Five college basketball questions in this crazy coronavirus summer
Stop me if you’ve heard this before: These are uncertain times.
That’s not just for college football, where the soaring coronavirus stats have raised the possibility of shifting fall ball to spring. College basketball has questions of its own. Plenty of issues. For the sake of space, and our collective attention span, here are five:
1. What will happen with Olivier Sarr?
John Calipari’s Cats are back on campus. And as our friend T.J. Beisner tweeted, “PSA: If you want these guys to wear a ring, we need you to please wear a mask. #GoCats.” Truth is UK’s chances of earning that ring improve greatly if Sarr, the transfer center from France via Wake Forest, earns a waiver to play this season.
There’s a fly in the ointment, however. The NBA has pushed its draft date back to Oct. 16. So the NCAA has moved its deadline withdrawal date back to Aug. 17. After first declining to enter the draft, Sarr might have another opportunity to hop in, especially if his eligibility waiver is denied by the NCAA.
2. What about players who have declared for the draft?
There’s a lot of time for coaches to bite their nails between now and Aug. 17. We’re talking to you Mark Few, whose Gonzaga Bulldogs have Filip Petrusev, Corey Kispert and Joel Ayayi in draft limbo. If all three leave, it’ll be a scramble in Spokane. If all three return — or even two of the three — then the Zags will be the favorites to cut down the Final Four nets.
Gonzaga isn’t alone. Iowa is waiting on Luke Garza. Baylor is waiting on Jared Butler and MaCio Teague. Michigan State is waiting on Xavier Tillman, Aaron Henry and Josh Langford. At least Kentucky fans know Ashton Hagans, Tyrese Maxey, EJ Montgomery, Nick Richards, Immanuel Quickley aren’t coming back.
3. Speaking of which, will the lack of summer workouts hurt the Cats?
It doesn’t help, especially a team that could have as many as nine newcomers, if you count Dontaie Allen, who redshirted last season. After all, previous John Calipari clubs have pointed to the summer as the time they not only got to know each other, but bonded as a team. The sooner a team bonds the better. The Cats were not able to report for voluntary workouts until this week.
The good news is everyone else is in the same situation. The Cats may not be ahead of other clubs, but they’re certainly not behind. And with the transfer merry-go-around in overdrive this summer, most every team will be scurrying to acclimating new talent ASAP.
4. Aside from a worldwide pandemic, what else has happened this summer?
Cade Cunningham, the nation’s No. 1 freshman, is staying at Oklahoma State even though Oklahoma State is banned from the NCAA Tournament. UConn is officially back in the Big East. Emoni Bates, reportedly the best hoops prospect since the last best hoops prospect, has already committed to Michigan State for 2022.
When not lobbying for the renewal of the Kentucky-Indiana series, Dick Vitale remains adamant LSU and Arizona are about to be hammered by the NCAA. Kansas’ Bill Self might sue the NCAA. And the NCAA spent Wednesday begging Congress to save it from the financial drain that would be Name, Image and Likeness legislation. Or so it says.
5. Could the college basketball season be pushed back to 2021?
Should, not could, says Rick Pitino. The former UK and U of L coach, starting his first season at Iona, tweeted Wednesday that college hoops should start in January and games should be restricted to conference play only. OK, you may not like the source, but the man has a point.
While there has been plenty of conversation about the viability of football in the fall, there has been little said about college basketball. And in case you hadn’t noticed, college basketball is played indoors, the place where epidemiologists say the virus is most likely to spread. And unlike the NBA, I doubt the NCAA would go for college basketball in a bubble.
If you don’t want to wait that long for college basketball, my advice remains the same: Cross your fingers and wear a mask.
