – Devin McGlockton

C – Jalen Washington

Key Contributors:

Tyler Tanner, Mason Nicholson, Mike James, Duke Miles

Brief Summary:

Head coach Mark Byington led the Commodores to the NCAA Tournament in his first season, and I could see him getting back in Year Two with this roster. Returning two double-digit scorers and starters was massive for retention, but Vanderbilt also landed one of the sneaky-good portal classes in the SEC.

Similarly to Texas, there aren’t a ton of glaring holes in the roster construction, but the overall talent just isn’t quite to the level of other SEC teams listed above. Vanderbilt will probably be able to stretch the floor offensively, but I do have concerns with their ability to crash the glass and control the boards.

Projected Starters:

G – Anthony Robinson

G – Sebastian Mack

F – Mark Mitchell

F – Trent Pierce

C – Shawn Phillips

Key Contributors:

Jacob Crews, Jevon Porter, Jayden Stone, Annor Boateng

Brief Summary:

Missouri is one of the most difficult teams to get a read on in the conference. They return the most scoring in the conference and the second-most minutes played from last year, so they get a big boost in retention, but I am not so sure they added a ton in the way of the transfer portal. Mark Mitchell should be in the conversation for SEC player of the year, Anthony Robinson and Trent Pierce provide starting experience from an NCAA Tournament team, and Jacob Crews was a solid role player. Looking solely at those factors, one could think the Tigers are pushing for the top of the conference.

Only one transfer addition was a regular starter last season: Jevon Porter. That doesn’t immediately discount the entire portal class, but after losing five seniors, three with starting experience, I felt like they needed a little more out of the portal. Missouri will still be good and has the culture and retention to win some games and should be back in the NCAA Tournament regardless.

Projected Starters:

G – Koren Johnson

G – Ilias Kamardine

G – AJ Storr

F – Corey Chest

F – Malik Dia

Key Contributors:

James Scott, Tylis Jordan, Eduardo Klafke, Niko Bundalo

Brief Summary:

The outlier of the proven head coaches in the conference, Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard did not have the best offseason in the world. The Rebels returned one player of note in Malik Dia, will bring in three four-star freshmen, and took a lot of chances on potential in the transfer portal. The biggest portal add came by way of Kansas transfer AJ Storr, who had a stellar junior campaign and will play for his fourth college in as many seasons.

James Scott was solid for Louisville, Koren Johnson was hurt and did not play for the Cardinals, Corey Chest was okay for a bad LSU team, Travis Perry did not do much for Kentucky, and Ilias Kamardine was overseas. I don’t think there is a lot of certainty on this team at all outside of Dia. Beard may work his magic and get this team back to the NCAA Tournament, but I think it’s an uphill battle because of the lack of talent, proven production, and just overall uncertainty.

Projected Starters:

G – Smurf Millender

G – Jeremiah Wilkinson

G – Blue Cain

F – Kanon Catchings

C – Somto Cyril

Key Contributors:

Jordan Ross, Justin Bailey, Dylan James, Jacob Wilkins

Brief Summary:

Georgia returned a few solid pieces and added just enough in the transfer portal for there to be some intrigue with the Bulldogs. Blue Cain and Somto Cyril were huge boosts for retention, and adding Smurf Millender (UTSA), Jordan Ross (St. Mary’s), Kanon Catchings (BYU), and Justin Bailey (Wofford) should provide a nice boost.

Losing four starters from an NCAA Tournament team is a big blow, but I think head coach Mike White did a solid job of replacing the lost talent. They should be able to space the floor and shoot at a high clip this season, but I worry about ball security and turnovers, as well as just the overall talent level not being as great as other schools in the conference. Should be a bubble team.

Projected Starters:

G – Xzayvier Brown

G – Nijel Pack

F – Derrion Reid

F – Tae Davis

F – Mo Wague

Key Contributors:

Jadon Jones, Dayton Forsythe, Kai Rogers, Jeff Nwankwo, Kuol Atak

Brief Summary:

Oklahoma will be as good as Nigel Pack and Tae Davis take them. The Sooners saw some success last season with Jeremiah Fears running the show, and I imagine the hope is for Pack to play in a similar fashion. Tae Davis is another dynamic offensive weapon that will offer some versatility and another major threat besides Pack. It seems like head coach Porter Moser has attempted to build the roster similar to last season’s, with some extra firepower at the guard spot with Xzayvier Brown.

I don’t think the frontcourt is very good, the Sooners’ retention comes in the form of two role players off of the bench and three players who did not even play last season, plus they did not add much in the way of the high school ranks. Another team that is hard to get a read on, but could easily be in the top half of the conference if Pack and Davis carry them there.

Projected Starters:

G – Jacari Lane

G – Pop Isaacs

G – Rylan Griffen

F – Mackenzie Mgbako

C – Federiko Federiko

Key Contributors:

Marcus Hill, Josh Holloway, Rashaun Agee, Jamie Vinson, Jeremiah Green

Brief Summary:

Another team that is difficult to get a read on, I am selling the Aggies in year one under new head coach Bucky McMillan. On paper, the roster is good with ample talent to compete in the SEC, but the construction is weird to me. There is almost zero retention, with Christopher McDermott as the lone returner, who played 45 total minutes last season.

There is zero chemistry or cohesion, as 13 players came from 13 different programs, including one from the high school ranks and one internationally. There doesn’t appear to be a ton of outside shooting for a system that thrived on it at Samford. Talent-wise, it is in the top half of the conference, but I don’t see the fit of these players in the system. And, honestly, I don’t think Bucky Ball can work in the SEC. Not without adjustments.

Projected Starters:

G – Josh Hubbard

G – Jayden Epps

G – Shawn Jones

F – Achor Achor

C – Quincy Ballard

Key Contributors:

Ja’Borri McGhee, Amier Ali, Dellquan Warren, Brandon Walker

Brief Summary:

Returning Josh Hubbard was a saving grace to an otherwise bad offseason for the Bulldogs. They lost two starters and a sixth man to the transfer portal, plus three starters due to eligibility, and did not replace them with a ton of talent. Wichita State transfer Quincy Ballard is solid, as are Georgetown transfer Jayden Epps and UAB transfer Ja’Borri McGhee, but outside of those three, there isn’t much there.

When retention is higher, three solid portal additions is more than fine, but this Mississippi State team didn’t return much at all. Add to that that the backcourt is incredibly small and littered with shot-chuckers. Hubbard and Epps are both high-volume, inefficient guards. Add in McGhee, who is more efficient, but still short, and you have a primary backcourt where no player is above 6’2″.

Achor Achor was kicked off of Kansas State last season, Amier Ali is a moderate-volume, low-percentage shooter, and Sergej Macura, their overseas pro, barely averaged two points a game last season. It could be a tough year in Starkville.

Projected Starters:

G – Dedan Thomas

G – Ron Zipper

G – Rashad King

F – Robert Miller

F – Jalen Reed

Key Contributors:

Michael Nwoko, Marquel Sutton, PJ Carter, Max Mackinnon, Jalen Reece

Brief Summary:

Even with a bad season last year, there were some promising pieces for head coach Matt McMahon to build around. Unfortunately, nearly all of them transferred out of the program. The Tigers ended up returning just two players – Robert Miller III and Jalen Reed. The high school recruiting is solid for the 2025 class, and the portal additions are above-average, but with minimal retention and entering Year Four, is that a recipe for success?

Nearly the whole portal class came in the form of starters on their former teams, but only one of those was a high major program (Michael Nwoko, Mississippi State). For this Tigers team to be good, there will have to be a lot of guys making some big leaps with the competition level increasing astronomically from their previous leagues. Plus, Millier and Reed will both have to improve from last season, as well. It’s a tall ask and one I don’t see turning out in McMahon’s favor.

Projected Starters:

G – Meechie Johnson

G – Mike Sharavjamts

G – Myles Stute

F – Elijah Strong

F – Nordin Kapic

Key Contributors:

Eli Ellis, Kobe Knox, Cam Scott, Jordan Butler

Brief Summary:

This one can be short and sweet: there just isn’t talent here. There is one quality freshman coming in in Eli Ellis, there is one quality returner from an abysmal season in Myles Stute, and the portal class is weak and full of players from losing programs. Getting Meechie Johnson back again was a win, but there just isn’t much going for this roster at all.

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