Rosters for the 2022-23 season are nearly set in stone as we approach a three-month countdown to the college basketball season tipping off in November. Indiana basketball, among other teams, headlines as one of the top 15 team frontcourts in all of college basketball this upcoming season.
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Most basketball fans believe the “frontcourt” to be the forwards and centers of the team, even though many college basketball teams nowadays consist of a three-guard backcourt and two big men. For this ranking, we will focus on the top frontcourts that consist of small forwards (if applicable), power forwards, and centers on each team, and the combined ranking of them playing together. Yes, Trayce Jackson-Davis (TJD), Race Thompson and Miller Kopp will be included in this ranking. These rankings are meant to help Hoosier Nation identify the top frontcourts that Indiana basketball will be competing with as we inch closer to the beginning of an exciting college hoops season.
Here are the top 15 “frontcourts” for the 2022-23 season:
Oumar Ballo, 7’0″ 260lbs, Sophomore Center
2021-22 Stats: 6.8 pts/g, 4.4 reb/g, 1.2 blk/g, 24.1 PER
Azuolas Tubelis, 6’11” 245lbs, Junior Forward
2021-22 Stats: 13.9 pts/g, 6.2 reb/g, 1.1 stl/g, 24.4 PER
Despite losing Christian Koloko, who dominated the frontcourt and averaged 12.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks during last season, along with averaging 18.3 points and 9.6 rebounds in the Wildcats Sweet 16 run, Arizona is still returning one of the top frontcourts in college basketball as Azuolas Tubelis will return as the leading scorer and one of the top big men in the Pac 12. According to Stats Perform, Arizona was 9-1 (.900) last season when Tubelis recorded 15+ points and 8+ rebounds in a game.
While Tubelis will be the focus of the offense, Oumar Ballo will be at the forefront of the Wildcats’ defensive unit, as Ballo posted three or more blocks in 11 games last season, along with a game with six blocks against UCLA in the Pac 12 Championship game. This season should be a step down from last seasons successful regular and postseason. But with Tommy Lloyd gaining a year of experience as a head coach, coming into next season with one of the top frontcourts featuring Ballo and Tubelis gives the Wildcats a great chance to win the Pac 12 and beyond.
Comparing to the Indiana basketball frontcourt
Based on last year’s performance, TJD and Thompson both proved that they can score and defend at a high level. Whether it be TJD dominating Kofi Cockburn in the Big Ten Tournament with 21 points or Thompson carrying the load against Michigan State with 13 points, 14 rebounds, three steals, and one block, the Hoosier frontcourt duo would be able to handle Tubelis and Ballo on both ends of the floor.