We continue our recruit and return series with the Miami (FL) Hurricanes, whose season ended Thursday with a loss to Villanova in the Sweet 16. A look at what the 2016-17 season could hold:
Possible 2016-17 starting five (statistics reflect regular season average)
G: Ja'Quan Newton (11 PPG, 2.5 APG)
G: Bruce Brown (incoming freshman)
F: Davon Reed (11 PPG, 3.9 RPG)
F: Kamari Murphy (5.5 PPG, 5.8 RPG)
F: Dewan Huell (incoming freshman)
Who is lost: This Hurricanes team will suffer some major losses, as main threats in guards Sheldon McClellan and Angel Rodriguez and center Tonye Jekiri, account for a major portion of the team's points, assists and rebounds. In the case of Rodriguez (ex-Kansas State) and McClellan (ex-Texas), both transferred in and thus are older than the average college basketball player -- extremely valuable experience brought by two players who led this team in scoring and minutes played. Jekiri controlled the inside and had a presence in the paint that was important for a good team.
Who is added: The Hurricanes have built a successful program under Jim Larranaga, who has done it by bringing in a blend of top high school players and transfers. Miami brings in the nation's No. 8 class in 2016, headlined by top 100 prospects; Bruce Brown and Dewan Huell. Brown is a strong, defensive-minded player who has similarities to current Boston Celtics player Avery Bradley. The frontcourt will be bolstered by Huell, who has the tools to blossom into a bona fide all-ACC player. If big man Rodney Miller can stay away from injuries, he will provide additional depth in the paint. Rashad Muhammad, a transfer from San Jose State and the brother of ex-UCLA star and current NBA guard Shabazz Muhammad, will provide outside shooting that will be much-needed.
What it means for next season: It’s hard to replace talented experience with any one recruiting class, or transfer, but Larranaga continues to keep this program challenging in the ACC, which is remarkable. The Hurricanes might not contend for an ACC title next year, but there's a core of battle-tested players returning on the perimeter in Newton, Reed and Palmer, along with an influx of talent that should keep the Hurricanes in the mix within the top tier of the the conference.
Trending: Up. This program continues to climb upward, as the Miami staff does a terrific job of identifying who they have a legitimate chance of getting, and have done their homework on the evaluation part of the process. It has been a popular place for transfers too, so keep an eye on the Hurricanes possibly picking up someone else during the offseason.