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NCAA basketball power rankings: Way-too-early Top 10 for 2022-2023

By Mike Phillips

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 17: Oscar Tshiebwe #34 of the Kentucky Wildcats against the Saint Mary's Gaels during the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 17, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 17: Oscar Tshiebwe #34 of the Kentucky Wildcats against the Saint Mary's Gaels during the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 17, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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WACO, TX – JANUARY 15: LJ Cryer #4 of the Baylor Bears scores with a three-point shot against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the second half at the Ferrell Center on January 15, 2022, in Waco, Texas. Oklahoma State won 61-54. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
WACO, TX – JANUARY 15: LJ Cryer #4 of the Baylor Bears scores with a three-point shot against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the second half at the Ferrell Center on January 15, 2022, in Waco, Texas. Oklahoma State won 61-54. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) /

The NCAA basketball season may be over but it is never too early to start looking ahead to the 2022-23 NCAA Power Rankings for a peek at the Top 10.

The national championship between Kansas and North Carolina, complete with a historic comeback from the Jayhawks, wrapped up a few hours ago but the world of college basketball never sleeps. After a thrilling March Madness filled with epic moments and shocking upsets, the focus of the sport now shifts to a potentially wild offseason filled with NBA Draft decisions, unprecedented player movement through the transfer portal, and decisions from the top recruits left on the board that could alter the sport’s landscape heading into next season.

A lot will change between now and the start of the season in November but let’s take a stab at some NCAA Power Rankings for the Top 10 teams entering the 2022-23 campaign. For the purposes of this exercise, we are operating based on current roster commitments, the presumption that seniors will graduate and not exercise their bonus COVID year, and that players projected to be consensus first-round picks will declare for the NBA Draft.

10. 2022-23 NCAA Power Rankings – Baylor Bears

Everything came crashing down for Baylor, which was the nation’s top-ranked team for a significant stretch of the season, after guard L.J. Cryer sustained a serious foot injury. Cryer missed 13 of the Bears’ final 14 games, including an NCAA Tournament loss to North Carolina, but the good news is that he should be back to help lead Baylor’s offense again next season.

James Akinjo is graduating while Jeremy Sochan may jump to the pros but Scott Drew should have both Adam Flagler and Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua back to team with Cryer as the core of this roster. That trio is a good foundation for the Bears, who are also adding five-star guard Keyonte George to the backcourt for some more firepower.

The swing man on this projection is forward Kendall Brown, who could opt to go pro if he receives positive feedback from NBA scouts at the combine. Even if Brown goes, Baylor figures to be an attractive destination for forwards in the transfer portal so don’t be shocked if a big name or two finds their way to Waco next season.