Tennessee just one reason SEC basketball could be even better next season

John Adams
Knoxville
Tennessee’s Jordan Bone shoots against Florida on Wednesday, February 21, 2018.

A few years ago, SEC basketball didn't come to mind when you mentioned the best conferences. Now, it’s as good as any league in the country.

And that’s why this week’s SEC tournament in St. Louis is so appealing.

The league surely will place seven teams in the NCAA tournament. It could get an eighth if an underdog wins the tournament.

The conference’s lesser teams aren’t your typical underdogs. The regular season proved that the bottom four teams can beat the top four.

But if you’re reveling in the robust health of SEC basketball, you will be encouraged by what’s coming next. As formidable as the conference has become, it might not have peaked.

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There’s not just talent in the conference. There’s young talent.

For example, take SEC regular-season co-champions Tennessee and Auburn.

All of Auburn’s starters and top contributors off the bench are eligible to return next season. The Tigers will add transfer guard Shamir Doughty, who averaged nine points per game at VCU in 2016-2017.

Tennessee will lose only backup guard James Daniel.Three of its starters – Jordan Bowden, Jordan Bone and Grant Williams – are sophomores.

So, either UT or Auburn could repeat as champion next season.

But they will have plenty of competition that could come from teams unlikely to qualify for this year's NCAA tournament.

More:Vols basketball solidifying status in NCAA Tournament bracketology

More:Tennessee could be just as good in postseason as regular season

More:Vols basketball clinches share of SEC championship with win against Georgia

Mississippi State has won 21 games and is 9-9 in the conference. However, a weak non-conference schedule is apt to leave it in the NIT.

But wait until next year.

The Bulldogs’ starting lineup could return intact. Their most productive reserves also could be back. And there’s help on the way.

Mississippi State’s recruiting class is No. 9 in 247Sports composite team rankings. It includes five-star power forward Reggie Perry.

Three other SEC programs – Kentucky, LSU and Vanderbilt – also have top-10 classes.

Florida, which finished third in the regular season, has the nation’s 16th-ranked class. Most significantly, it signed five-star point guard Andrew Nemhard, who could replace senior Chris Chiozza. The Gators will lose senior shooting guard Egor Koulechov, but their other three starters will return.

Alabama will have plenty of talent returning, even though freshman point guard Collin Sexton is probably NBA bound.

Missouri and Georgia will lose outstanding players, and Texas A&M could lose a couple of players to the pros. But all three will return at least three starters.

South Carolina should return five of its top seven players, including Chris Silva, one of the league’s top players.

LSU will return star freshman point guard Tremont Waters and two other starters. Although it loses senior post players Duop Reath and Aaron Epps, it will bring in three recruits 6-foot-7 or taller, including a pair of five-star power forwards, Nazreon Reid and Emmitt Williams.

Never mind how many Kentucky players move on to the NBA. There's another top-10 recruiting class waiting in the wings.

But, as this season proved, Kentucky can no longer count on one acclaimed recruiting class separating it from the rest of the SEC. The league is too strong and balanced for that now.

And it could be even stronger next season. 

John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or john.adams@knoxnews.com. Follow him at: Twitter.com/johnadamskns.