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Indiana basketball: Ranking the top 15 team frontcourts for 2022-23

By Connor O’Keefe

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 27: Trayce Jackson-Davis #23 celebrates a play on court with Race Thompson #25 of the Indiana Hoosiers against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the first half of the game at Williams Arena on February 27, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Hoosiers defeated the Golden Gophers 84-79. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 27: Trayce Jackson-Davis #23 celebrates a play on court with Race Thompson #25 of the Indiana Hoosiers against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the first half of the game at Williams Arena on February 27, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Hoosiers defeated the Golden Gophers 84-79. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) /
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Indiana basketball
PORTLAND, OREGON – APRIL 08: Kyle Filipowski #5 and Dereck Lively II #9 of USA Team warm up before the game against World Team during the Nike Hoop Summit at Moda Center on April 08, 2022 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) /

. Blue Devils . 8. team. 434. .

Dereck Lively II, 7’1″ 220lbs, Freshman Center
2022 5-star prospect: #1 ranked nationally, #1 ranked C

Kyle Filipowski, 6’11” 230lbs, Freshman Center
2022 5-star prospect: #4 ranked nationally, #2 ranked C

Jacob Grandison, 6’6″ 210lbs, Grad Senior Forward
2021-22 Stats: 9.6 pts/g, 3.8 reb/g, 2.3 ast/g, 17.1 PER

Like Villanova, Duke loses a whole lot from last season, especially in the frontcourt, with Paolo Banchero and Mark Williams being selected in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft, along with the loss of Hall of Fame, and the winningest coach of all-time, Coach K. Yet, the Blue Devils are still ranked in the top 10 for best frontcourts for the upcoming season due to the recruiting and trust built by first-year head coach, Jon Scheyer.

The transfer addition of Jacob Grandison seems to be very undervalued as he made two or more three-pointers in 18 games last season, including a game with six three-pointers against Michigan State. But the real value for the Blue Devils’ frontcourt comes from the incoming freshman 5-star bigs, Dereck Lively II and Kyle Filipowski, who are both ranked in the top four nationally for the 2022 recruiting class. Yes, freshman typically come in as a question mark, but this frontcourt trio could be one of the bigger surprises of college basketball next season.

Comparing to the Indiana basketball frontcourt

Experience. Experience. Experience. As much as you may be annoyed hearing this, experience plays a huge factor in college basketball. The last team to win a championship with an underclassman big man was Villanova in 2017-18, Omari Spellman (freshman). TJD, Race Thompson, and Miller Kopp defensively have a huge advantage over the young frontcourt of the Blue Devils.

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