I'm so excited for the start of the 2022-23 college basketball season.
Looking ahead, I worked on my All-Rolls Royce squads, the preseason All-Americans.
This time around, it was pretty easy putting together my first team. Thanks in part to NIL licensing deals, the college landscape is bright with many stars returning to the college hardwood.
The top four candidates for Player of the Year highlight that first team. Oscar Tshiebwe of Kentucky is a double-double machine, averaging over 17 PPG and 15 RPG last season. He should put up similar numbers for the Wildcats this season.
Drew Timme of Gonzaga came back to try for the elusive national championship. He averaged over 18 PPG while shooting 58.6 percent from the field. Armando Bacot of North Carolina is one of two Tar Heels in the last 50 seasons and eight all-time to average a double-double in points and rebounds in their career.
Trayce Jackson-Davis is Indiana's inside threat capable of averaging a double-double this season. I believe the Hoosiers can contend for a Big Ten title under Mike Woodson.
Rounding out my first team is Marcus Sasser. Houston will be special if Sasser is healthy. Sasser averaged a team-best 17.7 points per game before suffering a season-ending foot injury 12 games into the season.
Doing teams 2-5 was a little more challenging. Remember, my preseason All-America teams do not include diaper dandies. Let them step on the court and play a game before we honor them. Several freshmen will likely make our All-Rolls Royce squad at the end of the season.
Here are my preseason All-Rolls Royce squads.
First Team
Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky
Drew Timme, Gonzaga
Armando Bacot, North Carolina
Marcus Sasser, Houston
Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
Second team
Hunter Dickinson, Michigan
Jaime Jaquez, UCLA
Caleb Love, North Carolina
Kendric Davis, Memphis
Mike Miles, TCU
Third team
Zach Edey, Purdue
Jalen Wilson, Kansas
Antoine Davis, Detroit
Posh Alexander, St. John's
RJ Davis, North Carolina
Fourth Team
Colin Castleton, Florida
Tyrese Hunter, Texas
Terrence Shannon, Illinois
Tyger Campbell, UCLA
Max Abmas, Oral Roberts
Fifth team
Adama Sanogo, Connecticut
Isaiah Wong, Miami
Sahvir Wheeler, Kentucky
Will Richardson, Oregon
Darius McGhee, Liberty