Summer time means a look ahead to next season!
Each week moving forward, we will preview at least one conference in college basketball from soup to nuts.
Check below for today’s breakdown on the Mountain West.
Mountain West Preseason Power Rankings
1. Boise State
Projected Starting 5:
G Alvaro Cardenas
G Javan Buchanan
F Tyson Degenhart
F O’Mar Stanley
C Dylan Anderson
Projected Bench: Andrew Meadow, Emmanuel Ugbo, Chris Lockett Jr., RJ Keene, Ethan Lathan, Julian Bowie, Pearson Carmichael
Key Newcomers: Alvaro Cardenas (San Jose State), Dylan Anderson (Arizona), Javan Buchanan (NAIA), Ethan Lathan, Julian Bowie, Pearson Carmichael
Key Losses: Chibuzo Agbo, Max Rice, Roddie Anderson
2. New Mexico
Projected Starting 5:
G Donovan Dent
G Tru Washington
F Filip Boravicanin
F Mustapha Amzil
C Nelly Junior Joseph
Projected Bench: C.J. Noland, Ibrahim Sacko, Atiki Ally Atiki, Kayde Dotson, Jovan Milicevic, Daniel Thomas, Quinton Webb, Braden Applehans
Key Newcomers: Filip Boravicanin (Arizona), C.J. Noland (North Texas), Ibrahim Sacko (Georgia Tech), Atiki Ally Atiki (BYU), Kayde Dotson, Jovan Milicevic, Daniel Thomas
Key Losses: Jaelen House, JT Toppin, Jamal Mashburn Jr.
3. Nevada
Projected Starting 5:
G Kobe Sanders
G Xavier DuSell
F Tre Coleman
F Nick Davidson
C K.J. Hymes
Projected Bench: Daniel Foster, Tyler Rolison, Brandon Love, Chuck Bailey, Justin McBride, Amire Robinson, Yuto Yamonuchi-Williams
Key Newcomers: Xavier DuSell (Fresno State), Kobe Sanders (Cal Poly), Brandon Love (Texas State), Chuck Bailey (Evansville), Justin McBride (Oklahoma State), Yuto Yamonuchi-Williams (Portland), Jeriah Coleman
Key Losses: Jarod Lucas, Kenan Blackshear
4. San Diego State
Projected Starting 5:
G Nick Boyd
G Reese Dixon-Waters
G Miles Byrd
F Jared Coleman-Jones
C Magoon Gwath
Projected Bench: Wayne McKinney, Kimo Ferrari, Pharoah Compton, Taj DeGourville, David Majak, BJ Davis, Demarshay Johnson, Miles Heide
Key Newcomers: Nick Boyd (Florida Atlantic), Wayne McKinney (San Diego), Jared Coleman-Jones (Middle Tennessee), Kimo Ferrari (Brown), Pharoah Compton, Taj DeGourville, David Majak
Key Losses: Jaedon LeDee, Lamont Butler, Micah Parrish, Elijah Saunders, Jay Pal
5. UNLV
Projected Starting 5:
G Dedan Thomas
G Jailen Bedford
F Jalen Hill
F Robert Whaley
C Isaiah Cottrell
Projected Bench: Jaden Henley, Julian Rishwain, James Evans, Pape N’Diaye, Brooklyn Hicks, Jacob Bannarbie, Jace Whiting, Jeremiah Cherry
Key Newcomers: Jaden Henley (DePaul), Julian Rishwain (Florida), Jailen Bedford (Oral Roberts), Jace Whiting (Boise State), Jeremiah Cherry (JUCO), James Evans, Pape N’Diaye
Key Losses: Keylan Boone, Kalib Boone, Luis Rodriguez
6. Colorado State
Projected Starting 5:
G Kyan Evans
G Jalen Lake
G Nique Clifford
G Ethan Morton
F Rashaan Mbemba
Projected Bench: Bowen Born, Jaylen Crocker-Johnson, Nikola Djapa, Jaden Steppe, Darnez Slater, Keshawn Williams, Charlie Dortch, Kyle Jorgenson, Joe Mekonnen
Key Newcomers: Ethan Morton (Purdue), Bowen Born (Northern Iowa), Jaylen Crocker-Johnson (Little Rock), Nikola Djapa (LIU), Keshawn Williams (Northern Illinois), Jaden Steppe, Darnez Slater, Kyle Jorgenson, Joe Mekonnen
Key Losses: Isaiah Stevens, Joel Scott, Patrick Cartier, Josiah Strong, Joe Palmer
7. Utah State
Projected Starting 5:
G Deyton Albury
G Mason Falslev
G Ian Martinez
F Isaac Johnson
C Aubin Gateretse
Projected Bench: Dexter Akanno, Tucker Anderson, Braden Housley, Drake Allen, Isaac Davis, Terrence Hill Jr., Pavle Stosic, Jaxon Smith, Jordy Barnes
Key Newcomers: Dexter Akanno (Oregon State), Aubin Gateretse (Stetson), Deyton Albury (Queens), Braden Housley (Southern Utah), Tucker Anderson (Central Arkansas), Drake Allen (Utah Valley), Isaac Davis, Terrence Hill Jr., Jordy Barnes
Key Losses: Great Osobor, Darius Brown, Josh Uduje
8. San Jose State
Projected Starting 5:
G Will McClendon
G Donavan Yap
G Josh Uduje
F Sady Nganga
C Robert Vaihola
Projected Bench: Sadariene Hall, Chol Marial, Steven Vasquez, Christian Wise, Cameron Patterson, Latrell Davis, Jermaine Washington, Ben Roseborough, Adrame Diongue
Key Newcomers: Donavan Yap (Fresno State), Will McClendon (UCLA), Sadariene Hall (Stephen F. Austin), Josh Uduje (Utah State), Chol Marial (Oregon State), Steven Vasquez (Fresno State), Sady Nganda (Seton Hall), Jermaine Washington, Ben Roseborough,
Key Losses: Myron Amey, Alvaro Cardenas, Tibet Gorener, Trey Anderson
9. Wyoming
Projected Starting 5:
G Obi Agbim
G Jordan Nesbitt
G Dontaie Allen
F Matija Belic
C Cole Henry
Projected Bench: Scottie Ebube, Jehvion Starwood, Nigle Cook, Oleg Kojenets, Kobe Newton, Jehvion Starwood, A.J. Wills, Touko Tainamo
Key Newcomers: Dontaie Allen (Western Kentucky), Jordan Nesbitt (Hampton), Cole Henry (Northern Iowa), Scottie Ebube (Northern Illinois), Matija Belic (UC Santa Barbara), Obi Agbim (JUCO), Jehvion Starwood, Touko Tainamo (Denver)
Key Losses: Sam Griffin, Akuel Kot, Brendan Wenzel, Mason Walters
10. Fresno State
Projected Starting 5:
G Jalen Weaver
G David Douglas Jr.
G Amar Augillard
F Alex Crawford
C Mor Seck
Projected Bench: Mykell Robinson, Elijah Price, Joshua Bonga, Makhan Diouf, Troy Jenkins, Jasir Trimble, Pierre Geneste Jr.
Key Newcomers: Amar Augillard (JUCO), Mor Seck (Hawaii), Jasir Trimble (JUCO), Alex Crawford (JUCO), David Douglas Jr. (Green Bay), Elijah Price (Drake), Joshua Bonga, Makhan Diouf, Troy Jenkins
Key Losses: Xavier DuSell, Isaiah Hill
11. Air Force
Projected Starting 5:
G Ethan Taylor
G Jeffrey Mills
G Byron Brown
F Luke Kearney
F Beau Becker
Projected Bench: Wesley Celichowski, Chase Beasley, Brady Ruggles, Caleb Walker, Kolby Gilles
Key Newcomers: None
Key Losses: Rytis Petraitis, Kellan Boylan
All-Mountain West Preseason First-Team
Donovan Dent, New Mexico
Dedan Thomas UNLV
Nique Clifford, Colorado State
Tyson Degenhart, Boise State
Nick Davidson, Nevada
Mountain West Preseason Player of the Year
Tyson Degenhart, Boise State
Mountain West Preseason Sleeper
Utah State
10 Impact Mountain West Transfers
*In no particular order
Filip Borovicanin, New Mexico (Arizona)
Javan Buchanan, Boise State (NAIA)
Dylan Anderson, Boise State (Arizona)
Alvaro Cardenas, Boise State (San Jose State)
Xavier DuSell, Nevada (Fresno State)
Kobe Sanders, Nevada (Cal Poly)
Nick Boyd, San Diego State (Florida Atlantic)
Ethan Morton, Colorado State (Purdue)
Aubin Gateretse, Utah State (Stetson)
Josh Uduje, San Jose State (Utah State)
5 Mountain West Breakout Players
*In no particular order
*A player is not eligible to be on a breakout list if he has previously averaged in double figures
Tru Washington, New Mexico
Tyler Rolison, Nevada
Robert Whaley, UNLV
Reese Waters, San Diego State
Miles Byrd, San Diego State
Leftovers
- The Breakfast Buffet: Cooper Flagg and Duke visit Arizona, Baylor stuns St. John’s, Pitt begins a big stretch
- The Breakfast Buffet: Alabama, Baha Mar Bahamas Hoops Championship, Memphis head to West Coast
- The Breakfast Buffet: The curtain comes up for Illinois against Alabama, Zhuric Phelps, top of ACC feels like a mystery after Duke and North Carolina
- The Breakfast Buffet: Kam Jones against Braden Smith, Cincinnati hits the road, Speedy Claxton
- Episode 473 — Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd
