As part of its 2023–24 men’s basketball preseason coverage, Sports Illustrated is rolling out previews for each of the six high-major conferences. Our final preview is the SEC.
No league has embraced the transfer portal more than the SEC in recent years. Fifty-three of SI’s 70 projected starters in the league this season are transfers, with five teams set to start five transfers and just two starting two or fewer. But while the SEC is leading on talent acquisition, it has been missing March success, with just one Final Four appearance in the last five NCAA tournaments. There’s plenty of top-end talent to make a Final Four run a reality in this year’s iteration of the league, but we’ll see whether this season brings a breakthrough.
SI’s picks for …
Player of the Year: Wade Taylor IV, Texas A&M
Newcomer of the Year: Walter Clayton Jr., Florida
Dark-Horse Team: Auburn
First-Team All-Conference:
- Wade Taylor IV, Texas A&M
- Antonio Reeves, Kentucky
- Riley Kugel, Florida
- Johni Broome, Auburn
- Trevon Brazile, Arkansas
SI’s predicted order of finish:
1. Tennessee
- PG Zakai Zeigler
- SG Santiago Vescovi
- SF Dalton Knecht
- PF Josiah-Jordan James
- C Jonas Aidoo
There may be some impatience over the lack of a true March breakthrough, but Tennessee has quietly finished as a top-10 team in KenPom in three of the last five years. Another season firmly in the national contender conversation seems likely in 2023–24, thanks to a ferocious defense and talent in the backcourt. This will be one of the toughest teams to score against in the country thanks to its physicality and discipline, and elite point-of-attack defender Zeigler’s disruption of opposing ballhandlers. Improving the offense is the key to a potential title push, though Rick Barnes has the pieces to do just that with Northern Colorado transfer Knecht slotting in on the wing and optimism high about redshirt freshman Freddie Dilione V.
2. Kentucky
- PG D.J. Wagner
- SG Antonio Reeves
- SF Justin Edwards
- PF Tre Mitchell
- C Aaron Bradshaw
Kentucky’s offseason was a bizarre one, with near-unprecedented roster uncertainty for a program of the Wildcats’ caliber, entering June before John Calipari stuck the landing with some quality additions. The final product is appealing: Calipari has the type of playmaking guards he needs to get his offense humming again with Wagner, Reeves and Reed Sheppard; a big wing shot-maker in Edwards, who’ll be in the No. 1 pick conversation; and versatility in the frontcourt. The pressure is on to make a deep run after recent March disappointments, and that’s a lot for a young team to bear. But this is a very talented roster with the potential to exceed expectations.
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3. Texas A&M
- PG Wade Taylor IV
- SG Tyrece Radford
- SF Jace Carter
- PF Henry Coleman
- C Julius Marble
After a horrific start in 2022–23, Texas A&M blossomed into one of the best teams in the SEC. And with four starters back, this group has all the makings of an SEC title contender. The Aggies’ strength under Buzz Williams will always be toughness: Texas A&M ranked in the top five nationally both in offensive rebounding rate and free throw rate last season, helping mitigate shooting inefficiencies. Combine that with having one of the best point guards in the country in senior Taylor (16 points, four assists in 2022–23), and you’ve got a recipe for a potential top-15 team. This has to be the year Williams breaks through with an NCAA tournament win in College Station.
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4. Arkansas
- PG El Ellis
- SG Khalif Battle
- SF Tramon Mark
- PF Jeremiah Davenport
- C Trevon Brazile
The Razorbacks have reached the second weekend of the last three NCAA tournaments and have the talent for a fourth consecutive trip this season. Eric Musselman has a legitimately loaded backcourt: Ellis (Louisville), Battle (Temple) and Mark (Houston) all averaged double figures at their last stops, while returner Davonte “Devo” Davis averaged more than 10 points per game for the Hogs a season ago and freshman Layden Blocker is a top-40 recruit. The Hogs also have a potential first-rounder in the frontcourt in athletic freak Brazile, who was a critical piece in 2022–23 before tearing his ACL.
5. Florida
- PG Walter Clayton Jr.
- SG Riley Kugel
- SF Will Richard
- PF Tyrese Samuel
- C Micah Handlogten
Few programs did better in the transfer portal this spring than Todd Golden and the Gators. Analytics from EvanMiya.com grade Florida as having not only the best portal class in the country but the best overall transfer activity (accounting for both arrivals and departures). Golden beat Rick Pitino for star combo guard Clayton and also landed UC Riverside grad transfer Zyon Pullin to solidify a talented backcourt that features breakout candidate Kugel. Add the likes of Samuel (Seton Hall) and Handlogten (Marshall) up front, and this reshaped roster looks like it could make noise in the SEC.
6. Alabama
- PG Mark Sears
- SG Aaron Estrada
- SF Rylan Griffen
- PF Grant Nelson
- C Nick Pringle
Coming off the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament and an SEC title, Nate Oats had to rebuild both his roster and coaching staff this spring. Oats lost four starters (three to the NBA) and all three assistant coaches to head coaching jobs this spring. That means there could be growing pains here, even though this new-look roster is clearly talented. Oats is betting big on North Dakota State transfer Nelson, whose highlight tapes last season went viral because of his athleticism and skill level at his size. A breakout year for wing Griffen also seems in store. But Alabama’s best teams under Oats have been the ones that defended at an elite level, and I anticipate a step back on that end.
7. Auburn
- PG Aden Holloway
- SG Denver Jones
- SF Chad Baker-Mazara
- PF Jaylin Williams
- C Johni Broome
Auburn’s being picked seventh is an illustration of the depth of talent in this league right now. The Tigers bring back an excellent starting frontcourt duo of Broome (who starred at the NBA draft combine) and Williams, and add two dynamic guards to reshape the backcourt. Bruce Pearl will undoubtedly put a lot on freshman Holloway, but the dynamic guard is up for the challenge and should have a huge first season on The Plains. FIU transfer Jones will also step into a big role from Day 1.
8. Mississippi State
- PG Andrew Taylor
- SG Shakeel Moore
- SF D.J. Jeffries
- PF Cameron Matthews
- C Tolu Smith (OUT until “sometime in SEC play” per the Bulldogs)
The Bulldogs took a major hit in early October when star big man Smith suffered a foot injury in practice that will cause him to miss at least the nonconference portion of the team’s schedule. Without him, this team lacks the firepower to compete at the top of the SEC, but if healthy it’s a sleeper team with significant potential. Mississippi State will essentially run it back from last year’s team, which made the NCAA tournament, and improve what was the worst three-point shooting team in the country by adding sharpshooting guard Taylor, who joins the fray from Marshall. Plus, any Chris Jans team can be counted on to defend at a high level.
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9. Ole Miss
- PG Austin Nuñez
- SG Matthew Murrell
- SF Brandon Murray (needs NCAA waiver)
- PF Jaemyn Brakefield
- C Moussa Cisse (needs NCAA waiver)
Chris Beard didn’t have to wait long for another chance after his firing at Texas in the wake of since-dismissed domestic violence charges. He has a roster capable of going dancing in his first year, but not one without question marks. Murray (Georgetown) and Cisse (Oklahoma State) are awaiting word on waivers to play this season as second-time transfers, and the Rebels have uncertainty at the point guard spot. Getting back dynamic wing Murrell was huge, though, and this team won’t be devoid of athleticism or talent even if the waivers don’t clear.
10. Missouri
- PG Nick Honor
- SG Caleb Grill
- SF John Tonje
- PF Noah Carter
- C Connor Vanover
The Tigers clearly exceeded expectations in Year 1 under Dennis Gates, and this program has a ton of momentum on the recruiting trail for future classes. This year’s group looks more like a bubble team, though. It’s extremely old: All five projected starters will be in their fifth or sixth year of college basketball. And while this team is lacking a bit of explosiveness off the bounce, it has plenty of shooters who should be tough to stop given how well-schemed the Missouri offense is.
11. Vanderbilt
- PG Ezra Manjon
- SG Tyrin Lawrence
- SF Evan Taylor
- PF Colin Smith
- C Ven-Allen Lubin
Vanderbilt was one of the nation’s hottest teams down the stretch last season, and while the roster turns over Jerry Stackhouse will look to build on that momentum as he hunts for a first NCAA tournament berth. Adding Lubin from Notre Dame is a great buy-low move on a former touted recruit, and the backcourt duo of Manjon and Lawrence should give opponents fits. Lawrence quietly had a huge year in 2022–23, averaging nearly 16 points per game on elite shooting splits in the season’s final 20 games after a slower start.
12. LSU
- PG Jalen Cook
- SG Carlos Stewart
- SF Jordan Wright
- PF Daimion Collins
- C Will Baker
Matt McMahon was busy this spring, adding a huge transfer class to flip the roster after a rough first season on the job. Five transfers could start, headlined by former Tulane point guard Cook. He is one of the nation’s best floor generals and a huge coup for McMahon, thanks to his ability to create in ball screens. Meanwhile, Kentucky transfer Collins could be a major beneficiary of Cook’s passing ability, as the former McDonald’s All-American with elite athletic tools will be on the receiving end of plenty of lobs from the star point guard this season.
13. Georgia
- PG Silas Demary
- SG Noah Thomasson
- SF RJ Melendez
- PF Jalen Deloach
- C Russel Tchewa
The Bulldogs flatlined last season after a 13–4 start, losing 12 of 15 to close the year, with eight of those losses by double digits. Guard play was an issue, so Mike White added transfer Thomasson (Niagara) and a pair of highly regarded freshmen in Demary and Blue Cain to help turn things around. I’m not sure that’s quite enough to move the needle in a league that has recruited so well, but this group looks better on paper than it did a year ago.
14. South Carolina
- PG Ta'Lon Cooper
- SG Meechie Johnson
- SF Myles Stute
- PF Stephen Clark
- C B.J. Mack
Bringing up the rear are the Gamecocks, fresh off finishing a ghastly No. 221 on KenPom in Lamont Paris’s first year. It’s hard to anticipate things being substantially better in 2023–24, though there might be some addition by subtraction at play with the pro departure of G.G. Jackson II. On-off splits showed the Gamecocks as a far better team without Jackson on the floor a season ago, and Paris did add some interesting frontcourt pieces via the transfer portal to help raise this group’s floor.
