With the dawn of a new college basketball season on Friday, several pressing questions will certainly be answered sooner rather than later.
How each of these storylines play out will certainly have a significant impact on the schools and individuals involved.
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1) How quickly will Shaka Smart impact Texas?
Texas certainly made a splash when it pried Smart from VCU, something other schools were not able to do in the past. Much of this was due to the amount of money the Longhorns were able to throw at Smart, who takes over for Rick Barnes. The new Tennessee coach led Texas to new heights, but wore out his welcome when the progression of the program was halted.
Smart certainly faces considerably high expectations, in the same way Barnes did at the end of his tenure. Anything less than contending for the Big 12 crown might be a disappointment.
The Longhorns lost a lot of girth in Myles Turner and Jonathan Holmes, but return a healthy Isaiah Taylor and Javan Felix in the backcourt. A key might be how Cameron Ridley responds to being the experienced man in the frontcourt.
It’s uncertain as to whether Smart will bring his Havoc brand of basketball to the Big 12. It would certainly be an interesting fit with the likes of Kansas and Iowa State in the conference.
2) Does this season’s freshman class rival recent seasons?
With Kentucky and Duke, as well as many other top programs around the country, turning to one and dones to produce an impact at a school, one burning question is whether this class can live up to the production of recent seasons?
Ben Simmons leads the class of freshmen this season, and he has the look of a star at LSU. The 6-foot-10 Simmons is already getting hype for National Player of the Year, even before he touches the court.
Cal freshman Jaylen Brown and Kentucky blue chipper Jamal Murray are also breakout candidates. However, these names are not the only ones. We are in a generation where one or even a couple of huge recruits can make the difference between making the field of 68, or even the Final Four. The next star could be one of these three, or even a more under-the-radar player. Either way, times have changed, and freshmen have certainly left their footprint year after year.
3) How will Bo Ryan’s curtain call go?
With the return of only two players who saw significant roles last season, the final season for Bo Ryan in Wisconsin could be a rocky one, depending on how quickly some new faces adapt.
The squad returns point guard Bronson Koenig, who took center stage when senior Traevon Jackson went down last season. Koenig and fellow returning teammate Nigel Hayes also saw their share of tense and pressure packed situations during last year’s run to the national title game.
Even with this, will a poor season affect Ryan’s ultimate legacy? Only time will answer that question.
Another possibility is that Ryan came back for the challenge. This will be the most inexperienced squad he has had as UW’s coach; Ryan is an unreal 232 games over .500 at the school.
4) Does Sean Miller finally take the next step?
For Miller, success in the NCAA Tournament has the feel of always being a bridesmaid and never the bride. Miller has been a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the dance as often as any program in recent years. The Wildcats have had success in the tournament under Miller, just not enough to make the Final Four. Three Elite Eights in half a decade is extremely good.
Miller is 17-8 in the tournament in his eight seasons. He makes the Sweet 16 at will. Miller just has a bugaboo when it comes to cracking the Final Four. Having to play Wisconsin in consecutive seasons will not help.
Miller is 111 games over .500 in the regular season with the Wildcats. However, this season, Miller loses point guard T.J. McConnell and lockdown defender Rondae Hollis-Jefferson from last season’s team. Arizona also loses post athlete Brandon Ashley and leading scorer Stanley Johnson.
While they lack the top-heavy talent of recent years, the Wildcats have a chance to be deeper. Kaleb Tarczewski and Gabe York will lead the squad, but others can help, such as grad transfer Mark Tollefsen. One huge setback is that five-star freshman Ray Smith will miss the whole season. Can this be the team that finally gets Miller where he belongs: in the Final Four?
5) How does Florida replace Billy Donovan?
The Michael White era is set to begin in Gainesville. Replacing a legend is never easy, and Billy Donovan certainly leaves big shoes to fill. In addition, White has to replace a small army of departures from the program.
The Gators return SEC Player of the Year candidate Dorian Finney-Smith and speedy guard Kasey Hill to the lineup. The key to the Florida squad could be perimeter scorer KeVaughn Allen.
This Florida team will certainly play fast under White, a coach who picked up 101 wins in four seasons at Louisiana Tech playing up-tempo ball. Beating teams off the dribble will be necessary for White to have success at Florida.
The Gators may struggle in the beginning with such a young roster, but ultimately White will put a fun product on the court. However, the Gator fan base will need to be patient.
