Southeastern Conference Preview

The SEC used to be a football-only league but the programs have since invested a ton of money into basketball by hiring better coaches, upping the overall recruiting and the results have shown itself over the past couple of seasons. The league is now regarded as one of the better leagues in the sport and whereas in the past the league would have a lot of non-competitive programs, that narrative has since changed. This year the league is pretty top-heavy with Kentucky and Florida looking to dominate the topic of conversation, however, the league also has a really good amount of teams in the league that should be contending for an at-large bid. 

1.Florida Gators 

There is no team that I am looking more forward to seeing this season than the Florida Gators who have a perfect roster construction that could lead them to the program’s third National Championship. The team looks for Virginia Tech grad transfer Kerry Blackshear Jr. to come in and produce down-low, he’s a really efficient scorer inside that can pass out of a double and also rebound at a high-rate. Sophomore guard Andrew Nembhard looks to take a huge step forward, he’s a really good all-around player that can score the ball, although he is more known for his passing abilities, while he’s also a really good defender that is long enough to switch 1-4. Freshman wing Scottie Lewis looks to make a big impact this season as a long and athletic wing that projects as a really good defender, that should guard 3’s and 4’s this season. Lewis is someone who will excel in the 4 around 1 system because of his ability to drive to the rim. Sophomore Noah Locke looks to continue to be a high-level shotmaker for this team, he’s a really good shotmaking guard that will help stretch the floor. 

Florida will look for Tre Mann to make an impact as another ball-handler, he’s a really athletic and quick guard that is regarded as a good defender and is a decent shotmaker. Keyontae Johnson is probably going to be a full-time 4 for this team, he’s a decent shooter that can play as an attacking guard/ wing. Four-Star Freshman Omar Payne looks like someone that should push for minutes either in reserve or playing alongside Kerry Blackshear. Veterans Gorjok Gak and Dontay Bassett are other physical pieces that aren’t going to provide much help offensively but will get minutes off the bench.  

Final Analysis: As mentioned is a Florida team is one that I really like heading into this season, as they have the necessary pieces to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. They have a good amount of length and versatility with three 6’5” guards that will likely start. They will have four guys that can knock down shots and will allow for floor-spacing for big man Kerry Blackshear Jr. With this roster construction, this team should be able to win the SEC, while a deep run in March is well within reason. 

Projected Rotation:

PG: Andrew Nembhard Sophomore 6’5”

SG: Noah Locke Sophomore 6’5”

SF: Scottie Lewis Freshman 6’5”

PF: Keyontae Johnson Sophomore 6’5”

C: Kerry Blackshear Jr. Senior 6’10”

Key Reserves: Tre Mann, Omar Payne, Gorjok Gak, Dontay Bassett

2.Kentucky Wildcats

Kentucky once again reloads with another strong recruiting class that will once again give this team NCAA Championship expectations. In addition to this strong recruiting class, the team also will return a few rotation pieces from last year’s team, headlined by their lead guard Ashton Hagans. Hagans acts as the primary initiator of offense for this team, he’s a really good passer and defender, if he can develop a jump-shot he will prove to be one of the most valuable players in the SEC. Five-Star guard Tyrese Maxey is well known for being a bucket-getter, he’s a very quick and athletic guard that will likely lead the team in scoring. Fellow Freshman Khalil Whitney is a long and physical wing that can defend at a high-level and will be able to switch between the 3 and the 4. Keion Brooks will also be a switchable 3 or 4 for this team, he’s a very good playmaker that should make a nice impact for this team. 

The team will also look for Immanuel Quickley to make an impact as a third guard off the bench, he’s a change of pace guard that can make plays offensively for this team. Freshman Johnny Juzang will provide some elite-level shooting as well as length needed to guard fours. The real question for this team comes from the frontcourt, where they will be relying upon big improvements from either Nick Richards or EJ Montgomery. Montgomery is a more athletic big that is a good athlete although not really a rim-protector, whereas Nick Richards is really more of a rim-protecting and rim-running big man. Bucknell grad transfer Nate Sestina will look to provide an impact for this team as a small-ball five, he’s been really good in some of the exhibition games. 

Final Analysis: This team has a really good rotation 1-4 with a great defensive point guard, a great bucket-getting guard, and some really long and athletic combo-forwards. My main concern comes inside where the team will be needing players like EJ Montgomery or Nick Richards to make a big impact even though they really haven’t shown that they are all that good in the past. If the team can get good production from Montgomery or Richards inside, as well as good production from the freshmen then this team can not only win an SEC title but they also could win John Calipari’s second career National Championship. 

Projected Rotation:

PG: Ashton Hagans Sophomore 6’3”

SG: Tyrese Maxey Freshman 6’3”

SF: Kahil Whitney Freshman 6’6”

PF: Keion Brooks Freshman 6’7”

C: EJ Montgomery Sophomore 6’10”

Key Reserves: Immanuel Quickley, Johnny Juzang, Nate Sestina, Nick Richards

3.Alabama Crimson Tide

One of the better hires of the offseason was that of Nate Oats who thrived at Buffalo coaching in an up-tempo system with a lot of quality guards, fortunately, he came into the right system at Alabama where he will have some quality guards. Look for big things from Kira Lewis Jr. who was solid last year playing as an underaged freshman guard, he looks to take a big step forward this season under Nate Oats and should be an All-SEC player. James “Beetle” Bolden has been a really solid guard at the guard spot playing at West Virginia, he can shoot it from deep and pass at a high-level, assuming he stays healthy, he will make a big impact on this Alabama team. John Petty has been inconsistent in years past on the offensive end but he’s a really good shooter and could wind up being a major help for this team. 

Herb Jones is a really excellent defender, he’s very long and athletic that can switch defensively. If he develops a halfway decent jump shot he could be a really good piece. Alex Reese is a stretch-5 that shot 37 percent from the deep and will look to be an impactful piece for this team both on offense and defense. Galin Smith is a player that should play minutes as a rim-protector, he’s not as polished offensively which probably finds him on the bench but he’ll play some minutes.  Freshmen Jaylen Forbes and Jaden Shackelford will provide depth at the guard spot, both are Four-Star recruits that should play a role for this team. 

Final Analysis: This Alabama team has a really good guard tandem with Lewis and Bolden being able to run the point and having a quick and athletic guard lineup. Assuming Lewis makes the freshman to sophomore jump that most expect, while Bolden stays healthy this team should be able to run up and down and score a lot of points. Look for this team to not only get back to the NCAA Tournament but I would expect this team to be a mainstay inside the Top-25. 

Projected Rotation: 

PG: Kira Lewis Jr. Sophomore 6’3”

SG: James Bolden Senior 6’0”

SF: John Petty Junior 6’5”

PF: Herb Jones Junior 6’7”

C: Alex Reese Junior 6’9”

Key: Reserves: Jaylen Forbes, Galin Smith, Jaden Shackelford, Raymond Hawkins

4.LSU Tigers

A lot has happened in the past year for this LSU program as it won the SEC regular-season title, temporarily lost its Head Coach due to a reported wiretap which ended up never getting released, went to the Sweet 16, and finally decided to keep Will Wade around after it was announced that none of the evidence caught on the wiretap would be published. On the court, the team will return a solid team led by Javonte Smart and Skylar Mays. Mays will look to produce for this team more than he ever has. He’s a great defender and passer, although he needs to improve as a shooter. Javonte Smart will look to step in and share the duties as the lead guard. He’s a solid defender and passer, although like Mays needs to improve as a shooter. The team also was able to land five-star recruit Trendon Watford who is a really skilled big man that can step out and shoot it from deep when needed. 

The team will look for a big improvement from big man Emmitt Williams who is an undersized big man but plays with max effort and is an elite rebounder while being a really good finisher around the basket as well. Darius Days projects as the sixth man for this team, he’s a skilled big man that can step out and knock down shots from deep. Marlon Taylor is a glue-guy, that defends at a high level and while he gives a lot away offensively without a good offensive game he still is worthy of minutes. Freshman guard James Bishop projects to be the point guard of the future, he will play minutes alongside either Smart or Mays and move them off-ball a little bit. Deshawn Thomas and Charles Manning Jr. are JUCO recruits that look to provide some additional offense for this team. 

Final Analysis: This LSU team obviously has a lot of talent with multiple guys that can lead the team in scoring on any given night. I think the roster fit is a little weird as there isn’t a ton of shooting with a Mays and Smart backcourt, that being said I will ignore that a little bit just based on the overall talent on this roster as there are three to four players that can legitimately think about heading to the NBA following the season. I don’t think this team will be quite as good as it was last season but still look for this team to head to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year. 

Projected Rotation:

PG: Javonte Smart Sophomore 6’4:

SG: Skylar Mays Senior 6’4”

SF: Marlon Taylor Senior 6’5”

PF: Trendon Watford Freshman 6’9”

C: Emmitt Williams Sophomore 6’7”

Key Reserves: Darius Days, James Bishop, Charles Manning Jr, DeShawn Thomas

5.Auburn Tigers

Coming off a trip to the program’s first-ever Final Four, the Auburn Tigers will be in a little bit of a rebuild as they lose their top three scorers from last year’s team. With a lot of pieces gone freshman wing, Isaac Okoro will look to step in and play a role for this team, Okoro is regarded as a high-level defender, his versatility will be a big factor for this team. Also, look for Samir Doughty to step into more of a leadership role this season, he is an excellent shooter and a pretty good defender for this Auburn team. Senior Anfernee McLemore will continue to be an effective player for this team, he’s a really long and athletic big man that blocks shots at a high-level and can shoot threes.

Inside Austin Wiley will play a big role on this team, he’s a big-bodied center that will be the go-to guy around the basket and is a pretty good shot blocker on the defensive end. Auburn will look for J’Von McCormick to take a step forward, he will obviously need to take a huge step forward as he looks to be the primary initiator for this team offensively and also fill the void left by guard Jared Harper. Forward Danjel Purifoy is a solid player as a whole, he’s a good defender and is capable of shooting it from deep playing minutes at the 4. Auburn will also look for some production from Memphis transfer Jamal Johnson who is another quality guard, he’s a decent shooter and playmaker that will play a role for this team. Javon Franklin is a JUCO recruit that looks to provide an impact playing as a wing, while look for four-star recruits Tyrell Jones and Jaylin Williams to also play a role for this team. 

Final Analysis: This Auburn team is really good as a whole as there are 10 players that are legitimate options for this team. The hard part for this Auburn team will be replacing their top-3 scorers from last year’s roster and while that will limit them offensively, this team still should be really good on the defensive side of the ball. I would not expect this team to really make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament or finish near the top of the SEC standings, this team should be heading back to the NCAA Tournament. 

Projected Rotation:

PG: J’Von McCormick Senior 6’1”

SG: Samir Doughty Senior 6’4”

SF: Isaac Okoro Freshman 6’5”

PF: Anfernee McLemore Senior 6’8”

C: Austin Wiley Senior 6’11”

Key Reserves: Danjel Purifoy, Jamal Johnson, Javon Franklin, Tyrell Jones, Jaylin Williams

6.Mississippi State Bulldogs

Mississippi State is coming off its first NCAA Tournament birth in 10 years as they were able to not only make the Big Dance but also make it in as a five seed. The main issue for this team is that they will now lose three of their top five scorers from last year’s team. The Bulldogs were able to keep Reggie Perry in school for his sophomore season which is absolutely huge. Perry was the tournament MVP in the U19 games over the Summer and is poised to become one of the most physically imposing bigs in the country, as he is a great interior scorer and rebounder. The team will be without guard Nick Weatherspoon for the first 10 games of the season but when he does get on the court he looks to be a solid option playing as the team’s primary point guard, he’s a solid point guard, good shooter and good defender which is really important for this team. Senior guard Tyson Carter is the team’s leading returning scorer, he’s a really good overall scorer and shooter that will be looking to be a more impactful player offensively. 

The team will also be looking for improvements from sophomore Robert Woodard, Woodard is a 6’7” combo forward that can play both the 3 and the 4, he will hope to improve as a shooter but is a good enough defender to warrant minutes. Abdul Ado is your typical modern-day big man that is efficient scoring around the rim, a good rebounder, and a good shot-blocker. Redshirt freshman DJ Stewart will make an impact for this team off the bench, he’s a long and versatile wing that can provide some help as a scorer. Freshman Elias King and sophomore Prince Oduro will make an impact as more long wings for this team while the team could look for Iverson Molinar to play minutes at the guard spot. 

Final Analysis: This Mississippi State has a somewhat weird roster construction as there really aren’t as many guards as you would typically see. With Nick Weatherspoon out this team could struggle without a real point guard, that being said, once he gets back that obviously changes. The team will succeed inside where they will have maybe the best big man in the SEC in Reggie Perry who is poised for a breakout season. This team should probably finish a little bit over .500 in SEC play and get back to the NCAA Tournament for a second straight season but don’t expect a deep run in the NCAA Tournament from them. 

Projected Rotation:

PG: Nick Weatherspoon Junior 6’2” 

SG: Tyson Carter Senior 6’4”

SF: Robert Woodard Sophomore 6’7”

PF: Reggie Perry Sophomore 6’10”

C: Abdul Ado Junior 6’11”

Key Reserves: DJ Stewart, Prince Oduro, Elias King, Iverson Molinar

7.Ole Miss Rebels

Year one of the Kermit Davis era saw this Ole Miss team overachieve upon all their expectations en route to the school’s first NCAA Tournament birth since 2015. The team will return most of their offensive pieces with the main exception being Terence Davis, so this team should once again be pretty good. Senior guard Breein Tyree is an elite-level scorer, he led the team in scoring last season while shooting 38 percent from deep. Ole Miss will look to make Devontae Shuler the full-time point guard, he was solid playing as a third guard for this team but will need to take on a bigger role in this offense. Blake Hinson will look to continue to play as a stretch-4 or maybe even a 3 for this team, he’s a pretty good shooter that should thrive this season as a more relied upon as a player on the offensive side of the ball. Sophomore KJ Buffin looks to play a role for this team as another option at the 4, he’s a good low-post scorer. Khadim Sy has been all over the map throughout his College career but looks to settle into a nice role, playing as a five-man for this team. JUCO transfer Bryce Williams and Four-Star freshman Austin Crowley will look to play around 10-20 minutes per game as guards for this team. 

Final Analysis: This Ole Miss team I think has a little bit of a limited ceiling as there still isn’t a whole lot of offensive pieces for this team outside of Shuler and Tyree. Maybe Hinson or Buffin can step up and be that third scorer that the team needs but unless that happens I wouldn’t think that this team could really be much better than they were last season. That being said, having a Tyree and Shuler backcourt will allow this team to get back to the NCAA Tournament and be an above-average SEC team. 

Projected Rotation:

PG: Devontae Shuler Junior 6’2”

SG: Breein Tyree Senior 6’2”

SF: Blake Hinson Sophomore 6’7”

PF: KJ Buffin Sophomore 6’7”

C: Khadim Sy Junior 6’10”

Key Reserves: Austin Crowley, Bryce Williams, Sammy Hunter, Shon Robinson

8.Georgia Bulldogs

Last year was a bit of a struggle for Georgia but after landing a consensus Top-3 recruit in the country in Anthony Edwards, expectations are now sky-high for this Georgia team. Edwards is going to lead this team playing as both a shot creator for his teammates as well as someone that can make shots at an elite-level, look for him to probably average over 20 points per game this year. Tyree Crump is probably the team’s de facto point guard, he should start and be a good role player but I wouldn’t expect too much out of him. Rayshaun Hammonds looks to act as a solid option playing down-low although he’s not someone that will project to score more than 10-12 points per game. Jaykwon Walton and Christian Brown are Top-100 wings that should start as freshmen, both look to provide some help offensively as freshmen while likely being asked to move into a bigger role going forward. Donell Gresham Jr. and Jordan Harris will provide a little experience at the guard spot but don’t expect them to play a whole lot. Watch for 5’8” point guard Sahvir Wheeler to get minutes at the point when Crump is off the floor while Toumani Camara will be pretty good for this team. 

Final Analysis: This Georgia team is going to look for Anthony Edwards to be extremely good this year which he is more than capable of being, that being said, unless they can get some scoring from elsewhere on the court this team will not be heading to the Big Dance. Look for Edwards to put up big numbers this year, while the production from the freshmen Walton and Brown should be just enough for this team to be able to be a middle of the pack SEC program that potentially makes the big dance. 

Projected Rotation:

PG: Tyree Crump Senior 6’1”

SG: Anthony Edwards Freshman 6’5”

SF: Jaykwon Walton Freshman 6’6”

PF: Christian Brown Freshman 6’6”

C: Rayshaun Hammonds Junior 6’8”

Key Reserves: Donell Gresham Jr, Jordan Harris, Sahvir Wheeler, Toumani Camara

9.Arkansas Razorbacks

The firing of Mike Anderson was one of the most controversial coaching changes from this offseason, however, the hire of Eric Musselman is already providing a boost of energy for this program as they will have a solid roster going into next year. The team will look for Isaiah Joe to continue to produce as a shooter for this team, he’s maybe the best shooter in College Basketball for this season, as he shot it 45 percent from beyond the arc while having a high usage rate. Mason Jones looks to be a solid contributor next to Joe, Jones is a solid shooter that is better at scoring inside the arc. Jimmy Whitt looks to provide some help at the guard spot, Whitt is a really good scorer that will be able to put up solid numbers for this team. Jalen Harris won’t be expected to be a scorer for this team, however, his ability to initiate offense at the point guard spot will be important for this team. One of either Reggie Chaney or Adrio Bailey will have to play the five for this team, Chaney is probably more fit in that role as he can block shots and rebound at a higher level. 

Final Analysis: This Arkansas team will be one of the more entertaining teams to watch this season as they will get up and down the court as they have a really good backcourt. The only concerning thing with this team is their inability to really protect the paint as neither Chaney or Bailey are really good rim-protecting bigs that you would like to see. Look for this team to be one of the better offensive teams in the sport which will help this team be in either the NCAA Tournament or the NIT if things don’t go quite as well. 

Projected Rotation:

PG: Jalen Harris Senior 6’2”

SG: Jimmy Whitt Jr. Senior 6’3”

SF: Mason Jones Junior 6’5”

PF: Isaiah Joe Sophomore 6’5”

C: Reggie Chaney Sophomore 6’8”

Key Reserves: Adrio Bailey, Jeantal Cylla, Ethan Henderson and Ty Stevens

10.South Carolina Gamecocks

South Carolina is coming off a very low-key fourth-place finish in the SEC and while the team will lose their defensive anchor in Chris Silva, this team has a good collection of young pieces headlined by AJ Lawson. Lawson is a long wing that can shoot it at a high-level, he will look to work on being more efficient as a player but still is a potential All-SEC level player. TJ Moss missed most of last season but looks to be an impactful secondary option for this team. Justin Minaya is a guard that is a good defender and rebounder for this team, while Keyshawn Bryant looks to provide some additional scoring on the wing. Maik Kotsar is a decent interior scorer, rebounder and rim-protector which will be valuable for this team. 

Final Analysis: This South Carolina team will once again be a menace on the defensive side of the ball which is as always important. The overall toughness will keep other teams in check and allow them to stay in most games. With that being said, I’m still not sold on this team on the offensive side of the ball as this team really doesn’t have any great offensive options other than AJ Lawson. If they can get some production from Kotsar, Moss, or Minaya this team could be in the NCAA Tournament but otherwise, this is maybe an NIT team. 

Projected Rotation:

PG: TJ Moss Freshman 6’2”

SG: Justin Minaya Junior 6’5”

SF: AJ Lawson Sophomore 6’6”

PF: Keyshawn Bryant Sophomore 6’6”

C: Maik Kotsar Senior 6’11”

Key Reserves: Jair Bolden, Alanzo Frink, Jalyn McCreary, Trae Hannibal

11.Tennessee Volunteers

No program in the SEC got hit harder than the Tennesse Volunteers who lose their top three scorers, as well as four of their five starters from last year’s team. The team will now look to rely upon a group of leftover pieces to improve upon their play and get Tennessee back to the NCAA Tournament. Senior Lamonte Turner will step in and take over the point guard duties now full time, he’s a decent passer and shooter that is probably better as a fourth option on a team. Jordan Bowden will look to lead the team in scoring as he can shoot it from deep and can create his own shot off the dribble. Freshman guard Josiah-Jordan James is a combo guard with a really good jump shot and at 6’6” with a 6’9” wingspan, meaning that he can guard multiple positions. Yves Pons does provide some intrigue as a next-level type of athlete but I’m not sure he entirely knows how to play the game of basketball. John Fulkerson will probably start the season at the center spot playing as a good defensive and rebounding big man but he could eventually give way to freshmen bigs Olivier Nkamhoua and Drew Pember who are both more talented than Fulkerson. Devonte Gains and Jalen Johnson should help provide help on the wing although neither player is all that talented either. 

Final Analysis: Tennessee has a bright future ahead with an already outstanding recruiting class for the 2020-21 season, that being said, this year could be rough as the team lost a lot more than I think most people are giving them credit for. While Josiah-Jordan James should make some sort of impact, this overall roster outside of him doesn’t make the NIT. I think a missed NCAA Tournament is the most likely outcome for this Tennesse program this year but don’t worry, this team will be back next season. 

Projected Rotation:

PG: Lamonte Turner Senior 6’2”

SG: Jordan Bowden Senior 6’5”

SF: Josiah-Jordan James Freshman 6’6”

PF: Yves Pons Junior 6’6”

C: John Fulkerson Junior 6’9”

Key Reserves: Olivier Nkamhoua, Drew Pember, Davonte Gaines

12.Missouri Tigers

Coming off a missed NCAA Tournament, Missouri will be looking to rebound from that and push towards an at-large bid this season. The team will be hoping guard Mark Smith can get back to his form last year where he was a double-digit per game scorer and a 45 percent shooter before injuring his foot. Jeremiah Tillmon will continue to be the go-to guy inside, he’s a really good low-post scorer that will act as the team’s best rebounder and shot blocker. Evansville transfer Dru Smith will look to take over as the team’s starting point guard, he’s a high-level passer, shooter and a good defender that has fans really excited. The trio of Javon Pickett, Torrence Watson, and Xavier Pinson will be fighting for minutes at the guard spot, all three are decent shooters and defenders that won’t be relied upon to play that big of a role offensively. 

Final Analysis: This Missouri team will be competitive this season thanks to the expected return of Mark Smith, as well as the impact of Dru Smith at the point and Jeremiah Tillmon inside. If those three can be borderline All-SEC players this team could potentially be an NCAA tournament team, however, the much more likely end result of this season is that the team misses the NCAA Tournament and finishes with around 6 or 7 wins in SEC play. 

Projected Rotation:

PG: Dru Smith Junior 6’3”

SG: Mark Smith Junior 6’4”

SF: Javon Pickett Sophomore 6’4”

PF: Torrence Watson Sophomore 6’5”

C: Jeremiah Tillmon Junior 6’11”

Key Reserves: Xavier Pinson, Tray Jackson, Axel Okongo

13.Texas A&M Aggies

The hire of the offseason for my money was Texas A&M taking Buzz Williams away from Virginia Tech and getting him into the Texas A&M system. While I am a big fan of this hire, that really doesn’t change my thoughts about this roster which is not all that impressive. This team will look for an improved season from junior TJ Starks who was the most inefficient as a shooter in College Basketball last season, he was good as a freshman and could maybe get back to that level offensively. Savion Flagg proved himself to be a really good option offensively last season, he’s a good scorer inside, a decent three-point shooter and a really good defender. Wendell Mitchell is another ball-handler that is probably the team’s best three-point option for this team, he should continue to be a double-digit a game scorer for this team. JayJay Chandler should act as a decent third ball-handler for this team while Josh Nebo will act as the teams rim-protecting big man. Texas A&M adds a Top-10 JUCO recruit in Quentin Jackson who is a long and athletic wing that probably starts for this team. Buzz Williams also has added a really solid recruiting class headlined by guards Cashius McNeilly and Emanuel Miller. 

Final Analysis: This Texas A&M roster has a lot of leftover players that really aren’t all that good, mixed with a solid recruiting class. I think eventually this Texas A&M team will be back near the top of the SEC standings, however, for this year expect a down season where the team misses the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season. 

Projected Rotation:

PG: TJ Starks Junior 6’3”

SG: Wendell Mitchell Senior 6’3”

SF: Quenton Jackson Junior 6’5” 

PF: Savion Flagg Junior 6’7”

C: Josh Nebo Senior 6’9”

Key Reserves: Cashius McNeilly, Emanuel Miller, Jay Jay Chandler, Jonathan Aku 

14.Vanderbilt Commodores

Each conference needs a bottom feeder team that others will be able to beat with ease and for the SEC, that team is the Vanderbilt Commodores who went 0-18 in the SEC last season and are now under first-year Head Coach Jerry Stackhouse. The team will be led by guard Saben Lee who is a solid all-around lead guard that plays good defense, shoots it well from behind the arc and gets others involved. Sophomore Aaron Nesmith looks to improve upon his plays last year, he’s a long and versatile wing that is a good rebounder and a decent shooter. Scotty Pippen and Dylan Disu are freshmen that should fill out a nice role for this Vanderbilt team in year one. Matthew Moyer and Clevon Brown are two bigs that played a role for last year’s team but weren’t really all that effective. 

Final Analysis: The hiring of Jerry Stackhouse is obviously a wait and see hire as no one is quite sure whether or not it will work out. For this year I would make sure to temper expectations, as there really isn’t a lot of talent coming back for this year and Stackhouse really hasn’t been able to get in any impact freshmen yet. Expect an under .500 record overall and probably less than 4 wins in SEC play, anything beyond that would certainly surprise me. 

Projected Rotation:

PG: Saben Lee Junior 6’2”

SG: Scotty Pippen Freshman 6’1”

SF: Aaron Nesmith Sophomore 6’8”

PF: Matthew Moyer Junior 6’9”

C: Dylan Disu Freshman 6’9”

Key Reserves: Clevon Brown, Maxwell Evans, Ejike Obinna

Tiering of teams:

Tier 1: Florida and Kentucky

Tier 2: Alabama, LSU, Auburn, Mississippi State, and Ole Miss

Tier 3: Georgia, Arkansas, South Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri, and Texas A&M

Tier 4: Vanderbilt

SEC Awards

SEC Player of the year: Kerry Blackshear Jr. 

SEC Freshman of the year: Anthony Edwards

SEC Newcomer of the year: Kerry Blackshear Jr. 

SEC 6th Man of the year: Tre Mann

SEC Breakout Player of the year: Reggie Perry

All-SEC teams

1st Team All-SEC

Kira Lewis Jr.

Tyrese Maxey

Anthony Edwards

Reggie Perry

Kerry Blackshear Jr.

2nd Team All-SEC

Breein Tyree

Andrew Nembhard

Ashton Hagans

Isaiah Joe

Austin Wiley

3rd Team All-SEC

Javonte Smart

Skylar Mays

AJ Lawson

Jordan Bowden

Jeremiah Tillman 

1st Team All-Freshman 

Anthony Edwards

Tyrese Maxey

Scottie Lewis

Isaac Okoro

Khalil Whitney

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