Way-too-early 2024-25 men’s basketball Power 36 rankings

I know it’s educated guessing, but so be it! Coaching changes still loom along with NBA decisions, and of course, the transfer portal. All are due to shake up teams across the country. Nevertheless, here is my way-too-early Power 36 for the 2024-25 season following UConn’s second-straight and sixth national championship win. 

🏆 UCONN WINS 2024 TITLE: How it happened

1. Houston: J’Wan Roberts and L.J. Cryer are both expected to return and keep Houston near the top of the Big 12 and the nation’s best. 
2. Duke: Despite a few losses, the Blue Devils have the nation’s No. 1 recruit in Cooper Flagg. 
3. UConn: The back-to-back defending champs look to make it three in a row.
4. Alabama: Nate Oates is poised to continue the momentum for the Crimson Tide after leading Alabama to its first Final Four. 
5. Creighton: The Big East is loaded but Creighton always seems to find a way near the top under Greg McDermott. 
6. North Carolina: Replacing the production of Armando Bacot and Cromac Ryan will be key, but Hubert Davis added five players from the portal last year and will likely be active again. 
7. Iowa State: T.J. Otzelberger led the Cyclones to a second-place finish in the Big 12 in 2023-24 and has taken Iowa State to the Sweet 16 in two of his first three seasons as head coach. The Clones are in good hands.  
8. Gonzaga: The Zags return most of their roster including their leading scorer in Graham Ike. 
9. Kansas: Bill Self admitted to looking ahead to the 2024-25 season following KU’s exit in the Round of 32. Look for Self to be active in the portal and the Jayhawks to have a bounce-back season. 
10. Clemson: Ian Schieffelin is expected to return this fall and the Tigers look to build on the success from the 2023-24 season
11. Tennessee: The Volunteers finished fifth in both the final AP poll and coaches poll of the season. Expect them to be near the top of the SEC again next season. 
12. Arizona: Under Tommy Lloyd, the Wildcats have finished in the top 15 in offensive efficiency in each of Lloyd’s first three seasons at the helm. 
13. Purdue: The national runner-ups lose the national player of the year in Zach Edey, but do return key players in their backcourt such as Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith who made up one of the most dynamic backcourts in…