Was 2009 the last year of great college basketball teams?

[UConnSwag11]

Look at the top ten teams of that year. They are great, dominant teams.
Has the talent gotten worse, has talent been spread to a majority of teams instead of it being top heavy, or has the style of play changed that much?

 

[polycom]

Players individually are way better but the teams are much worse. Younger players are playing much sooner, transfers etc, the sport overall is worse quality product compared to the NBA.

 

[aceboon]

2015 final four was pretty loaded excluding Mich St

 

[nelsonmuntz]

This is a good offseason thread idea, especially once you get past the hot takes.

 

[Kolumbo]

Look at the top ten teams of that year. They are great, dominant teams.
Has the talent gotten worse, has talent been spread to a majority of teams instead of it being top heavy, or has the style of play changed that much?

We just apparently completed a hugely successful season with no post season to speak of and the player who didn't rise to the occasion is a lottery pick. That's a start.

 

[HuskyHawk]

2009? Lots of the old teams would destroy any of these teams. The quality of play is relatively terrible. Imagine that Zion Williamson didn’t go pro until after his junior year. That’s how it used to be. You need to go back farther than 2009.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

2009? Lots of the old teams would destroy any of these teams. The quality of play is relatively terrible. Imagine that Zion Williamson didn’t go pro until after his junior year. That’s how it used to be. You need to go back farther than 2009.

Used to be when? Players have been leaving early for about 3 decades.

 

[CTBasketball]

The best teams according to KenPom since 2009 are:

2015 Kentucky - 36.91
2021 Gonzaga - 36.77
2019 Virginia - 34.22
2018 Villanova - 33.76
2015 Wisconsin - 33.72
2011 Ohio St - 33.47
2010 Duke - 33.29

 

[the Q]

The best teams according to KenPom since 2009 are:

2015 Kentucky - 36.91
2021 Gonzaga - 36.77
2019 Virginia - 34.22
2018 Villanova - 33.76
2015 Wisconsin - 33.72
2011 Ohio St - 33.47
2010 Duke - 33.29

Really surprised 2012 Kentucky isn’t on there.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Used to be when? Players have been leaving early for about 3 decades.

How early. Duke never had a guy leave early until Corey Maggette. There’s a big difference between the modern game where almost all the top players leave after freshman year, and the era where they played until junior year. Houston had Drexler and Olajuwon in 83 and 84 and still didn’t win a title. Those teams would run though this field like playing Jr High teams.

 

[CTBasketball]

Really surprised 2012 Kentucky isn’t on there.

32.59 was their rating.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

How early. Duke never had a guy leave early until Corey Maggette. There’s a big difference between the modern game where almost all the top players leave after freshman year, and the era where they played until junior year. Houston had Drexler and Olajuwon in 83 and 84 and still didn’t win a title. Those teams would run though this field like playing Jr High teams.

Early Entry Lists - The Draft Review

The Draft Review (with Matthew Maurer) brings you a wealth of NBA draft history through its free resource of extensive statistics, biographies, articles, interviews and this live forum.

www.thedraftreview.com

See for yourself. By the late 90's, there were lots of early entries to the NBA draft.

 

[bendm]

See for yourself. By the late 90's, there were lots of early entries to the NBA draft.

yeah but compare that to last year when there was only 1 upperclassman taken in the first round everyone else was a freshman or soph

 

[nelsonmuntz]

yeah but compare that to last year when there was only 1 upperclassman taken in the first round everyone else was a freshman or soph

That would mean that once you get past the one and done's, most players go the distance.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Gonzaga is a great team.

 

[Zissou]

The best teams according to KenPom since 2009 are:

2015 Kentucky - 36.91
2021 Gonzaga - 36.77
2019 Virginia - 34.22
2018 Villanova - 33.76
2015 Wisconsin - 33.72
2011 Ohio St - 33.47
2010 Duke - 33.29

I don’t think that’s how KenPom ratings work. I think they are a relative comparison within a season. I don’t think the numbers are meaningful to compare across different seasons.

 

[superjohn]

Villanova was the last great college team, that was just three seasons ago.

 

[auror]

I don’t think that’s how KenPom ratings work. I think they are a relative comparison within a season. I don’t think the numbers are meaningful to compare across different seasons.

Ken has said this himself, but in the context of great teams, how much better you are vs. an average team that year is certainly a meaningful insight, isn't it?

 

[olehead]

Villanova was the last great college team, that was just three seasons ago.

I was waiting to read that somewhere in here!

 

[olehead]

That Nova team had great talent and they all played so well together. I have to admit they were mad impressive in the 2018 Championship. Most of those NBA guys are making a good living in the Association with Bridges having the greatest upside to becoming an all-star.

 

[CTBasketball]

I don’t think that’s how KenPom ratings work. I think they are a relative comparison within a season. I don’t think the numbers are meaningful to compare across different seasons.

Correct each season is a sample size.

 

[ScuderiaDiU]

We just apparently completed a hugely successful season with no post season to speak of and the player who didn't rise to the occasion is a lottery pick. That's a start.

There it is! When the NBA considers someone like Bouk as a lottery pick, how much talent will you end up with in college?