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With all of the movement into the 2009 NBA draft, its a bit hard to predict the backcourt rankings heading into the 2009 NCAA basketball season. Kansas has about the most experienced squad returning, while Kentucky’s has the most promise along with Villanova. The below rankings are based on my opinion so feel free to share any differences you have.

Top 10 2009 NCAA Basketball Backcourts

#1 2009 NCAA Basketball Backcourt – Kansas

Backcourt: Sherron Collins, Tyshawn Taylor, Brady Morningstar, Elijah Johnson
Outlook: Sherron Collins is one of the top point guards returning for the 2009-10 NCAA basketball season and one of the reasons the Jayhawks are the pre-season NCAA favorite. Elijah Johnson comes in with a great resume and look for solid contributions out of Taylor and Morningstar this season.

#2 2009 NCAA Basketball Backcourt – Kentucky

Backcourt: John Wall, Eric Bledsoe, DeAndre Liggins
Outlook: John Wall was the 2010 NBA draft #1 pick before he graduated high school. Through in Eric Bledso with his 40+inch vertical leap and exception ball handling ability… and oh by the way, much under-rated DeAndre Liggins who plays like Tyreke Evans did for Memphis last season, and the Wildcats are going to be more fun to watch this season than many NBA teams. Coach Cal has never had this many pro-level drivers and slashers for the dribble drive so it’ll be interesting to see how he incorporates multiple point guards into the offense this season.

#3 2009 NCAA Basketball Backcourt – Villanova

Backcourt: Scottie Reynolds, Corey Fisher, Corey Stokes, Dominic Cheek, Maalik Wayns
Outlook: When Scottie Reynolds decided to return this season, Nova instantly became favored to win the Big East in 2009-10. Put Maalik Wayns with him and Stokes shooting ability and we’ll see the Wildcats in the Final Four this season.

#4 2009 NCAA Basketball Backcourt – North Carolina

Backcourt: Larry Drew, Dexter Strickland, Marcus Ginyard
Outlook: So a lot of people count the Tar Heels out with the exodus from last year to the pros…well ladies and gentlemen, Coach Williams has not been asleep at the helm. The Tar Heels are loaded again coming into the 2009-10 season. They aren’t going to run the table, and it may take a short bit for the team to gel, but look for the Drew, Strickland, Ginyard combination at the 1-3 positions to be one of the best back courts in the nation by the time tourney time comes around!

#5 2009 NCAA Basketball Backcourt – Michigan State

Backcourt: Kalin Lucas, Durrell Summers, Chris Allen, Korie Lucious
Outlook: Kalin Lucas is one of the premier ball handlers in the country and Durrell Summers has been working on his three ball. Allen and Lucious will be there to spell them, and don’t be surprised if we see State make a deep run in the tourney this year.

#6 2009 NCAA Basketball Backcourt -Oklahoma

Backcourt: Willie Warren, Tommy Mason-Griffin, Tony Crocker
Outlook: Everyone thinks that just because Blake Griffin left the Sooners aren’t going to do anything this year. Willie Warren is expected to be the team’s leading scorer and the Sooners will be counting on highly touted Mason-Griffin to run the point this season.

#7 2009 NCAA Basketball Backcourt – Texas

Backcourt: J’Covan Brown, Avery Bradley, Justin Mason, Dogus Balbay, Jai Lucas
Outlook: Texas is going to give Kansas a run for the Big 12 title this season. Avery Bradley is one of the top players of the 2009 NCAA recruiting class and Balbay, Lucas, and Mason are all capable of running the point this season when needed.

#8 2009 NCAA Basketball Backcourt – Washington

Backcourt: Abdul Gaddy, Isaiah Thomas, Venoy Overton
Outlook: Isn’t Washington a football school? Don’t look now, by with the signing of Abdul Gaddyand Thomas’s scoring cabaility, they just might be the best team in the PAC-10. Overton will be able to spell the one and two guard spots when required and Washington may start looking forward to basketball season for once this year.

#9 2010 NCAA Basketball Backcourt – Ohio State

Backcourt: Evan Turner, William Buford, Jon Diebler
Outlook: William Buford will move to the point guard position this season and be one of the big scorers for the Buckeyes. Diebler will give the backcourt the range they need, and Ohio State will attempt to keep up with Purdue and Michigan State this season and may just surprise people.

#10 2010 NCAA Basketball Backcourt – Mississippi

Backcourt: Chris Warren, Terrico White, Eniel Polynice, Trevor Gaskins
Outlook: I know. You’re like Ole Miss?? Aren’t they ranked in football?? Well, you might not have watched much SEC basketball last season, but if you did in the first 10 games of the season, you would have seen one of the top backcourts in the nation. Then, Warren, Polnice, and Gaskins got hurt. Terrico White showed he could play though, and Ole Miss should be fun to watch this season.

Worth Watching:

Connecticut – Kemba Walker, Jerome Dyson, Darius Smith
California – Jerome Randle, Patrick Christopher
UCLA – Malcolm Lee, Jerime Anderson, Michael Roll
Duke

The 2010 NCAA recruiting class is fairly deep with over 25 guards being ranked in the top 100 prospects in the Nation by ESPN and Rivals.com. The guards vary significantly in height from 6-2 to over 6-6 and have fairly different styles of play. A number of the players are pseudo point guards who can slash and handle the ball where others are Jode-Meeks-styled catch and shoot guards with a long range. Still a bit early to tell where everyone will end up for the 2010 NCAA recruiting classes, but here’s an early attempt at the Top 5.

#1 2010 NCAA Recruiting Class Shooting Guard – Will Barton

Will Barton, 6-6, 161 pounds
Baltimore/Brewster Academy
College: Memphis
Barton has NBA height and just needs to bulk up a bit in college. He scores on drives and slashes in transition and in the lane with great length and body control.  He knocks down rhythm 3s and plays with heart and toughness.  Barton competes on every possession and is one of the highest rated prospects to ever sign with the Memphis Tigers.

#2 2010 NCAA RecruitingClass Shooting Guard – Reggie Bullock
Reggie Bullock, 6-6, 190
Kinston, N.C.
College : North Carolina

Bullock has great size and can hit the 3 ball from all over the court.His slashing capability, midrange pull-ups and deep 3-point range are all strengths.  He shoots over smaller defenders with ease and will give the Tar Heels a versatile scorer who that will prosper in the Tar Heels’ transition game.

#3 2010 NCAA Recruiting Class Shooting Guard – Dion Waiters
Dion Waiters, 6-4, 210
Philadelphia / Life Center Academy
College: Syracuse

Waiters is good on the permiter and can score off of the dribble and in transition. His ballhandling, passing and strength are similar to past well-known point guards. Although he can play the point, his strengths lie in scoring and put aside a top point guard, he will be scary to watch

#4 2010 NCAA inducting Class Shooting Guard – Jelan Kendrick
Jelan Kendrick, 6-5, 186
Marietta, Ga.  / Wheeler
College : undecided

Jelan Kendrick is a great ball handler and makes a lot of plays off of the dribble. A quick first step to go along with NBA-height, he can also knock down spot-up threes. He’s another hybrid 2 guard who can double up on the point just as easy as he can excel in the shooting guard spot.

#5 2010 NCAA Recruiting Class Shooting Guard – Trey Zeigler
Trey Zeigler, 6-5, 190
mount pleasant, Mich.  / mount pleasant
College: undecided

Zeigler is a particularly versatile guard with fantastic size and strength.  He is an above-the-rim finisher in transition who has a good midrange game.  He can post up smaller defenders and knock down 3s in the flow with space-time.

Just a little bit of shuffling since my August 2009 preseason college basketball rankings for the September 2009 edition. I bumped Duke up a bit now that Coach K has a little more depth in the guard position. Memphis probably suffered the largest setback over the past month with Martin Ngaloro being out indefinitely with a knee injury. The Tigers were lucky in avoiding any season damaging penalties from the D-Rose SAT fiasco. Despite all of the negative things occurring with the program, Coach Pastner did find a way to make sure the team would have the depth to press at least a bit this coming season with the signing of D.J. Stephens from Texas.

With school back in session and college football starting up this week, many basketball fans are looking forward to the start of official practice in mid-October and the pre-conference play to begin. Until then, here are how I hold the top-25 NCAA basketball teams heading into September:

2009 Preseason College Basketball – No. 1 Kansas – Last Month: 1

2009 Preseason College Basketball – No. 2 Kentucky Last Month: 2

2009 Preseason College Basketball – No. 3 Villanova Last Month: 3

2009 Preseason College Basketball – No. 4 Michigan State Last Month: 4

2009 Preseason College Basketball – No. 5 North Carolina Last Month: 5

2009 Preseason College Basketball – No. 6 Purdue Last Month: 6

2009 Preseason College Basketball – No. 7 Texas Last Month: 7

2009 Preseason College Basketball – No. 8 West Virginia Last Month: 8

2009 Preseason College Basketball – No. 9- Ohio State Last Month: 9

2009 Preseason College Basketball – No. 10- Washington Last Month: 10

2009 Preseason College Basketball – No. 11 Oklahoma Last Month: 11

2009 Preseason College Basketball – No. 12 Tennessee Last Month: 12

2009 Preseason College Basketball – No. 13 Cal Last Month: 13

2009 Preseason College Basketball – No. 14 Miss State Last Month: 14

2009 Preseason College Basketball – No. 15 Connecticut Last Month: 15

2009 Preseason College Basketball – No. 16 Duke Last Month: 18

2009 Preseason College Basketball – No. 17 Dayton Last Month: 16

2009 Preseason College Basketball – No. 18 Minnesota Last Month: 17

2009 Preseason College Basketball – No. 19 Louisville Last Month: 24

2009 Preseason College Basketball – No. 20 Butler Last Month: 19

2009 Preseason College Basketball – No. 21 Missouri Last Month: 23

2009 Preseason College Basketball – No. 22 Michigan Last Month: 22

2009 Preseason College Basketball – No. 23 Kansas State Last Month: N/r

2009 Preseason College Basketball –No. 24 Georgetown Last Month: 25

2009 Preseason College Basketball – No. 25 Sienna Last Month: 24

Dropped From Rankings:

N/A

Close to Being Ranked:

Cincinnati

Florida State

Illinois

Oklahoma State

Conference Pre-Season Rankings:

Overall NCAA Conference Rankings

Big East Preseason Rankings

Big 12 Preseason Rankings

SEC Preseason Rankings