ESPN's College Basketball Future Power Rankings
ESPN has a ranking of the future of college basketball programs. Since, it's an insider article, I'll just post the top 11 teams.
ranking methodology explained:
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/9720200/explaining-methodology-college-basketball-future-power-rankings
1.Duke
2. Kentucky
3. Kansas
4. Louisville
5. Florida
6. Sparty
7. Arizona
8. Syracuse
9. North Carolina
10. Ohio (state)
11. Michigan
To be ranked just 2 spots behind UNC, Michigan has come back into the scene. Let's be excited for the fun we will have as fans and alumni watching our Wolverines across many sports into the future!
September 25th, 2013 at 3:28 PM ^
I am thrilled silly for basketball, heck I'll talk parking lots at Michigan just to restore some order.
Who do you think has the most pro potential on the team outside of Mitch and GR3? I think LaVert is going to be amazing. Last year he didn't grow into his body, I think a year in the weight room is going to do him some good.
September 25th, 2013 at 3:44 PM ^
stauskas if he gets better at defending. has good size, a money 3 ball and NOTJUSTASHOOTER as well.
September 25th, 2013 at 3:51 PM ^
I thought Stauskas was just a shooter. When did anybody mention that he was more than that?
September 25th, 2013 at 4:04 PM ^
Drink.
September 25th, 2013 at 5:38 PM ^
just a shooter
September 25th, 2013 at 3:47 PM ^
i forgot that college basketball exists and that our team has the potential to be great again.
I gotta go with Irvin. I predict that he's gonna be better than freshman GR3.
September 25th, 2013 at 3:51 PM ^
Zak Irvin. Wired to score in a variety of ways, long arms/body for defense, and versatile enough to play the 2 or the 3.
September 25th, 2013 at 3:35 PM ^
September 25th, 2013 at 3:40 PM ^
The way Sean Miller recruits, they'll be expected to be top ten for as long as he is there.
September 25th, 2013 at 3:44 PM ^
i agree with you on arizona. the coaching makes up 25% of espn's methodology, so it makes sense for arizona to be there for now. last year's season added to coach beilein's overall reputation - much overdue and deservedly.
September 25th, 2013 at 3:50 PM ^
Texas is not notable in basketball lol
September 25th, 2013 at 4:25 PM ^
September 25th, 2013 at 4:56 PM ^
Yeah. The one player since the Admiral to do so.
September 25th, 2013 at 5:05 PM ^
I thought Robinson played at Navy?
September 25th, 2013 at 5:19 PM ^
Damn, you're right. whiffed on that one
September 25th, 2013 at 6:25 PM ^
Texas has certainly been notable over the last decade, and Durant is certainly not the only Longhorn to have a good career lately. LaMarcus Aldridge was pretty good, so was TJ Ford. Tristan Thompson, DJ Augustin. They've had some players.
To give some evidence to this argument, since Rick Barnes has been their coach (98-99), they have made the tourney every year, been to the Final Four once, Elite 8 three times and Sweet 16 five times. They have finished ranked in the top 10 five times (plus 11th once) including twice in the top 5.
Point is, I would hardly say they're irrelevant in basketball.
September 25th, 2013 at 3:39 PM ^
Duke,Kentucky and Flordia are ranked to high.
September 25th, 2013 at 3:40 PM ^
Definitely impressive to be close to the top 10. I was curious what exactly this meant and am posting this for those who don't click on the link:
The purpose of the voting was to produce a ranking of the teams that will have the most success over the next three seasons. [emphasis added]
September 25th, 2013 at 3:41 PM ^
but what a ways Beilein has brought us to even be mentioned with the teams up there
September 25th, 2013 at 3:46 PM ^
I was most interested in seeing thoughts on the other B1G coaches in comparison to Beilein. Satisfyingly, Tom Crean loses some points here.
September 25th, 2013 at 3:48 PM ^
It's crazy that we beat 5 of those top 10 teams last year. 3 of them back-to-back-to-back in the tourney.
September 25th, 2013 at 3:51 PM ^
Give Derrick Walton one year. One season. By the time he's a soph - look OUT.
September 25th, 2013 at 3:56 PM ^
But I am getting the feeling that the term "Point Guard U" may be applied to Michigan for as long as Beilein and/or Coach Jordan are here.
September 25th, 2013 at 8:28 PM ^
Point being: let's wait and see how trey does in nba before crowning ourselves anything.
September 25th, 2013 at 3:58 PM ^
on the up and up and up. As a former Maize Rager, I've been waiting forever for success like this and they're finally become a national power that I've always thought they would be. At least, I finally get to experience the first NCAA tourney appearance in over 20 years which is a memory that I will never forget when I was at the Crisler Arena upon seeing Michigan's name on the bracket.
Michigan is finally there to stay for a long time to come. Top recruits are seriously looking at Michigan's way for once.
September 25th, 2013 at 4:10 PM ^
How is Duke #1 given Coach K's age?
And MSU's awful NBA record as of late is going to hurt the program long-term. You can feel that big recruits are already looking at East Lansing with a crooked eyebrow given how difficult it is it shine individually in Izzo's system.
September 25th, 2013 at 4:24 PM ^
Quick quiz: who leads the B1G in overall hoops wins the past three years:
Answer: OSU, by a country mile, with 94 (including a final four run, an elite 8 run, and a tip to the sweet sixteen).
In second place we have our own UM with 76 (and a run to the finals). MSU is just behind us in 3rd with 75 (topping out with 2 Sweet 16 appearances), with Wiscy next at 74. Obviously strength of nonconference schedule has something to do with all of this, but OSU's case over the last 3 years is head and shoulders above anyone else's.
OSU has also been doing pretty will on the recruiting trail - Rivals has them with 5 4-stars and 2 5-stars coming in in the 2013-15 classes.
I understand why MSU gets props from the national media, but OSU has been the best B1G program over the last little while. Obviously UM has been doing pretty well the last little bit too and is trending upward. With IU on the rise, Illinois probably improving, MD coming in, MSU and Wiscy hard to discount, the B1G is really going to be tough the next few years.
September 25th, 2013 at 4:27 PM ^
Time will tell if IU is on the rise or if they just got a special duo in Oladipo/Zeller. Like Painter, Crean has not done the best job keeping Indiana talent home and he is a pretty crappy game coach.
September 25th, 2013 at 5:17 PM ^
True, although IU's been doing pretty well on the recruiting trail and has a higher profile than PU. If IU keeps pulling in recruits like Zeller, Ferrell, and Vonleh they'll win a lot of games.
September 25th, 2013 at 4:44 PM ^
that number of wins in the past 3 years can be heavily affected by the length of your NCAA tourney run. I think Wisconsin lost in the first (second) round the NCAA tourney this year? After they won the B1G Tourney. So that's a win differential of 5 just there alone. Not saying it's not an interesting point to look at, but keep things in perspective.
September 25th, 2013 at 5:22 PM ^
OSU won the B1G tourney this year. For the 2nd time in those 3 years (the other was a finals loss to MSU). Win total is affected by the B1G tourney too, for better and for worse. Overall, success is (perhaps unfairly) measured in large part by NCAA tourney success, so it might be underweighted by looking at win total (vs, say, the nonconference schedule). But the point is taken that overall wins is only one measurement.
September 25th, 2013 at 5:46 PM ^
All those red teams in the B1G blend together for me, and we're adding two more to the equation as well. Sorry for my error.
September 25th, 2013 at 4:43 PM ^
I patiently await TeamRankings predictive measure so we can see what they say in comparison (I bet it turns out to be fairly similar), but I will say that it is nice to see the Big Ten rather prominently featured in the upper tiers of these rankings when they do come out. That is some select basketball company on the list certainly.
September 25th, 2013 at 5:01 PM ^
This is pretty cool for the Big Ten. It will be interesting to see how the next 5 years pan out for teams like MSU, OSU, UM, and IU. I may be a homer with this one but Illinois has done themselves a huge favor, as well, in hiring John Groce. Not only does he have a really good eye for talent but he is also a hell of a coach (see his tenure at Ohio U). I am trying to put my hate for Tom Crean aside but I do think he is overrated. Also, and many people do not know this, but it will be interesting to see how long Thad Matta plans on coaching. He has been dealing with pretty bad leg pains for quite some time now.
September 25th, 2013 at 5:19 PM ^
that list. Just saying. Happily.
September 25th, 2013 at 5:37 PM ^
You should probably look again at #6. Unless you were talking about Mississippi St in which case I'd wonder at your vitrol towards them over the Gator Bowl.
September 25th, 2013 at 6:43 PM ^
September 25th, 2013 at 6:46 PM ^
Yeah LOL it's not like they've had any success or sent any kids to the NBA lately LOL.
September 26th, 2013 at 12:35 PM ^
I missed the part where that stuff has to do with this coming season.
September 26th, 2013 at 12:58 PM ^
The coaching score for Indiana was the highlight of the entire piece for me. Worst in the top 20 and far below most similar schools. No argument here.