Post Draft deadline look at 2009-10 basketball season

First off, let me tell TT Happy Birthday. You don't look a day over 32!

Now we move on to the second top 10-ish list I've done for the 2009-10 college basketball season. Yesterday was the deadline for underclassmen to back out of the NBA draft. Who backed out? Who stayed in? How will that affect Sportsbyfletch's top whatever list? Why delay any longer? Has a SBF blog ever had this many questions in a row?

#1 Kansas. Cole Aldrich and Sherron Collins are both back along with EVERYONE else it seems. Bill Self won a title two seasons ago and he could easily take another one here. I think KU also got the Henry brothers if I am correct so that just gives the Rock Chalk Jayhawks even more depth.

2. UK. To quote my old college friend Benji, UK, more like U Suck. Can't say that anymore however. With Coach Cal (and I made this argument before on 790 The Zone how he is INSTANTLY the best coach in the SEC, Sorry Mark Fox) and the first recruiting class he has going, Kentucky will be back on top sooner rather than later and look for them to stay there for 15 years. Jodie Meeks is gone (as reported on Scoreatl.com) and losing your conference's leading scorer ALWAYS hurts, but come on...Cal has Patrick Patterson coming back along with John Wall and Eric Bledsoe in the backcourt and Darnell Dodson and Daniel Orton in the frontcourt. (What, someone is saying how can I put Cal ahead of Eddie Munster, who has two titles? Well, he won those with a special group of guys and hasn't come close since those guys left, unless you think two straight trips to the NIT is close. Sorry this guy has had so much talent in the past and never did anything, save a random appearance in the title game in 2000, with all of that talent. Matt Walsh, David Lee, Anthony Roberson, Haslem? What'd you do? Cal has two final fours with two different schools. And don't tell me the UMass trip doesn't count. I SAW Marcus Camby playing Kentucky back in 1996.)

3. Villanova. They kept Scottie Reynolds AND the coach from a Final Four team last year and should be the favorite to win the Big East. And don't sleep on their recruiting class....

4. Michigan State. Tom Izzo had his team in the final game last season. Can they go back? Kalin Lucas, Raymar Morgan and Durrell Summers will certainly help out the cause. And don't discount Izzo. What a freaking coach. Dude can coach. Enough said.

5. UNC. I have to respect Ole Roy and despite losing Lawson, Ellington, Green and Psycho T, they still have Ed Davis and Deon Thompson. And it isn't like Roy is just sitting back polishing his trophy. Nope, he is out there recruiting. Remember the names John Henson and Les McDonald. Those two will be making you forget Psycho T and Ty Lawson, unless Dicky V is doing the game, in which case he will beat you over the head with replays of those guys.

6. Purdue. Cannot call them Purdon't this year. Sorry I was one year early last year when I predicted big things for this crew in the Hooters Magazine preview special. (Sorry but really, if you are using Hooters magazine for your preseason basketball news, come on!) Robbie Hummel is back and so is JuJuan Johnson. I might actually watch the MSU/Purdue basketball games this season. Oh, wait, I don't have Big Ten Network. Oh well. Nevermind.

7. Texas. Despite the fact that Rick Barnes is still the coach, Damion James is back as are Dexter Pittman and Gary Johnson. If anyone can knock off KU in conference play, it would be the Longhorns. But we've seen Rick Barnes mess up with more, so he could definately mess this collection up as well.

8. California. Mike Montgomery has his Bay Area school back in the preseason top ten. That didn't take long. I said last year for Hooters that these guys were a year away. Well, this is the year. Pat Christopher and Jermone Randle should lead these guys to a Pac-10 championship. (really, by default since Zona is rebuilding, as is ASU, as is UCLA really, and USC is just dead.)

9. Duke. Fine. I'll give the defending ACC tourney champions their due. Losing Gerald Henderson will hurt, and apparently I think it will hurt more than MSNBC's Mike Miller (He has Duke #2). I think Henderson is more of the player that Duke needs, but now the team will have to rely on Kyle Singler and with him as you focal point, that just isn't good enough to really win a title. Sorry. Flat out not good enough for a long run in March. 28 wins, yes. second sunday of the dance? NO.

10. Oklahoma. Boomer Sooner. Willie Warren is back in Norman and Jeff Chapel will make 2009-10 all about Willie. You might be thinking, "Oh they couldn't make it to the F4 with Blake Griffin, why should tey make it without him?" Well I don't think they'll make it to the F4, but the Elite 8 is a possibility with a tremendous guard like Warren. March comes down to guardplay and he will have the Sooners in a #3 seed or #2 spot. Then you never know what one player can do. Look at Davidson two seasons ago.

11. Georgia Tech. WHAT? What, keep reading. I know they won TWO conference games last seasons. (Trust me, I mocked their beat writer to the point that he called my show and yelled at me, telling me they were better than just a 2 win team. Suurrrrre.) Well, with Mfon Udofia, Glen Rice, Jr, Stephen Hill, Daniel Miller and DERRICK FAVORS arriving on campus (plus 6 other guys I think. That is a joke, but seriously, they have a signing class of at least 6 the last time I checked), and teaming up with Gani Lawal, while they will be young, they will be uber-talented. Shoot, with just Lawal and Favors in the Frontcourt, they should be fun to watch. throw in the talented floor general that Udofia will be (I saw him some at Miller Grove. WOW) and the shooting of Glen Rice, Jr., and this team could make a run to the second round of the big dance....where Paul Hewitt will mess the team up and they will lose to a 5th seeded Syracuse or something. Just watch. It'll happen. Don't worry. He messed up Thad Lewis and JCritt. You can ask some of my Tech friends. They'll admit that while excited, they are scared that Pauly will mess this thing up.

12. Tennessee. Tyler Smith's return, coupled with the return of nearly everyone else means they will likely be the No.2 seed from the east in the SEC tourney. But not nearly on the level as Kentucky, so hey, maybe a sweet 16 run, but then remember...this group was losing to UGA by 20 in the second half last season with Felton as coach. Yeah they won, but that is NOT what you want.

13. UConn. No Thabett, but that's OK. Kemba Walker is back and they could make some noise in the tourney.

14. Ohio State. Thad Matta keeps getting players to come to Columbus and good for him. No BJ Mullens, but he never gave much while he was there. David Lighty returns and Evan Turner should shoulder much of the load on the Matta squada.

15. Washington. Isaiah Thomas is small but plays big and remember the name Abdul Gaddy. Better yet, look at his youtube stuff and he MIGHT be the best freshman PG, John Wall included. Well probably not, but hey, I made you think for a second.

I think Arizona's losses of Jordan Hill and Chase Budinger will hurt my Wildcats, but Nic Wise's decision to return to Tucson was smart and Sean Miller will have these guys rolling before we know it.

Syracuse claims that they will be fine with Johnny Flynn because his replacement is more of a traditional point guard, but COME ON. You don't get better by losing a talent like JFlynn. (And Paul Harris and Eric Devendorf. Well, maybe Devendorf in addition by subtraction.)

Wake Forest will take a step back as Jeff Teague decided to leave. James Johnson's departure was foreseen, but Teague nearly came back. Oh well, I guess Dino will just have to raid Metro-Atlanta for more talent. (Hey Mark Fox, let's put an end to this!)

Finally, a team to watch out for....THE GEORGIA BULLDOGS! Just kidding. But I will be excited to watch them now that Felton is gone. Hopefully Fox with Vinny Williams can get this thing going again. PS, do whatever you can to get Noel Johnson and Brandon Boykin reunited on the hardwood. Johnson was released from his scholarship at USC and Boykin is getting ready to tear it up on the gridiron, but Mark Fox needs to do his hardest to get these kids in Georgia unis. If nothing else, just to show that Georgia WANTS to be a place where the top in-state talent can come and play. These two are Fayette County kids and it would be nice if the in-state kids starting staying in-state instead of going to NCState and Wake and USC. During Harrick's run at UGA, all of his stars were from the state. Fox can win with just in-state kids. Let's make this happen. Thompkins and Ware is a good start. Let's keep the in-state thing going. Johnson and Boykin could really help. Mayfield too.

We'll have another list when we get closer to the season and if Boykin and Johnson both agree to play hoops, GEORGIA TO #1 IMMEDIATELY!