Ultra Early Top 25 for the 2014-15 Season, Draft Deadline Edition

Rosters for the 2014-15 season are closer to being set now that the NBA Draft deadline has passed and we are getting deeper into the regular signing period. Here is an updated version of the Ultra Early Top 25, reflecting roster changes that occured since the previous edition from April 8.

 

UPDATE (April 30, 4:18 p.m.)—Texas picked up a major addition with big man Myles Turner committing to the Longhorns. The Ultra Early Top 25 has been updated to reflect this.

1. Kentucky

Key losses: Julius Randle, James Young

Key returners: Aaron Harrison, Andrew Harrison, Willie Cauley-Stein, Dakari Johnson, Alex Poythress, Marcus Lee, Dominique Hawkins

Key additions: Trey Lyles, Tyler Ulis, Devin Booker, Karl Towns Jr.

 

2. Wisconsin

Key losses: Ben Brust

Key returners: Frank Kaminsky, Sam Dekker, Josh Gasser, Nigel Hayes, Traevon Jackson, Bronson Koenig, Duje Dukan

Key additions: Ethan Happ

3. Arizona

Key losses: Aaron Gordon, Nick Johnson

Key returners: Brandon Ashley, Kaleb Tarczewski, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, T.J. McConnell, Gabe York

Key additions: Stanley Johnson, Craig Victor, Parker Jackson-Cartwright, Dusan Ristic, Zach Peters, Kadeem Allen

 

4. Duke

Key losses: Rodney Hood, Jabari Parker, Andre Dawkins, Tyler Thornton

Key returners: Quinn Cook, Rasheed Sulaimon, Amile Jefferson, Marshall Plumlee

Key additions: Jahlil Okafor, Tyus Jones, Grayson Allen, Justise Winslow

 

5. Kansas

Key losses: Andrew Wiggins, Joel Embiid, Tarik Black

Key returners: Perry Ellis, Wayne Selden Jr., Naadir Tharpe, Frank Mason, Jamari Traylor, Conner Frankamp, Andrew White III, Brannen Greene

Key additions: Cliff Alexander, Kelly Oubre, Hunter Mickelson

 

6. Texas

Key losses: None

Key returners: Jonathan Holmes, Isaiah Taylor, Javan Felix, Cameron Ridley, Demarcus Holland, Connor Lammert, Martez Walker, Prince Ibeh, Kendal Yancy, Damarcus Croaker

Key additions: Myles Turner, Jordan Barnett

 

7. North Carolina

Key losses: James Michael McAdoo, Leslie McDonald

Key returners: Marcus Paige, J.P. Tokoto, Brice Johnson, Kennedy Meeks, Nate Britt, Joel James

Key additions: Joel Berry II, Justin Jackson, Theo Pinson

 

8. Florida

Key losses: Scottie Wilbekin, Patric Young, Casey Prather, Will Yeguete

Key returners: Michael Frazier, Dorian Finney-Smith, Kasey Hill, Chris Walker, Eli Carter, Devon Walker

Key additions: Devin Robinson, Brandone Francis, Chris Chiozza, Damontre Harris, Alex Murphy, Jon Horford

 

9. Virginia

Key losses: Joe Harris, Akil Mitchell

Key returners: Malcolm Brogdon, Anthony Gill, Justin Anderson, Mike Tobey, London Perrantes, Evan Nolte, Darion Atkins

Key additions: B.J. Stith, Isaiah Wilkins, Jack Salt

 

10. Villanova

Key losses: James Bell, Tony Chennault

Key returners: Darrun Hilliard II, JayVaughn Pinkston, Ryan Arcidiacono, Josh Hart, Daniel Ochefu, Dylan Ennis, Kris Jenkins

Key additions: Phil Booth, Mikal Bridges

 

11. SMU

Key losses: Shawn Williams, Nick Russell

Key returners: Nic Moore, Markus Kennedy, Keith Frazier, Yanick Moreira, Ben Moore, Cannen Cunningham, Ryan Manuel, Sterling Brown

Key additions: Emmanuel Mudiay, Jordan Tolbert (possibly)

 

12. Wichita State

Key losses: Cleanthony Early, Chadrack Lufile, Kadeem Coleby, Nick Wiggins

Key returners: Fred VanVleet, Ron Baker, Tekele Cotton, Darius Carter, Evan Wessel

Key additions: Zach Brown, Rashard Kelly, Bush Wamukota

 

13. Iowa State

Key losses: DeAndre Kane, Melvin Ejim

Key returners: Georges Niang, Dustin Hogue, Monte Morris, Naz Long, Matt Thomas

Key additions: Bryce Dejean-Jones, Darien Williams, Abdel Nader, Clay Custer

 

14. Louisville

Key losses: Russ Smith, Luke Hancock, Stephan Van Treese

Key returners: Montrezl Harrell, Chris Jones, Wayne Blackshear, Terry Rozier, Mangok Mathiang

Key additions: Shaqquan Aaron, Quentin Snider, Anas Osama Mahmoud, Chinanu Onuaku, Jaylen Johnson, Matz Stockman

 

15. VCU

Key losses: Juvonte Reddic, Rob Brandenberg

Key returners: Treveon Graham, Melvin Johnson, Briante Weber, JeQuan Lewis, Jordan Burgess, Mo Allie-Cox

Key additions: Terry Larrier, Mike Gilmore, Justin Tillman, Jonathan Williams

 

16. San Diego State

Key losses: Xavier Thames, Josh Davis

Key returners: Winston Shepard, Dwayne Polee II, JJ O’Brien, Matt Shrigley, Aqeel Quinn, Skylar Spencer, Dakarai Allen

Key additions: Angelo Chol, Malik Pope, Trey Kell, Zylan Cheatham, Kevin Zabo

 

17. Nebraska

Key losses: Ray Gallegos

Key returners: Terran Petteway, Walter Pitchford, Shavon Shields, Leslee Smith, Tai Webster, David Rivers, Benny Parker

Key additions: Jacob Hammond

 

18. Michigan State

Key losses: Adreian Payne, Keith Appling, Gary Harris

Key returners: Branden Dawson, Denzel Valentine, Travis Trice, Kenny Kaminski, Matt Costello, Alvin Ellis, Alex Gauna

Key additions: Lourawls Nairn, Javon Bess, Marvin Clark

 

19. Oklahoma

Key losses: Cameron Clark, Tyler Neal, Je’lon Hornbeak

Key returners: Buddy Hield, Isaiah Cousins, Jordan Woodward, Ryan Spangler, Frank Booker, D.J. Bennett

Key additions: Gio McLean, Dante Buford, Khadeem Lattin, Jamuni McNeace

 

20. Kansas State

Key losses: Will Spradling, Shane Southwell, Omari Lawrence

Key returners: Marcus Foster, Thomas Gipson, Wesley Iwundu, Nino Williams, Nigel Johnson, D.J. Johnson, Jevon Thomas

Key additions: Stephen Hurt, Justin Edwards, Malek Harris

 

21. Harvard

Key losses: Brandyn Curry, Kyle Casey, Laurent Rivard

Key returners: Wesley Saunders, Siyani Chambers, Steve Moundou-Missi, Jonah Travis, Evan Cummins, Agunwa Okolie, Kenyatta Smith

Key additions: Chris Egi, Andre Chatfield

 

22. Colorado

Key losses: Spencer Dinwiddie

Key returners: Josh Scott, Xavier Johnson, Askia Booker, Wesley Gordon, Xavier Talton, Jaron Hopkins, Dustin Thomas, Tre’Shaun Fletcher

Key additions: Dominique Collier, Tory Miller

 

23. Gonzaga

Key losses: Sam Dower, David Stockton, Drew Barham

Key returners: Kevin Pangos, Gary Bell Jr., Przemek Karnowski, Kyle Dranginis, Gerard Coleman, Angel Nunez

Key additions: Kyle Wiltjer, Josh Perkins, Silas Melson, Bryan Alberts, Domantas Sabonis

 

24. Michigan

Key losses: Nik Stauskas, Mitch McGary, Glenn Robinson III, Jordan Morgan, Jon Horford

Key returners: Caris LeVert, Derrick Walton Jr., Zak Irvin, Spike Albrecht

Key additions: Kameron Chatman, Ricky Doyle, D.J. Wilson

 

25. Colorado State

Key losses: Gerson Santo, David Cohn, Dwight Smith, Marcus Holt

Key returners: J.J. Avila, Daniel Bejarano, Jon Octeus, Joe De Ciman, Carlton Hurst

Key additions: Stanton Kidd, Dantiel Daniels, John Gillon

 

Teams dropped from original Ultra Early Top 25:

  • Connecticut—The defending champions were already losing star guard Shabazz Napier and three more important players in Niels Giffey, Lasan Kromah and Tyler Olander. Then forward DeAndre Daniels decided to forgo his final year of eligibility to declare for the NBA Draft. Plus, returning center Amidah Brimah will be coming off shoulder surgery. The Huskies could wind up being a Top-25 team with Ryan Boatright returning and Rodney Purvis and Sam Cassell Jr. joining the backcourt.

 

  • Iowa—I dropped Iowa mainly because I realized I overrated them in my initial Top 25. The Hawkeyes were awful down the stretch of the 2013-14 season, and now they lose leading scorer Roy Devyn Marble, efficient forward Melsahn Basabe and stretch-four Zach McCabe. The Hawkeyes add a high-level junior college transfer in point guard Trey Dickerson, but he will not be enough to get the team into the top third of the Big Ten.

Author: Jesse Kramer

Jesse Kramer is the founder of The Catch and Shoot. He's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. He has had work featured on SI.com, College Insider, The Comeback/Awful Announcing, and 247Sports.

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