A notable player hit the transfer portal on Thursday and ensured Creighton will not return every meaningful piece from a team that won 24 games and advanced to the Elite Eight of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. His name is Ryan Nembhard. He’s now the sixth best player in the portal, according to David Cobb’s constantly updating transfer rankings. So this is a real loss for the Bluejays.
Will Creighton still be good?
Yes, I believe so.
But Nembhard was a two-year starter who averaged 12.1 points and 4.8 assists in 34.0 minutes per game this season. On paper, Creighton is a lesser team without him, which is why the Bluejays are down to No. 9 in Version 2.0 of the 2023-24 CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 college basketball rankings.
Arkansas is the other mover.
That’s because the Razorbacks’ leading scorer, Ricky Council, has announced he’s entering the 2023 NBA Draft and given no indication that he plans to maintain his college eligibility. So now the assumption is that he’s done at Arkansas, which is why the Razorbacks are down to No. 16 in the Top 25 And 1.
UConn remains No. 1 in the Top 25 And 1 based on the idea that the Huskies will return five of the top six scorers — everybody except Jordan Hawkins, who is a projected lottery pick in the 2023 NBA Draft — from a team that finished 31-8 and won the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Other players like Adama Sanago, Andre Jackson and Donovan Clingan obviously have big decisions to make about their futures, but for now I’m projecting each of them to return to UConn and give Danny Hurley a chance to become the first coach to win back-to-back national championships since Billy Donovan did it at Florida in 2006 and 2007.
Top 25 And 1 rankings
Biggest Movers
|
Rk |
Teams |
Chg |
Rcrd |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
|
This ranking is based on the Huskies returning five of the top six scorers from a team that won the 2023 NCAA Tournament – specifically everybody except Jordan Hawkins, who is expected to enter and remain in the NBA Draft. That core combined with a top-five recruiting class should have UConn as the favorite to win back to back national championships. | — | 31-8 |
2 |
|
This ranking is based on the Boilermakers returning the top seven scorers from a team that won the Big Ten regular-season title and the Big Ten Tournament before securing a No. 1 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. CBS Sports National Player of the Year Zach Edey has a decision to make, obviously, but for now I’m projecting him to return to Purdue. | — | 29-6 |
3 |
|
This ranking is based on the Golden Eagles returning every relevant player from a team that won the Big East regular-season title and the Big East Tournament before securing a No. 2 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Tyler Kolek and Kam Jones should provide Shaka Smart with a core capable of competing for a national championship. | — | 29-7 |
4 |
|
This ranking is based on the Hurricanes returning four starters – everybody except Jordan Miller – from a team that shared the ACC regular-season title with Virginia and advanced to the 2023 Final Four. Miami’s Nijel Pack/Isaiah Wong backcourt should be one of the best in the country. | — | 29-8 |
5 |
|
This ranking is based on the Owls returning all five starters from a team that won the C-USA regular-season title and the C-USA Tournament before advancing to the 2023 Final Four. FAU should be the AAC favorite in its first season in its new conference. | — | 35-4 |
6 |
|
This ranking is based on the Crimson Tide returning six of the top eight scorers – among them Jahvon Quinerly and Charles Bediako, both of whom are projected to eventually withdraw from the NBA Draft – from a team that won the SEC regular-season title and the SEC Tournament before securing the No. 1 overall seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Alabama should be the favorite to repeat as SEC champions. | 1 | 31-6 |
7 |
|
This ranking is based on the Blue Devils enrolling a top-five recruiting class featuring five five-star prospects – most notably Mackenzie Mgbako and Sean Stewart – and returning three of the top four scorers from a team that won 10 of its final 11 games. Jon Scheyer’s second season as a head coach should be better than his first. | 1 | 27-9 |
8 |
|
This ranking is based on the Bruins returning three of the top six scorers – namely Tyger Campbell, Amari Bailey and Adem Bona – from a team that won the Pac-12 regular-season title before securing a No. 2 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. That core combined with a top-15 recruiting class should make UCLA the Pac-12 favorite. | 1 | 31-6 |
9 |
|
This ranking is based on the Bluejays returning everybody except Ryan Nembhard from a team that won 24 games and advanced to the Elite Eight of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Creighton has multiple players who could reasonably enter the NBA Draft — among them leading scorer Ryan Kalkbrenner — but for now I’m projecting everybody except Nembhard to be back in Omaha, where the Bluejays should compete with UConn and Marquette at the top of the Big East standings. | 3 | 24-13 |
10 |
|
This ranking is based on the Jayhawks enrolling a top-five recruiting class and returning two starters (Dajuan Harris, K.J. Adams) from a team that won the Big 12 regular-season title before securing a No. 1 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Based strictly on the roster, it’s possibly high – but assuming Bill Self will have a top-10 team is rarely a mistake. | — | 28-8 |
11 |
|
This ranking is based on the Spartans returning five of the top six scorers from a team that advanced to the Sweet 16 of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Michigan State will combine that core with a top-five recruiting class headlined by five-star prospects Xavier Booker and Jeremy Fears. | — | 21-13 |
12 |
|
This ranking is based on the Wildcats enrolling the nation’s top-ranked recruiting class featuring four five-star prospects – among them Justin Edwards, DJ Wagner and Aaron Bradshaw — to pair with a returning core headlined by two-time All-American Oscar Tshiebwe. It’s a roster that could give John Calipari a realistic chance to return to the Final Four for the first time since 2015. | 1 | 22-12 |
13 |
|
This ranking is based on the Wildcats returning three of the top five scorers from a team that won the Pac-12 Tournament before securing a No. 2 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. All-American Azuolas Tubelis should headline a roster that will be good enough to once again compete with UCLA for the Pac-12 title. | 1 | 28-7 |
14 |
|
This ranking is based on the Aztecs returning five of the top six scorers from a team that won the Mountain West Conference regular-season title and the Mountain West Tournament before advancing to the championship game of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Another Mountain West title seems like for San Diego State. | 1 | 32-7 |
15 |
|
This ranking is based on the Vols returning four of the top five scorers from a team that secured a No. 4 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament and made the Sweet 16. Of the group, only Julian Phillips is considered a legitimate NBA prospect who could reasonably depart, but for now I’m projecting him to return to Tennessee for his sophomore season. | 1 | 25-11 |
16 |
|
This ranking is based on the Razorbacks returning three of the top six scorers — among them former five-star prospect Jordan Walsh — from a team that advanced to the Sweet 16 of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Five-star prospects Baye Fall and Layden Blocker will combine with that core and give Eric Musselman a chance to make a fourth straight Sweet 16. | 4 | 22-14 |
17 |
|
This ranking is based on the Bears returning four of the top six scorers – among them leading scorer Adam Flagler – from a team that won 23 games and secured a No. 3 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. The loss of Keyonte George (NBA Draft) and LJ Cryer (transfer portal) isn’t ideal but should be somewhat offset by the arrival of five-star guard Ja’Kobe Walter. | — | 23-11 |
18 |
|
This ranking is based on the Cougars returning five of the top eight scorers from a team that won the AAC regular-season title before securing a No. 1 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. It should be enough for Kelvin Sampson to compete for a conference title in Houston’s first season in the Big 12. | — | 33-4 |
19 |
|
This ranking is based on the Aggies returning four starters from a team that won 25 games and secured a No. 7 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. A second straight trip to the NCAA Tournament is a likely scenario for Texas A&M. | — | 25-10 |
20 |
|
This ranking is based on the Zags losing Drew Timme only because he’s indicated he’s done with college basketball. If he changes his mind and rejoins Julian Strawther at Gonzaga, Mark Few’s program will obviously move up. | — | 31-6 |
21 |
|
This ranking is based on the Gaels returning five of the top six scorers from a team that shared the West Coast Conference title with Gonzaga before securing a No. 5 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Aidan Mahaney should return as one of the best point guards in the country. | — | 27-8 |
22 |
|
This ranking is based on the Tigers returning the top seven scorers from a team that won 21 games and advanced to the second round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Johni Broome is the best of the projected returnees after averaging a team-high 14.2 points and 8.4 rebounds as a sophomore. | — | 21-13 |
23 |
|
This ranking is based on Iowa State returning four of the top seven scorers from a team that started 13-2 and secured a No. 6 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Iowa State is also enrolling a top-10 recruiting class highlighted by five-star prospect Omaha Biliew. | — | 19-14 |
24 |
|
This ranking is based on the Musketeers returning four of the top seven scorers from a team that won 27 games and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. The return of Colby Jones would be huge, but for now I’m projecting him to enter and remain in the NBA Draft. | — | 27-10 |
25 |
|
This ranking is based on the Bulldogs returning the top five scorers from a team that won 21 games and secured a No. 11 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Tolu Smith, Mississippi State’s leading scorer, has entered the NBA Draft but for now I’m projecting him to eventually withdraw and return to school. | — | 21-13 |
26 |
|
This ranking is based on the Tigers returning five of the top six scorers from a team that won 25 games and advanced to the second round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Kobe Brown is a question mark, but for now I’m projecting him to pass on entering and remaining in the NBA Draft. | — | 25-10 |
