With spring now the busiest time of the year for roster shaping in men’s college basketball, let’s take a look at the sport’s 10 most compelling offseason story lines as programs shift their focus to 2023–24.
1. Kentucky’s player churn as John Calipari enters crucial credibility season
Since giving Calipari a so-called “lifetime” contract worth $86 million in 2019, Kentucky’s return on that massive investment has been a pittance. The Wildcats have a 2–5 postseason record (1–3 in the SEC tournament, 1–2 in the NCAA tourney) and authored one of the worst seasons in school history (9–16 in ’21). The contract handcuffs the school to a coach who hasn’t advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 since ’19, hasn’t been to the Final Four since ’15 and hasn’t beaten a higher-seeded team in the Big Dance since ’14.
