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Miami Hurricanes Basketball Consensus Top 25 2017-18

By Alan Rubenstein

Mar 16, 2017; Tulsa, OK, USA; Miami Hurricanes head coach Jim Larranaga during practice at BOK Center. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 16, 2017; Tulsa, OK, USA; Miami Hurricanes head coach Jim Larranaga during practice at BOK Center. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 29, 2017; Chicago, IL, USA; McDonalds All-American West forward Brian “Tugs” Bowen II (20) drives to the basket against East forward Lonnie Walker IV (14) during the 40th Annual McDonald’s High School All-American Game at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

Jon Rothstein of Fan Rag and CBS Sports.Com explores who the Hurricanes starting five will be next season, lists Walker, point guard Chris Lykes and Forward Deng Gak as the key newcomers and at 17 is one of two college basketball prognosticators that have the Hurricanes ranked in the top 20 in the early rankings.

"Jon Rothstein: Fan Rag:  17. Miami Key Losses: Kamari Murphy, Davon Reed Key Newcomers: Lonnie Walker, Chris Lykes, Deng Gak Projected Starting Five: PG Ja’Quan Newton SG Lonnie Walker SF Bruce Brown PF Anthony Lawrence C Dewan Huell Projected Bench: Dejan Vasiljevic, Ebuka Izundu, Rodney Miller, Chris Lykes"

Rothstein’s CBS compatriot Gary Parrish is impressed that six of the Hurricanes top eight scorers return next year. That has been a common theme throughout the rankings. It’s a case of not looking at the whole instead of just the sum of its parts.

Losing Murphy and Reed with Newton as the only Senior in 2018 puts the Hurricanes leadership in question for next season. The rising Senior guard from Philadelphia has to prove he can live up to the captainship he held in 2017. Newton was suspended for three games in each of the past two seasons.

Brown has proven he is a special player both on and off the court. Anthony Lawrence, Izundu and walk-on Mike Robinson make-up the Junior class. If Larranaga goes with three captains in 2017-18, they are likely to be Brown, Newton and Lawrence.

"Gary Parish CBS Sports: 16. Miami Hurricanes Coach: Jim Larranaga 2016-17 record: 21-12 Notable players definitely gone: Davon Reed, Kamari Murphy Notable players expected to leave: None Notable players expected to return: Ja’Quan Newton, Bruce Brown, Anthony Lawrence Jr., Dejan Vasiljevic, Dewan Huell, Ezbuka Izundu, Rodney Miller Notable newcomers: Lonnie Walker, Chris Lykes, Deng Gak, Sam Waardenburg Why the Hurricanes are here: Six of the top eight scorers are returning — and they’ll be joined by a top-10 recruiting class highlighted by five-star prospect Lonnie Walker. Consequently, the Hurricanes should be even better next season than they were this season."

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