If you’re like me, you’re still coming down from the euphoria of one of the best Final Fours we have ever seen. Three close games featuring comeback victories in each, complete with an all-time classic in Houston/Duke and an unforgettable ending to the Florida/Houston championship game, showed just how compelling and dramatic it can get on college basketball’s biggest stageA huge part of what made that weekend so tremendous was the quality of the four teams in San Antonio. Florida, Houston, Auburn and Duke all rank among the best teams we have seen in terms of separating themselves from the rest of the field. All four were complete squads.
We may not see such a loaded final weekend for a long time. However, that does not mean we cannot hope for a repeat next year. Below are five teams — including a couple of familiar faces — that appear capable of reaching the heights of this season’s elite squads. Each team has a clear All-America candidate (or multiple), plus continuity and upside in the supporting cast. All could use one more crucial piece via the transfer portal, though, one that would complete the roster in such a way that would give them an immense ceiling.
One additional reminder: The transfer portal does not close to new entrants until April 22. That means the teams below could still lose a piece or two. It also means the perfect option to fill their current need may not yet be publicly available; the back-channels of player acquisition in 2025 are the wild, wild west.
Purdue
Presumed core: PG Braden Smith, F/C Trey Kaufman-Renn, G Fletcher Loyer, C Oscar Cluff, G C.J. Cox, G Gicarri Harris, C Daniel Jacobsen
Hole to fill: Athletic wing scorer and defender
Portal candidates: Terrance Arceneaux, Cedric Coward, Tyrell Ward
Any team that returns the point guard and coach combination of Braden Smith and Matt Painter is going to be nationally relevant. Throw in another All-American in double-double machine Trey Kaufman-Renn and experienced guards in Fletcher Loyer, CJ Cox and Gicarri Harris, and Purdue is going to get plenty of preseason love.
The Boilermakers have already solved their biggest issue from last season: a lack of true interior size. With TKR frequently manning the center spot, Purdue did not have any rim protection. South Dakota State transfer Oscar Cluff is an enormous presence at the rim, and getting Daniel Jacobsen, who started the first two games of the season, back from a broken leg should dramatically improve the interior defenseHowever, the portal departures of Myles Colvin (Purdue) and Camden Heide (Texas) opened up a void for a versatile wing defender who can make shots. The Boilermakers saw Terrance Arceneaux (Houston) up close and personal in the Sweet 16, and he’d immediately check the necessary boxes. Cedric Coward (Washington St.) should also be in the mix despite an injury-shortened 2024-25, and Tyrell Ward (LSU) has the lethal shooting ability to bury defenses that help too much on Purdue’s other scorers.
If the competition for those guys is too fierce, the Boilermakers could certainly dig a little deeper for a role piece from the mid-major ranks, as well. Someone like Josh Omojafo (Robert Morris) or Keshawn Williams (Colorado St.) could be more cost-effective additions.
Duke
Presumed core: F Cameron Boozer, G Isaiah Evans, G Darren Harris, F Maliq Brown, G Caleb Foster, C Patrick Ngongba, G/F Shelton Henderson, F Nikolas Khamenia
Hole to fill: Steady veteran ball handler with size
Portal candidates: RJ Luis Jr., Dan Skillings Jr., Mike Sharavjamts, Jeremiah Williams, Blake Harper
Duke’s ability to dominate the high school recruiting trail allows it to construct elite teams in a slightly different way than its brethren. And last year’s team had the advantage of a generational two-way talent in Cooper Flagg, who completely rewired what was possible for a team made up of mostly freshmen and carefully selected grad transfers.
Cameron Boozer is an immensely productive rookie who, along with his twin brother Cayden, did nothing but win in high school and on the AAU circuit. As outstanding as he is, though, he is not quite on Flagg’s level, so Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils will need to carefully construct the roster to make sure it fits well together.
One edge the Blue Devils can repeat from last year is building a gigantic, switchable group that has an embarrassment of positional size riches. Cayden Boozer is listed at 6-4, 205 pounds, by 247 Sports; he could be the smallest player on the roster. Scheyer and his staff will be on the hunt for the next Sion James as a bulky perimeter piece who can shoulder some ball-handling duties. RJ Luis Jr. would be quite the coup as the reigning Big East Player of the Year, while Dan Skillings (Cincinnati) and Mike Sharavjamts (Utah) bring some intriguing skill packages from the Big 12. Jeremiah Williams is big but probably doesn’t offer enough shooting. Blake Harper (Howard) is younger and would be taking a massive leap in competition, but he has the academic connection and oozes upside. Considering Duke’s tremendous basketball resources, the Blue Devils could go in many different directions
