CBS Sports replaced Kentucky with St. John’s in their latest version of the Top 25 And One rankings for the 2023-24 college basketball season.
Here’s what they say about St. John’s:
26. ST. JOHN’S This ranking is based on first-year coach Rick Pitino retaining Joel Soriano and remaking the rest of the Red Storm’s roster by enrolling Iona transfer Daniss Jenkins, Penn transfer Jordan Dingle, UMass transfer RJ Luis, Oregon State transfer Glenn Taylor and top-50 freshman Simeon Wilcher. No new coach has done a better job of positioning himself for first-year success than Pitino. NR 18-15
In: St. John’s | Out: Kentucky
And the explanation for dropping Kentucky:
Kentucky, which is now expected to lose Antonio Reeves to the transfer portal and thus currently has zero players projected on the roster who averaged at least 2.5 points last season. Can UK make its way back into the Top 25 And 1? Sure, in time. But, again, the Wildcats currently have no notable veterans set to pair with their heralded recruiting class, and that reality has them just on the wrong side of the Top 25 And 1 for now.
I’ve had St. John’s just on the outside for weeks. Meantime, Kentucky is now expected to lose Antonio Reeves. So when I removed Reeves from UK’s roster, I dropped UK out. And then St. John’s was just sorta waiting there, boosted by today’s addition of a top-50 prospect.
— Gary Parrish (@GaryParrishCBS) June 12, 2023
