RedCup Preseason 1st Team
PG: Carsen Edwards Purdue
SG: Tyus Battle Syracuse
SF: R.J. Barrett Duke
PF: Dedric Lawson Kansas
C: Luke Maye UNC
Edwards appears to be heavy favorite CBB POY. Baring injury, he appears to be a lock for 1st Team at the least. R.J. Barrett is arguably his top rival, being called one of the best prospects in the past 10 years. He looked like an NBA player at the YMCA at the FIBA U19 Men’s Basketball World Cup in 2017 dropping 38. This kid is special. Battle is going to score 20+ PPG for a tourney team, and Luke Maye will look to have more responsibility with Theo Pinson and Joel Berry gone. Kansas’s transfer Dedric Lawson is the real X-Factor here. Lawson was one of the best players in the country at Memphis. He could be terrifying for Preseason No. 1 Kansas.
RedCup Preseason 2nd Team
PG: Shamorie Ponds St. John’s
SG: Caleb Martin Nevada
SF: Nassir Little UNC
PF: Grant Williams Tennessee
C: Sagaba Konate WVU
Caleb Martin probably has the best chance to jump to 1st team. Nevada is a legit contender this year, mostly due to him and his brother. Shamorie Ponds will average like 450 ppg but get the “small school” treatment and likely be limited to 2nd or 3rd team. I’ll admit I’m a bit high on Nassir Little as most don’t have him as high as I do, but I think he’s going to be the second best freshman (after R.J.) this season. Grant Williams is getting some traction for CBB POTY and leads the best Tennessee team on paper possibly ever. Konate is already the best DPOY in the country. If he can score more consistently and knock down the Mid-Range, he will be the best true center in the country.
RedCup Preseason 3rd Team
PG: Tremont Waters LSU
SG: Kyle Guy Virginia
SF: Mike Daum SD State
PF: Zion Williamson Duke
C: Ethan Happ Wisconsin
Zion Williamson is talked about so much that I’m not quite sure if he’s overrated or underrated. We’ll find out soon. Tremont Waters is going to put up video game numbers this season for LSU and is a dark horse for POTY. Ethan Happ and Mike Daum are seniors who have been among the best in the country the past few seasons, and that shouldn’t change. Kyle Guy doesn’t have the ceiling that some of the players on this list have, but is the proven best player on a contender and should have no problem being a Top 15 Player this season.
Honorable Mentions:
- Reid Travis Kentucky
- Eric Paschall Villanova
- Romeo Langford Indiana
- Rui Hachimura Gonzaga
- Keldon Johnson Kentucky
- Udoka Azibuke Kansas
- Cam Reddish Duke
- Bol Bol Oregon
- Jaylen Nowell Washington
- Cassius Winston Michigan State
