
Summer time means a look ahead to next season!
Each week moving forward, we will preview one conference in college basketball from soup to nuts.
Check below for this week’s breakdown on the WCC.
WCC Preseason Power Rankings
1. Gonzaga
Projected Starting 5:
G Nolan Hickman
G Rasir Bolton
G Julian Strawther
F Anton Watson
C Drew Timme
Projected Bench: Efton Reid, Braden Huff, Ben Gregg, Kaden Perry, Dom Harris, Hunter Sallis, Malachi Smith
Key Losses: Andrew Nembhard, Chet Holmgren
Key Newcomers: Braden Huff, Efton Reid (LSU), Malachi Smith (Chattanooga)
2. Saint Mary’s
Projected Starting 5:
G Augustas Marciulionis
G Logan Johnson
G Alex Ducas
F Kyle Bowen
C Mitchell Saxen
Projected Bench: Aidan Mahaney, Joshua Jefferson, Mason Forbes, Chris Howell, Leemet Bockler, Matthew van Komen, Henry Wessels, Cade Bennett
Key Losses: Matthias Tass, Tommy Kuhse, Dan Fotu, Jabe Mullins, Judah Brown
Key Newcomers: Aidan Mahaney, Joshua Jefferson, Mason Forbes (Harvard), Henry Wessels
3. BYU
Projected Starting 5:
G Rudi Williams
G Spencer Johnson
F Gideon George
F Jaxon Robinson
C Fousseyni Traore
Projected Bench: Braeden Moore, Richie Saunders, Dallin Hall, Tanner Toolson, Trevin Knell, Trey Stewart, Atiki Ally Atiki, Noah Waterman
Key Losses: Alex Barcello, Te’Jon Lucas, Seneca Knight, Caleb Lohner, Gavin Baxter
Key Newcomers: Rudi Williams (Coastal Carolina), Jaxson Robinson (Arkansas), Braeden Moore, Richie Saunders, Dallin Hall, Tanner Toolson, Noah Waterman (Detroit)
4. San Diego
Projected Starting 5:
G Seikou Sisoho Jawara
G Jase Townsend
F Eric Williams
F Marcellus Earlington
F Jaiden Delaire
Projected Bench: Wayne McKinney, Bendji Pierre, Alex Garcia, Jeremiah Nyarko, Yavuz Gultekin, Deuce Turner, Alijah Kuehl, Nic Lynch
Key Losses: Joey Calcaterra, Terrell Brown, Bryce Monroe, Josh Parrish
Key Newcomers: Eric Williams (Oregon), Jaiden Delaire (Stanford), Alex Garcia, Jeremiah Nyarko, Bendji Pierre (JUCO), Deuce Turner (JUCO), Seikou Sisoho Jawara (Weber State), Nic Lynch (Lehigh), Jeremiah Nyarko
5. San Francisco
Projected Starting 5:
G Tyrell Roberts
G Khalil Shabazz
G Marcus Williams
G Julian Rishwain
F Toni Rocak
Projected Bench: Saba Gigiberia, Broyce Batchan Jr., Zane Meeks, Josh Kunen, Volodymyr Markovetskyy, Isaiah Hawthorne, Ndewedo Newbury, Bryce Whitaker, Jonas Visser
Key Losses: Jamaree Bouyea, Yauhen Massalski, Gabe Stefanini, Patrick Tape, Dzmitry Ryuny
Key Newcomers: Marcus Williams (Texas A&M), Tyrell Roberts (Washington State), Saba Gigiberia (Georgia Tech), Toni Rocak (UC San Diego), Broyce Batchan Jr.
6. Portland
Projected Starting 5:
G Mike Meadows
F Moses Wood
F Tyler Robertson
F Kristian Sjolund
C Joey St. Pierre
Projected Bench: Juansee Gorosito, Vukasin Masic, Alden Applewhite, Wyatt Lowell, Chika Nduka, Jack Perry, Vasilie Vucinic, Chris Austin
Key Losses: None
Key Newcomers: Juansee Gorosito, Vukasin Masic (Maine), Alden Applewhite (Mississippi State), Wyatt Lowell (JUCO), Joey St. Pierre (Milwaukee)
7. Loyola Marymount
Projected Starting 5:
G Noah Taitz
G Cam Shelton
F Dameane Douglas
F Keli Leaupepe
C Michael Graham
Projected Bench: Chance Stephens, Rick Issanza, Justin Ahrens, Jalin Anderson, Alex Merkviladze, James Nobles, Lamaj Lewis, Kwane Marble
Key Losses: Eli Scott, Joe Quintana
Key Newcomers: Chance Stephens, Rick Issanza (Oklahoma), Justin Ahrens (Ohio State), Noah Taitz (Stanford), Michael Graham (Elon)
8. Santa Clara
Projected Starting 5:
G Carlos Stewart
G Carlos Marshall Jr.
F Keshawn Justice
F Parker Braun
C Jaden Bediako
Projected Bench: Carlos Stewart, Christoph Tilly, Jake Ensminger, Kosy Akametu, Brandin Podziemski, Brenton Knapper, Giordan Williams, Camaron Tongue, Jacob Holt
Key Losses: Jalen Williams, Josip Vrankic, PJ Pipes
Key Newcomers: Christoph Tilly, Jake Ensminger, Kosy Akametu, Brandin Podziemski (Illinois), Carlos Marshall Jr. (Tennessee State)
9. Pepperdine
Projected Starting 5:
G Mike Mitchell
G Houston Mallette
F Maxwell Lewis
F Jan Zidek
C Boubacar Coulibaly
Projected Bench: Jevon Porter, Malik Moore, Jalen Pitre, Aladji Gassama, Carson Basham, Majok Deng
Key Losses: Keith Fisher
Key Newcomers: Boubacar Coulibaly (USC), Jevon Porter, Malik Moore, Jalen Pitre, Cord Stansberry
10. Pacific
Projected Starting 5:
G Jordan Ivy-Curry
G Luke Avdalovic
F Donovan Williams
F Keylan Boone
C Sam Freeman
Projected Bench: Judson Martindale, Tyler Beard, Maurice Odum, Cam Denson, Greg Outlaw, Jalen Brown, Nick Blake
Key Losses: Alphonso Anderson, Jeremiah Bailey
Key Newcomers: Donovan Williams (Oklahoma State), Keylan Boone (Oklahoma State), Judson Martindale (Holy Cross), Tyler Beard (Georgetown), Jordan Ivy-Curry (UTSA), Maurice Odum, Cam Denson (JUCO), Makai Richards (Eastern Washington)
Preseason All-WCC First Team
Rasir Bolton, Gonzaga
Khalil Shabazz, San Francisco
Logan Johnson, Saint Mary’s
Julian Strawther, Gonzaga
Drew Timme, Gonzaga
WCC Preseason Player of the Year
Drew Timme, Gonzaga
WCC Preseason Sleeper
Portland
10 WCC Impact Transfers
*In no particular order
Malachi Smith, Gonzaga (Chattanooga)
Efton Reid, Gonzaga (LSU)
Rudi Williams, BYU (Coastal Carolina)
Jaiden Delaire, San Diego (Stanford)
Eric Williams, San Diego (Oregon)
Seikou Sisoho Jawara, San Diego (Weber State)
Tyrell Roberts, San Francisco (Washington State)
Marcus Williams, San Francisco (Texas A&M)
Donovan Williams, Pacific (Oklahoma State)
Keylan Boone, Pacific (Oklahoma State)
5 Under-The-Radar WCC Transfers
*In no particular order
Jaxon Robinson, BYU (Arkansas)
Noah Taitz, Loyola Marymount (Stanford)
Justin Ahrens, Loyola Marymount (Stanford)
Deuce Turner, San Diego (JUCO)
Boubacar Coulibaly, Pepperdine (USC)
5 WCC Breakout Players
*In no particular order
*A player is not eligible to be a breakout player if he’s previously averaged in double figures
Nolan Hickman, Gonzaga
Hunter Sallis, Gonzaga
Augustas Marciulionis, Saint Mary’s
Fousseyni Traore, BYU
Wayne McKinney III, San Diego
Leftovers
- 5 questions with Syracuse’s Adrian Autry
- Jim Boeheim on St. John’s: “They’re going to be at worst a top-20 team this season”
- Big East, Big Ten close to finalizing agreement to continue Gavitt Games, with all 11 Big East teams likely to participate
- 5 questions with Miami’s Jim Larranaga
- Michigan State’s Tom Izzo on the Big Ten’s recent lack of success in the NCAA Tournament: “There’s no excuses — we have to do better”