Trio of one: unparalleled parity makes this season as wide-open as ever, with three teams—Oklahoma, Arizona, and Kansas—the cream of the crop - thanks, mid-majors - Men's Top 25

Basketball Digest, Dec, 2002 by Tom Kertes

Yes, The Kids Are (more than) All Right--and they'll get veteran leadership from takeover point guard Chris Duhon, extraathletic swinger Dahntay Jones, and underrated 2-guard Daniel Ewing. All three own NBA futures--and, after last year's Sweet 16 disappointment, are ready to rumble. The Dukies are hurtin', which means the rest of the nation better get ready for some serious pain.

This team, with big rookies Shelden Williams and Michael Thompson both natural paint options, will feature far better balance than last year's. And the perimeter game should be equally good with Ewing, Duhon, and can't miss 6'4" rook J.J. Reddick, who made hamburgers out of his hapless defenders at the McDonald's All-America game (26 points, MVP). The only possible chinks in the armor are inexperience.

8. GEORGETOWN

Welcome to Sleeper City. The Hoyas, just 19-11 last year, missed the NCAA Tournament (and refused the NIT). They even jeopardized well-liked coach Craig Esherick's job in the process, because, as he says, "we failed to do the little things."

Indeed, when was the last time a Hoya team shot this well from the are (34.7%, fourth in the Big East) or the charity stripe (72.5%, third)? However, Georgetown stunk in those down-to-earth intangibles they used to excel at, such as boxing out, forcing opponents into bad shots, and making the extra dish.

The reasons ranged from selfishness--point guard Kevin Braswell was malting his NBA run--to inexperience. But those gifted freshman guards are now sophomores and ... well, you know the rest.

The frontcourt is the best in the land, with mooseman Mike Sweemey (19.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg) dominating eight feet and in and 6'11" center Wesley Wilson (12.2 ppg and 6.2 rpg in just 25 mpg), he of the million moves and superglue hands, coming on like gangbusters.

9. WESTERN KENTUCKY

The moment center Chris Marcus announced that he'd return to school for a fifth year, the Hilltoppers became major national contenders. And if he's fully healthy--Marcus played only 15 hobbled games last season due to a recurring stress fracture in his left foot--WKU even may become the best mid-major ever.

They beat Kentucky on the road last year--and won 15 in a row at one point without the nation's lone legitimate life-size center. "We're not a one-man team," coach Dennis Felton insists. But the 7'11" Marcus, who managed 15.9 ppg and 8.9 rpg on one leg, does make things a tad easier for the other outstanding Toppers.

Six-eight David Boyden has versatility (11.3 ppg, 6.1 rpg) that gives Western an almost nonpareil frontcourt. Soph swing guard Patrick Sparks (10.2 ppg and 3.7 apg in 23 mpg, with freshman records in assists, steals, and treys) gives you John Stockton flashbacks with his cleverly efficient play. Senior sniper Mike Wells explodes off the bench--8.9 ppg in 21 mpg--and a couple of big East Europeans, 6'4" Filip Videnov and 6'9" Todor Pandov, bring a touch of tough to Western's well-balanced equation.

10. XAVIER

The Musketeers hovered on the edge of greatness last season, when they went 26-6 before giving Final Four-bound Oklahoma a terrific tussle in the NCAA Tournament's second round. Without a doubt, with four returning starters, this could be the team to bring the struggling Atlantic 10 back to prominence.