College Basketball: Each Top 25 Team Compared to an NBA Team
We're still a good four months away from the college basketball season getting underway, and like many other fans, I've started to look at the rosters of the teams I follow and other teams in their conferences.
And, I have to say, I'm getting a little excited...even if you want to call it early excitement.
But, this article is not about the excitement, but simply to have a little fun comparing college basketball teams to NBA teams.
For this article, I will go with ESPN Andy Katz's early preseason predictions, so teams that aren't in his top 25, won't be used for this article. If you don't agree with his rankings, take it up with him.
And, just to be clear, in no way am I saying that a top-25 team is comparable to an NBA team in terms of how they will perform as a team.
The main premise of the article is finding a few things that are comparable between teams.
25. Minnesota
1 of 25NBA Team: San Antonio Spurs
When looking at the Golden Gophers and the Spurs, one thing is noticeable with both rosters—their returning.
The Spurs have Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili as the veteran leaders on the team, while Minnesota has their top five scorers returning.
While Minnesota isn't heavy in the senior department, its three juniors and two seniors have the experience of last year's NIT finals run and learned how to play in a tough Big Ten.
Although no national title is expected from this team, just like the Spurs with the NBA title, they'll play consistently throughout the year and have a good seeding when the tournament rolls around.
24. Missouri
2 of 25NBA Team: Houston Rockets
Missouri is moving to the SEC, and like Houston, nobody's really sure how the team is going to play this year.
As we learn more about both teams, Houston with its possible roster turnover and Missouri with different guys taking the reins, we'll get a clearer picture about what each will do.
And, in an early prediction, I see the Rockets going to the playoffs next year and the Tigers making some noise in the SEC and NCAA tournament.
23. UNLV
3 of 25NBA Team: Dallas Mavericks
UNLV has an anchor inside in Mike Moser, while the Mavericks have an anchor inside, outside and everywhere else in Dirk Nowitzki.
The Runnin' Rebels will have Bryce Jones and Khem Birch transferring in, just like the Mavericks will have new guys in to replace Jason Terry (joining Boston) and Jason Kidd (joining New York, per Marc Stein of ESPN).
Both teams ran out of gas toward the end of the season but had better records than many predicted. And, yes, I'm including the Mavericks in that statement because the loss of Tyson Chandler severely hurt their defensive presence in the middle.
22. Wisconsin
4 of 25NBA Team: Sacramento Kings
For the Kings, it's understandable, considering they've been weak over the last few years, but with Michigan, Ohio State and Michigan State dominating the Big Ten scene, Wisconsin seems to get passed over as one of the better teams in the league.
I like Jared Berggren in the middle for the Badgers, and I believe that he's going to be the anchor of the team, just like I feel DeMarcus Cousins can be the anchor of the Kings, even with Tyreke Evans in town.
21. Texas
5 of 25NBA Team: Phoenix Suns
Steve Nash is no longer in Phoenix, while J'Covan Brown is no longer in Texas, forcing both teams to find a new identity.
Texas has sophomore Myck Kabongo, and the signings of Cameron Ridley and Prince Ibeh should give head coach Rick Barnes some horses he can run with.
Even with Nash gone, I still believe Phoenix will run, and I foresee it becoming a part of Texas' game for this upcoming season.
20. Gonzaga
6 of 25NBA Team: Minnesota Timberwolves
Have you ever seen Elias Harris play in the middle?
His play for the Zags is reminiscent of another big NBA power forward/center.
Kevin Love has a way of dominating on the inside for the Timberwolves, and although he's far better than Harris, I can see some similarities in their games.
David Stockton will become a nice point guard for the Zags, although I don't see him pulling off the same tricks Ricky Rubio does in Minnesota.
19. Notre Dame
7 of 25NBA Team: Indiana Pacers
The one thing you can say about the Pacers and the Fighting Irish is both are scrappy teams.
For some reason, the big boys in the Eastern Conference think they can push the Pacers around, while the same goes for the Irish in the Big East.
But, both teams have shown they can push back.
While Notre Dame doesn't have as strong of a frontcourt as they've had in recent years, they have guys who will bang around on the inside.
And, when one of them needs a rest, there's someone who will be ready to come off the bench and do the same thing.
It's a little like what the Pacers do with Tyler Hansbrough and Louis Amundson off their bench.
18. Creighton
8 of 25NBA Team: L.A. Lakers
Consistency is the only real way to compare these teams.
Creighton has Doug McDermott, who's been a cornerstone of the Blue Jays for the last two years.
The Lakers have one of the best to ever play the game in Kobe Bryant.
Now, I'm not saying McDermott compares to Bryant, because he doesn't. Nobody does in my opinion.
But, what the Blue Jays have shown over the last few years is that they're a team you can't mess around with. The same is true of the Lakers. If you let either team hang around long enough, they'll find a way to win.
The best advice is if an opponent is able to get the advantage on either of these teams, everything should be done to maintain it. If not, that opponent is sure to be sorry in the end.
17. Arizona
9 of 25NBA Team: New York Knicks
Both are tall, lanky and can score the basketball.
The point guard situation is up in the air for both teams as Arizona lost Josiah Turner, while the Knicks will most certainly go with Jeremy Lin again.
Where the uncertainty lies with Lin is can he follow up last year's performance with a solid performance this year?
Me, I see teams figuring out what he does best and taking it away from him.
When that happens, coupled with the number of times he turns the ball over, the Knicks could be looking for another point guard as well.
16. San Diego State
10 of 25NBA Team: Milwaukee Bucks
What makes San Diego State and Milwaukee comparable is that both rosters have players who are consistent.
The Bucks have a great backcourt in Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings, while the Aztecs have Jamaal Franklin and Chase Tapley.
Both teams have the talent to go far, but it will come down to how the Bucks fare against the more money-laden (NBA) and how the Aztecs fair against better recruiting (NCAA) teams.
I honestly don't see it happening for the Bucks, but I could see the Aztecs making some noise this year.
15. Duke
11 of 25NBA Team: Boston Celtics
Both teams lost (or are losing) a great guard—Ray Allen (Boston, per ESPN) and Austin Rivers (Duke).
But, both still have veterans on their team.
Inside, the Celtics have Kevin Garnett returning, compared to Duke and Mason Plumlee. At guard is Rajon Rondo for Boston and Seth Curry for Duke. I think Rondo and Curry compare very well at guard, although Rondo is more of a passer, and Curry is more of a shooter.
It's kind of ironic that I'm linking these two teams because the aforementioned Rivers is also the son the the Celtics' head coach.
Any way you look at it, neither team is going anywhere for a while.
14. Memphis
12 of 25NBA Team: New Orleans Hornets
A lot of new faces are coming in for both teams.
For the Hornets, it's Anthony Davis and Austin Rivers, while Memphis is getting Shaq Goodwin, who should help Tigers fans forget about the loss of Will Barton.
Both of these teams are expected to exceed their performances last year.
This season will be about one of redemption for the Hornets, while the Tigers want to leave Conference USA in grand style with a league title.
13. North Carolina
13 of 25NBA Team: Golden State Warriors
In another ironic twist, I'm comparing the Tar Heels with the Warriors—the team that former Tar Heel Harrison Barnes was drafted by.
On paper, North Carolina has James Michael McAdoo as the only high-minutes guy returning, while Golden State is going to lean heavily on Stephen Curry.
But, we all know what paper is good for when it comes to the basketball court.
The Tar Heels will get big contributions from incoming freshmen Marcus Paige and Brice Johnson, while the Warriors are hoping that some of their younger guys will step up and make an impact.
12. Florida
14 of 25NBA Team: Washington Wizards
Florida has Kenny Boynton, while the Wizards have John Wall. Both players are capable of handling the ball in big situations and can put the team on their back when needed.
In the middle, Florida has emerging center Patric Young, whom I think compares to Nene, except Young isn't as tall.
I can see Young having more of an effect on the offensive side of things than Nene, but I think their rebounding skills are about the same with Nene getting the edge because of his height.
While the Gators are one of the favorites in the SEC, I don't see the Wizards being the favorites in the Southeast as long as LeBron James and the Heat are still together.
11. Baylor
15 of 25NBA Team: Detroit Pistons
If I would've done this last year, I would've compared Baylor to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the fact that they liked to get out and run.
However, this year is different and I have to compare the Bears to the Pistons mainly because you don't know what you're getting from either team.
Gone from Baylor are Quincy Miller, Quincy Acy and Perry Jones III, with Pierre Jackson and Brady Heslip set to take the reins of the team.
For Detroit, there's Brandon Knight in the backcourt after Ben Gordon was traded to the Bobcats.
The one difference between the teams is that Baylor will overcome their losses and still perform well in the Big 12, while the Pistons will struggle once again this year.
10. Syracuse
16 of 25NBA Team: Utah Jazz
Dion Waiters is no longer at Syracuse, and Devin Harris is no longer at Utah, so point guard will be a position of change for both teams.
But, one thing that won't change is that both teams will continue to be strong in the middle.
The Jazz have Paul Milsap, Al Jefferson and Derrick Favors, while Syracuse will rely heavily upon DaJuan Coleman and Rakeem Christmas.
Although both teams don't look like much, they will find some way to get the job done this year.
The Orangemen will once again be competing for a conference title, while the Jazz have a legitimate shot at claiming a third or fourth seed in the playoffs, although fifth or sixth is more probable.
9. Michigan State
17 of 25NBA Team: Memphis Grizzlies
Michigan State is another one of those teams that plays consistent basketball no matter who they have on the court.
The Grizzlies are pretty much the same way, with a few exceptions.
The Spartans always seem to have big men come out of nowhere (where the Grizzlies are strongest at), so although I'm not sure who will step up this year, I know Tom Izzo will find a way to get the best out of his big men.
Last year, we knew both teams were good, but they still flew under the radar, going quietly about their business.
This year, both teams will have a bullseye on their back, and they're not going to be underestimated, especially the Spartans considering what they've done in the past with what many believed was lesser talent.
8. Ohio State
18 of 25NBA Team: Chicago Bulls
Yay, we're all happy.
While Thomas and Rose are the only studs on their teams, there are a lot of good players surrounding them.
Each player knows their role in the system, making the team play better as a whole. Equally true, as we have seen, if either player is taken out of the game, the team will struggle.
What I like about the Buckeyes (hard to admit as a Michigan fan) is they know how to play basketball as a unified team, moving the ball around.
And, when you have a distributor like Aaron Craft, things seem to flow easier.
It's the same way with the Bulls and Rose, although he's supposed to be the scorer and the distributor.
7. UCLA
19 of 25NBA Team: Miami Heat
The Bruins put together the Dream Team recruiting class, comparing well to the Heat and their Dream Team.
Coming to UCLA, and comparing very well to their Heat counterparts, is Shabazz Muhammad, Kyle Anderson and Tony Parker.
But, things aren't going to come easy for this group in their first year (maybe their only year). Problems have been abound surrounding the basketball program, and these three are going to be expected to return the program to greatness.
The one lesson they can take from the Heat is that they're going to have to put in the work at the gym and take the criticism with a grain of salt.
If they can do that, I see no reason why they can't win a national championship in their first year, unlike the Heat, which took two years to win the NBA title.
6. North Carlina State
20 of 25NBA Team: Oklahoma City
North Carolina State came out of nowhere at the end of last year and surprised everyone.
Now, Oklahoma City didn't come out of nowhere and surprise people, but where these teams compare is in their ability to get out and run and play good interior defense.
C.J. Leslie compares well to Kevin Durant (except for in height) and can take over a game when he wants to.
A year after the Thunder made their surprise run to the Western Conference finals, the Wolfpack made their surprise run through the ACC and NCAA tournaments.
Can they do the same as the Thunder did this past season and get to the title game when there are more expectations placed on them?
5. Michigan
21 of 25NBA Team: Los Angeles Clippers
The backcourts for Michigan and the Clippers are both very strong.
The Wolverines have Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr., while the Clippers have Chris Paul and Chauncey Billups.
Both teams could easily say they have the best backcourts in the league.
Then, you have L.A.'s Blake Griffin in the middle and Glenn Robinson III coming into Michigan. Both can really slam the ball home.
I think it's safe to say that both these teams will be in the title race this year as L.A. will try to overcome the Clippers' curse, and the Wolverines will try to overcome the sanctions placed on them by various scandals involving their program.
4. Kansas
22 of 25NBA Team: Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks have Josh Smith (currently) and Al Horford as the leaders of the team after the departures or Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams via trade.
The Jayhawks will be led by Jeff Withey, who will have to follow in the shoes of Marcus and Markeiff Morris and Thomas Robinson (no pressure).
Both teams don't look strong on paper, but both teams will still be around come playoff time.
The Hawks will at least make it to the first round, while you can never count out a Bill Self team.
3. Kentucky
23 of 25NBA Team: Brooklyn Nets
I compared the Nets and Kentucky simply because there's a lot of guys who left town after last season, but some very good players are coming into town.
Gone for Kentucky are basically their top six players, while the Nets are losing five players in the Joe Johnson deal.
Speaking of Johnson, the Nets got an All-Star guard to put in the backcourt with Deron Williams.
What do the Wildcats gain? None other than the best big man in the country, Nerlens Noel, who could be as good as Anthony Davis.
So, while there's not much else to compare regarding these teams, the change in players' addresses (incoming and outgoing) is enough to put these two together.
2. Louisville
24 of 25NBA Team: Philadelphia 76ers
Neither team is flashy, nor do they have a star player.
But, they still handle their business and get the job done.
Louisville made a surprise run to the Final Four last year—all without a true star. The same could be said about the 76ers and their run to the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Cardinals will see a full season of Wayne Blackshear, while Philadelphia will continue to see the development of Evan Turner and Jrue Holiday.
My best guess is that Louisville makes a return to the Final Four after winning the Big East, while I believe the 76ers can make it to the conference finals.
Now, it's not a guarantee, but it could happen.
1. Indiana
25 of 25NBA Team: Orlando Magic
The comparison here (currently) is that of big men.
Dwight Howard anchors the middle for the Magic (hopefully not much longer), while Cody Zeller is in the middle for the Hoosiers.
Both players dominate their position on the court, while one still wants the spotlight off the court (guess who?).
With the return of Zeller and Christian Watford, Indiana has a definite shot at a national title.
Orlando, on the other hand, has a definite chance at a lottery pick.
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