It’s no secret who college basketball’s elite teams will be in the upcoming 2016-17 season. Duke and Kentucky have stockpiled so much young talent that they might as well play in the NBA. Kansas landed the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2016 class and looks primed to win its 13th consecutive Big 12 title. Michigan State had the nation’s No. 3 recruiting class and again will be one of the top teams in the Big Ten. There are a number of underrated teams that could make a surprise run for their conference title and even a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. Expect these programs to demand more attention as the season grows closer.
Washington Huskies
Coach Lorenzo Romar has had plenty of talent to work with in the past few years including Dejounte Murray and Marquese Chriss. Washington got its highest rated recruit in school history. Markelle Fultz, the No. 3 prospect and No. 1 point guard in the entire 2016 class is the highlight of this recruiting class. This was a major grab for the Huskies and a great opportunity for Lorenzo Romar to lead his team to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011. Fultz alone is enough to make the Huskies relevant, but the Huskies also added 4-star center Sam Timmins, along with returnees of Noah Dickerson, Matisse Thybulle, and David Crisp. All of a sudden Washington is right up there at the top of the Pac-12. If Romar can get the most out of Fultz, the Huskies will pose as a serious threat to Arizona and Oregon for the conference title.
Auburn Tigers
Yes, The Tigers were 5-13 in conference play last year but hear this out. Kareem Canty (18.3 PPG, 5.3 APG), T.J. Dunans (11.6 PPG), and Bryce Brown (10.1 PPG) are all back for Auburn this season. A big added bonus for the Tigers are they landed the first 5-star recruit in school history. Mustapha Heron, the No. 25 overall recruit and No. 7 small forward in the 2016 class, committed to the Tigers. With a game similar to a James Harden’s, Heron can get to the paint and can hurt you from three point land. He’s a physical athlete when he is on the court. The Tigers also add 4-star point guard Jared Harper and 3-star power forward Anfernee McLemore. Heron’s physicality along with McLemore’s size and toughness will help fill rebounding in the paint. The shooting ability of Auburn’s numerous returnees and Heron’s remarkable scoring talent will make for a serious improvement from last year’s team. Will Auburn have enough talent to stop Kentucky? Certainly not. Do they have enough talent to compete in the SEC and get a spot in the NCAA Tournament? Absolutely.
Penn State Nittany Lions
Last season it wasn’t the prettiest season for Penn State, but wins over then-No. 22 Indiana and then-No. 4 Iowa in the span of a week speaks volumes. Yes, Penn State ended the season closer to the back end of the Big Ten standings and they are losing Brandon Tyler. But there should be hope in State College. Shep Garner and Payton Banks both return after impressive sophomore seasons and will be relied on for leadership. 4-star prospects Tony Carr and Lamar Stevens played together at Roman Catholic High School in Philadelphia, and now they headline Penn State’s No. 17 overall recruiting class in the country. Also, Penn State added 3-star recruits Joe Hampton and Nazeer Bostick. Carr and Bostick will provide some much-needed reinforcements in the backcourt with Brandon Tyler gone. The No. 10 point guard in the 2016 class, Carr will fit into the Lions’ starting lineup. Putting Garner into the shooting guard spot and Banks at the small forward spot, and head coach Pat Chambers has got something going behind the arc for Penn State.
NC State Wolfpack
The Wolfpack should have a lot of talent this coming season. They added a nice recruiting class along with Dennis Smith Jr., the team’s top recruit and one of the most explosive point guards in the class of 2016, plus they return Maverick Rowan, Henderson and Shaun Kirk. NC State also landed future prospect, 7’0″ Omer Yurtseven, 6’7″ Darius Hicks. The Wolfpack also managed to land former SMU and Arkansas commit Ted Kapita and guard Markell Johnson. Unfortunately for North Carolina State, dealing with youth in the ACC is not exactly a positive thing. They will deal with their fare share of ups and downs in one of the toughest conferences in the nation. But that doesn’t mean this team won’t be better than expected. Once their chemistry develops, watch out because this is one talented unit that could creep their way up the ACC standings if everything starts to click for them.
Florida State Seminoles
The ’Noles will have a great backcourt, a deep roster, and a front court that will consist of two players that should be back from serious injuries. In the backcourt, the ‘Noles will probably start Dwayne Bacon and Xavier Rathan-Mayes. Bacon has the athleticism and scoring ability to anchor the team at the two guard spot, while Rathan-Mayes will balance his playmaking capabilities with his shooting touch from beyond the arc. Florida State also brings back Terance Mann, while they also add a loaded recruiting class that consists of future NBA prospects in Jonathan Isaac, Trent Forrest, C.J. Walker, Braian Angola-Rodas, and Mfiondu Kabevgele. The ‘Noles will have some good size down low with Phil Cofer and Michael Ojo returning from season ending injuries. Cofer stands at 6’8″, while Ojo is 7’1″. Look for Florida State to make a name for themselves this year.