ESPN gives blue-blood program, not UConn, early edge in 2024-25 CBB rankings

March Madness is officially over and UConn is the king of college hoops after back-to-back national championship wins for Dan Hurley and his Huskies.

A three-peat is far from a guarantee for UConn, though, especially with several other programs expecting to be big-time contenders in 2025.

Top among them, at least according to way too early 2024-25 rankings from ESPN, will be Duke. Head coach Jon Scheyer is bringing in the top recruiting class in the nation — highlighted by No. 1 overall recruit Cooper Flagg — and the Dukies are expected to be extremely good as a result.

"Scheyer will have two of the best NBA prospects in the country next season, in No. 1 recruit Cooper Flagg and projected top-five NBA draft pick Khaman Maluach, but the Blue Devils could have point guard issues if Jeremy Roach decides not to take advantage of his fifth option year," Jeff Borzello of ESPN wrote, explaining why he's ranking Duke No. 1 in the early going.

It's interesting to note that John Calipari leaving Kentucky for Arkansas could really shake up things next season. One, will Kentucky find an adequate replacement? Even more intriguing is whether or not Calipari can replicate his early success at Kentucky with the Razorbacks.

There's also, of course, Kansas and Bill Self to consider and a Gonzaga team that could be bringing a ton of talent back next season.

In all, it should be competitive, and that's not even figuring in another run by Hurley and the Huskies.

At least for now, though, the early edge should go to Duke.