Rising Tide

Good morning! It’s a great day for Anthony Edwards highlights, photo finishes, and breaking down transfer moves for teams that should be title contenders in 2025.

Let’s take a look.

1. Should Alabama be the preseason No. 1?

It’s always nice when you’ve got an elite offense capable of reaching a Final Four without an elite rim protector.

But when you have a chance to add a rim protector, you do it. That’s why Alabama picking up a commitment from former Rutgers big man Clifford Omoruyi might be one of the spring’s most consequential transfer moves.

The 6-11 senior center isn’t a player who can create his own offense. And his overall production (10.4 ppg, 8.3 rpg on 51.2% shooting) doesn’t jump off the page. But Omoruyi’s an elite shot blocker, with 2.9 per game this season. And if you’re Alabama — a team’s that was all offense, and very little defense this season — that’s exactly what you want.

The potential for Omoruyi to be even more impactful than he was at Rutgers is there. Think of him as Charles Bediako 2.0, a guy who’ll clean up messes inside, rebound, and catch endless amounts of lob dunks.

I’d expect Omoruyi’s shooting percentages to improve thanks to a clearly defined role and better guards around him. In fact, if Mark Sears elects to return to Alabama (he’s testing the NBA Draft waters and reportedly is a 50/50 shot to return), there’s a strong case to be made that Alabama should enter 2024-25 as the nation’s team to beat, not Kansas.

One byproduct of Omoruyi’s decision is where it leaves North Carolina.

The Heels have plenty of talent and should be a preseason Top 10 team. But they certainly could use a rim protector and thus far have missed out on Omoruyi, Jonas Aidoo and Aaron Bradshaw, among others. Maybe they’ll snag former Kentucky big Ugonna Onyenso, who’s probably the best shot blocker still available in the portal.

2. Baylor’s frontcourt puts on some muscle

The biggest move of Baylor’s spring was the move that didn’t happen, i.e., Scott Drew staying in Waco.

Sunday night might be second, though.

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