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Post-Draft 2019-2020 SEC Basketball Power Rankings
Posted on 6/27/19 at 9:48 am
Posted on 6/27/19 at 9:48 am
1. Florida
Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Andrew Nembhard
SG: Noah Locke
SF: Scottie Lewis
PF: Keyontae Johnson
C: Kerry Blackshear, Jr.
Top bench players: Tre Mann, Dontay Bassett, Omar Payne, Isaiah Stokes, Jacques Glover
Outlook: Blackshear makes a world of difference for this team. Scottie Lewis is the best freshman draft prospect in the conference this year not named Anthony Edwards, Locke and Mann will light it up from deep, and Nembhard will bring his steady play at the point. Blackshear puts this team over the top and onto the national radar as an elite post scoring threat.
2. Kentucky
Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Ashton Hagans
SG: Immanuel Quickley
SF: Kahlil Whitney
PF: Nate Sestina
C: EJ Montgomery
Top bench players: Tyrese Maxey, Keion Brooks, Johnny Juzang, Nick Richards
Outlook: Hagans and Montgomery both passed up the NBA draft for another shot in March, and Calipari brings in the usual terrific recruiting class. This team lacks the true elite talent that other Calipari teams have had, but they’ll be towards the top of the conference again with good defense and rebounding.
3. LSU
Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Javonte Smart
SG: Skylar Mays
SF: Marlon Taylor
PF: Emmitt Williams
C: Trendon Watford
Top bench players: Darius Days, Charles Manning, Jr., James Bishop, Courtese Cooper
Outlook: I think a lot of people are discounting this roster because of the circus of Wade’s suspension and reinstatement along with the FBI trial, but if Wade is truly in the clear, then he has a roster that will give him a shot at repeating as SEC champs. Although they lack the depth of last year’s team, their top seven or so guys are as strong and explosive as anyone’s.
4. Mississippi State
Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Nick Weatherspoon
SG: Tyson Carter
SF: Robert Woodard
PF: Reggie Perry
C: Abdul Ado
Top bench players: DJ Stewart, Iverson Molinar, Elias King, Quinten Post
Outlook: Last season was up-and-down for Mississippi State, and many felt as though they underachieved to their talent level. Now they’re down the elder Weatherspoon and Lamar Peters. This team still has both the talent and the experience to make a solid run in the tourney, but they’ll need Nick Weatherspoon to lead them there and not get himself suspended for the most important games of the season.
5. Auburn
Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: J’Von McCormick
SG: Samir Doughty
SF: Jamal Johnson
F: Isaac Okoro
C: Austin Wiley
Top bench players: Anfernee McLemore, Tyrell Jones, Javon Franklin, Danjel Purifoy
Outlook: Obviously everyone knows about the Final Four run, but Jared Harer, Bryce Brown, and Chuma Okeke aren’t walking through that door. This is a very different team -- one that has potential and an insane amount of pure athleticism, but one that also is extremely unproven. I imagine they’ll at least make the tournament but this is one of the harder teams to predict this season.
6. Tennessee
Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Josiah Jordan-James
SG: Lamonte Turner
SF: Jordan Bowden
PF: John Fulkerson
C: Zach Kent
Top bench players: Yves Pons, Jalen Johnson, Olivier Robinson-Nkamhoua, DJ Burns
Outlook: Whiffing on Kerry Blackshear, Rick Barnes is dealing with one of the thinner frontcourts in the conference. This isn’t the sixth best roster on paper in the conference, honestly, but Barnes gets the benefit of the doubt after the past couple seasons. Turner and Bowden will have to do the heavy lifting on offense because their frontcourt will struggle to be adequate.
7. Ole Miss
Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Breein Tyree
SG: Devontae Shuler
SF: Blake Hinson
F: KJ Buffen
C: Khadim Sy
Top bench players: Austin Crowley, Bryce Williams, Sammy Hunter, Carlos Curry
Outlook: Last season’s Ole Miss was the surprise team of the conference, but by the end of the season, they were clearly out of gas and just not a good team. They lose some key players but also return preseason SEC POY contender Breein Tyree among some other nice pieces. Khadim Sy is the wildcard here. He’s a highly-regarded JUCO big, and they’ll need him to be good to replicate last season. But JUCO bigs are notoriously hit or miss.
8. South Carolina
Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Jair Bolden
SG: AJ Lawson
SF: Keyshawn Bryant
PF: Miciah Henry
C: Maik-Kalev Kotsar
Top bench players: Justin Minaya, Trae Hannibal, Jalyn McCreary, Jermaine Cousinard
Outlook: It was a tale of two seasons for South Carolina last year, with them playing like bottom-dwellers in the non-conference and a tournament team during conference play. They’ll get Justin Minaya back but lose Silva and Gravett. AJ Lawson emerged as a guy who’ll probably go first round in the future, so this team definitely has the talent to dance but might get held back by their frontcourt.
9. Alabama
Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Kira Lewis, Jr.
CG: Beetle Bolden
3G: John Petty
PF: James Rojas
C: Galin Smith
Top bench players: Herb Jones, Jaden Shackelford, Juwan Gary, Alex Reese, Raymond Hawkins
Outlook: No rebuilding season here -- Nate Oats did a good job of re-recruiting Kira Lewis, John Petty, and Herb Jones, so this team will have the weapons to contend for a tourney bid this season. They’ll need JUCO James Rojas to make a big impact to complement their explosive but inconsistent backcourt.
10. Arkansas
Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Jalen Harris
SG: Isaiah Joe
3G: Mason Jones
PF: Reggie Chaney
F: Jeantal Cylla
Top bench players: Jimmy Whitt, Desi Sills, Adrio Bailey, Ethan Henderson
Outlook: Another team with a new coach that expects to compete right away, Arkansas returns several pieces that should make them at least a solid team. I’m just not sure how Musselman is going to make that frontcourt work.
11. Georgia
Projected Starting lineup:
PG: Donnell Gresham, Jr.
SG: Tyree Crump
3G: Anthony Edwards
PF: Rayshaun Hammonds
C: Amanze Ngumezi
Top bench players: Jordan Harris, Sahvir Wheeler, Jaykwon Walton, Christian Brown
Outlook: Perhaps Georgia fans should expect a higher finish in their one season with Anthony Edwards, but losing Nic Claxton to the draft was an immense blow to this team. Hammonds also has NBA potential but this team lacks quality depth and bodies down low.
12. Texas A&M
Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: TJ Starks
SG: Wendell Mitchell
3G: Quenton Jackson
PF: Savion Flagg
C: Josh Nebo
Top bench players: Jay Jay Chandler, Andre Gordon, Cashius McNeilly, Emanuel Miller
Outlook: The core of this team has the potential to be good but hasn't played consistently at all over the past couple years. There's hope that perhaps Buzz can get that consistency that Kennedy couldn't but I'm not betting on it, at least this year.
13. Missouri
Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Dru Smith
SG: Javon Pickett
SF: Mark Smith
PF: Tray Jackson
C: Jermiah Tilmon
Top bench players: Torrence Watson, Xavier Pinson, Reed Nikko, Mario McKinney, Jr.
Outlook: This team will probably be better than this ranking, but I’m not sure who I’d put them ahead of right now. They’ll be solid defensively, of course, like all Cuonzo teams, but I don’t see a team that will score or rebound consistently here.
14. Vanderbilt
Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Saben Lee
SG: Maxwell Evans
SF: Aaron Nesmith
PF: Matthew Moyer
C: Clevon Brown
Top bench players: Scottie Pippen, Jr., Jordan Wright, Dylan Disu, Oton Jankovic, Ejike Obinna
Outlook: I like Saben Lee as a spark plug combo guard and Nesmith is a very talented scoring wing, but overall, this is a bad roster.
Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Andrew Nembhard
SG: Noah Locke
SF: Scottie Lewis
PF: Keyontae Johnson
C: Kerry Blackshear, Jr.
Top bench players: Tre Mann, Dontay Bassett, Omar Payne, Isaiah Stokes, Jacques Glover
Outlook: Blackshear makes a world of difference for this team. Scottie Lewis is the best freshman draft prospect in the conference this year not named Anthony Edwards, Locke and Mann will light it up from deep, and Nembhard will bring his steady play at the point. Blackshear puts this team over the top and onto the national radar as an elite post scoring threat.
2. Kentucky
Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Ashton Hagans
SG: Immanuel Quickley
SF: Kahlil Whitney
PF: Nate Sestina
C: EJ Montgomery
Top bench players: Tyrese Maxey, Keion Brooks, Johnny Juzang, Nick Richards
Outlook: Hagans and Montgomery both passed up the NBA draft for another shot in March, and Calipari brings in the usual terrific recruiting class. This team lacks the true elite talent that other Calipari teams have had, but they’ll be towards the top of the conference again with good defense and rebounding.
3. LSU
Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Javonte Smart
SG: Skylar Mays
SF: Marlon Taylor
PF: Emmitt Williams
C: Trendon Watford
Top bench players: Darius Days, Charles Manning, Jr., James Bishop, Courtese Cooper
Outlook: I think a lot of people are discounting this roster because of the circus of Wade’s suspension and reinstatement along with the FBI trial, but if Wade is truly in the clear, then he has a roster that will give him a shot at repeating as SEC champs. Although they lack the depth of last year’s team, their top seven or so guys are as strong and explosive as anyone’s.
4. Mississippi State
Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Nick Weatherspoon
SG: Tyson Carter
SF: Robert Woodard
PF: Reggie Perry
C: Abdul Ado
Top bench players: DJ Stewart, Iverson Molinar, Elias King, Quinten Post
Outlook: Last season was up-and-down for Mississippi State, and many felt as though they underachieved to their talent level. Now they’re down the elder Weatherspoon and Lamar Peters. This team still has both the talent and the experience to make a solid run in the tourney, but they’ll need Nick Weatherspoon to lead them there and not get himself suspended for the most important games of the season.
5. Auburn
Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: J’Von McCormick
SG: Samir Doughty
SF: Jamal Johnson
F: Isaac Okoro
C: Austin Wiley
Top bench players: Anfernee McLemore, Tyrell Jones, Javon Franklin, Danjel Purifoy
Outlook: Obviously everyone knows about the Final Four run, but Jared Harer, Bryce Brown, and Chuma Okeke aren’t walking through that door. This is a very different team -- one that has potential and an insane amount of pure athleticism, but one that also is extremely unproven. I imagine they’ll at least make the tournament but this is one of the harder teams to predict this season.
6. Tennessee
Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Josiah Jordan-James
SG: Lamonte Turner
SF: Jordan Bowden
PF: John Fulkerson
C: Zach Kent
Top bench players: Yves Pons, Jalen Johnson, Olivier Robinson-Nkamhoua, DJ Burns
Outlook: Whiffing on Kerry Blackshear, Rick Barnes is dealing with one of the thinner frontcourts in the conference. This isn’t the sixth best roster on paper in the conference, honestly, but Barnes gets the benefit of the doubt after the past couple seasons. Turner and Bowden will have to do the heavy lifting on offense because their frontcourt will struggle to be adequate.
7. Ole Miss
Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Breein Tyree
SG: Devontae Shuler
SF: Blake Hinson
F: KJ Buffen
C: Khadim Sy
Top bench players: Austin Crowley, Bryce Williams, Sammy Hunter, Carlos Curry
Outlook: Last season’s Ole Miss was the surprise team of the conference, but by the end of the season, they were clearly out of gas and just not a good team. They lose some key players but also return preseason SEC POY contender Breein Tyree among some other nice pieces. Khadim Sy is the wildcard here. He’s a highly-regarded JUCO big, and they’ll need him to be good to replicate last season. But JUCO bigs are notoriously hit or miss.
8. South Carolina
Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Jair Bolden
SG: AJ Lawson
SF: Keyshawn Bryant
PF: Miciah Henry
C: Maik-Kalev Kotsar
Top bench players: Justin Minaya, Trae Hannibal, Jalyn McCreary, Jermaine Cousinard
Outlook: It was a tale of two seasons for South Carolina last year, with them playing like bottom-dwellers in the non-conference and a tournament team during conference play. They’ll get Justin Minaya back but lose Silva and Gravett. AJ Lawson emerged as a guy who’ll probably go first round in the future, so this team definitely has the talent to dance but might get held back by their frontcourt.
9. Alabama
Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Kira Lewis, Jr.
CG: Beetle Bolden
3G: John Petty
PF: James Rojas
C: Galin Smith
Top bench players: Herb Jones, Jaden Shackelford, Juwan Gary, Alex Reese, Raymond Hawkins
Outlook: No rebuilding season here -- Nate Oats did a good job of re-recruiting Kira Lewis, John Petty, and Herb Jones, so this team will have the weapons to contend for a tourney bid this season. They’ll need JUCO James Rojas to make a big impact to complement their explosive but inconsistent backcourt.
10. Arkansas
Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Jalen Harris
SG: Isaiah Joe
3G: Mason Jones
PF: Reggie Chaney
F: Jeantal Cylla
Top bench players: Jimmy Whitt, Desi Sills, Adrio Bailey, Ethan Henderson
Outlook: Another team with a new coach that expects to compete right away, Arkansas returns several pieces that should make them at least a solid team. I’m just not sure how Musselman is going to make that frontcourt work.
11. Georgia
Projected Starting lineup:
PG: Donnell Gresham, Jr.
SG: Tyree Crump
3G: Anthony Edwards
PF: Rayshaun Hammonds
C: Amanze Ngumezi
Top bench players: Jordan Harris, Sahvir Wheeler, Jaykwon Walton, Christian Brown
Outlook: Perhaps Georgia fans should expect a higher finish in their one season with Anthony Edwards, but losing Nic Claxton to the draft was an immense blow to this team. Hammonds also has NBA potential but this team lacks quality depth and bodies down low.
12. Texas A&M
Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: TJ Starks
SG: Wendell Mitchell
3G: Quenton Jackson
PF: Savion Flagg
C: Josh Nebo
Top bench players: Jay Jay Chandler, Andre Gordon, Cashius McNeilly, Emanuel Miller
Outlook: The core of this team has the potential to be good but hasn't played consistently at all over the past couple years. There's hope that perhaps Buzz can get that consistency that Kennedy couldn't but I'm not betting on it, at least this year.
13. Missouri
Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Dru Smith
SG: Javon Pickett
SF: Mark Smith
PF: Tray Jackson
C: Jermiah Tilmon
Top bench players: Torrence Watson, Xavier Pinson, Reed Nikko, Mario McKinney, Jr.
Outlook: This team will probably be better than this ranking, but I’m not sure who I’d put them ahead of right now. They’ll be solid defensively, of course, like all Cuonzo teams, but I don’t see a team that will score or rebound consistently here.
14. Vanderbilt
Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Saben Lee
SG: Maxwell Evans
SF: Aaron Nesmith
PF: Matthew Moyer
C: Clevon Brown
Top bench players: Scottie Pippen, Jr., Jordan Wright, Dylan Disu, Oton Jankovic, Ejike Obinna
Outlook: I like Saben Lee as a spark plug combo guard and Nesmith is a very talented scoring wing, but overall, this is a bad roster.
14
Posted on 6/27/19 at 9:51 am to GatorsGators
Is little Weatherspoon back for State? I couldn't remember how that played out. If so, they are flying under the radar. Still a ton of talent on that team.
Going to be a damn good league again, maybe even better and deeper than last year.
Going to be a damn good league again, maybe even better and deeper than last year.
Posted on 6/27/19 at 9:51 am to SummerOfGeorge
Yeah, Weatherspoon is back and fully participating apparently.
Posted on 6/27/19 at 9:53 am to GatorsGators
A&M will be a bitch for people to play this year. Buzz is a damn good coach.
Posted on 6/27/19 at 9:54 am to boXerrumble
quote:
A&M will be a bitch for people to play this year. Buzz is a damn good coach.
I mean, Gators has Georgia at #11 (which is perfectly reasonable) and they have possibly the #1 pick in the country being added to a team with decent pieces.
Just an incredibly deep league at this point.
Posted on 6/27/19 at 9:55 am to GatorsGators
quote:
PG: Jalen Harris
SG: Isaiah Joe
3G: Mason Jones
PF: Reggie Chaney
F: Jeantal Cylla
Our 5 is a better shooter than our 1
. Harris is a better true pg than Sills but Sills is an actual threat from deep. Will be interesting to see how Musselman divides up those mins if Harris or Whitt haven't improved as shooters. We also have another spot to add so I would think depth at the 4 or 5 is what will be targeted.
This post was edited on 6/27/19 at 9:58 am
Posted on 6/27/19 at 9:57 am to GatorsGators
quote:
13. Missouri
Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Dru Smith
SG: Javon Pickett
SF: Mark Smith
PF: Tray Jackson
C: Jermiah Tilmon
Top bench players: Torrence Watson, Xavier Pinson, Reed Nikko, Mario McKinney, Jr.
Outlook: This team will probably be better than this ranking, but I’m not sure who I’d put them ahead of right now. They’ll be solid defensively, of course, like all Cuonzo teams, but I don’t see a team that will score or rebound consistently here.
Id be surprised if Watson doesn't start over pickett.
and for the "mizzou lost geist" group...Since 2000, only five players in Division I have played 500+ minutes, and shot at least 55% from the field, 45% from 3 & 85% from the FT line in the same season. Mizzou adds thus player next year
This post was edited on 6/27/19 at 10:01 am
Posted on 6/27/19 at 9:59 am to mizslu314
I put Pickett there because he started way more games last year.
Not that it really matters, both will play 25+ minutes a game.
Not that it really matters, both will play 25+ minutes a game.
Posted on 6/27/19 at 10:01 am to GatorsGators
I agree
Posted on 6/27/19 at 10:01 am to GatorsGators
Didnt realize pippen Jr was at Vandy
Posted on 6/27/19 at 10:04 am to GatorsGators
I’d swap 1 and 2. Blackshear is big get for Florida, but Montgomery and Richards coming back for Kentucky puts them over the edge.
Posted on 6/27/19 at 10:08 am to GatorsGators
Auburn will be better than State
Posted on 6/27/19 at 10:09 am to GatorsGators
While UF is very talented I would have UK #1.
I still think Mike White is mediocre as frick and not a very good coach
I still think Mike White is mediocre as frick and not a very good coach
Posted on 6/27/19 at 10:10 am to BluegrassBelle
UF and UK are gonna be the clear #1 and #2 in either order preseason, but I'm not gonna pass up an opportunity to rank UF #1 
I do think that UF roster is gonna have a lot easier of a time scoring points than that UK roster
I do think that UF roster is gonna have a lot easier of a time scoring points than that UK roster
Posted on 6/27/19 at 10:11 am to BowlJackson
quote:Perhaps. I don't know what to think about Auburn next year. Highest variance team in the conference by far for next year imo
Auburn will be better than State
Posted on 6/27/19 at 10:14 am to Mason Dixon Swine
quote:
Didnt realize pippen Jr was at Vandy
They got Pippen and Jordan!
Posted on 6/27/19 at 10:20 am to mistaken4193
quote:
I still think Mike White is mediocre as frick and not a very good coach
In his 4 seasons, he has 3 straight NCAA tournament appearances, with at least 1 win in each appearance and an Elite 8.
Hes second only to Calipari for wins in the NCAA tournament during his time at UF.
The last time he had a legit big man, Egbunu, UF reached the Elite 8 - Egbunu tore his ACL late in the season against Auburn.
Tell me how hes mediocre?
This post was edited on 6/27/19 at 10:21 am
Posted on 6/27/19 at 10:27 am to GatorsGators
Fair enough.
Posted on 6/27/19 at 10:30 am to BluegrassBelle
Good list, I dont know if I'd have us at 3 right now, maybe 4-5 range, because we a have huge question mark at center (Watford is a stretch 4) we are trying to fill still. Probably put MSU ahead of us roster wise for now.
I tend to agree with UF at 1 for now with the addition of Blackshear, solidifies that front court a bit which was a question mark otherwise.
I tend to agree with UF at 1 for now with the addition of Blackshear, solidifies that front court a bit which was a question mark otherwise.
Posted on 6/27/19 at 10:45 am to GatorsGators
How many teams still have spots open?
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