Having lost their top three scorers from last season, the Cal Golden Bears lose a ton of athleticism but bring back future lottery pick, Ivan Rabb.
Cal Golden Bears
Last Season: T-3rd, 12-6 in Pac-12, 23-11 overall
Predicted Pac-12 Finish: 8th
Projected Depth Chart
C: Kameron Rooks (Jr)/Kingsley Okoroh (Jr)
PF: Ivan Rabb (So)/Roger Moute a Bidias (Sr)
G/F: Jabari Bird (Sr)/Stephen Domingo (Sr)/Roman Davis (Fr)
SG: Grant Mullins (Sr)/Don Coleman (So)
PG: Sam Singer (Sr)/Charlie Moore (Fr)/Brandon Chauca (So)
Gone: PG-Tyrone Wallace, SF-Jaylen Brown, Jordan Matthews (transfer-Gonzaga)
Strengths:
With Ivan Rabb’s decision to return for his sophomore season, Cal has a huge starting frontcourt with the 6-11 Rabb and seven-footer, Kameron Rooks. Rabb, who often played center last season but should shift to his more natural power forward position, should be one of the top big men in the country while Rooks returned from a torn ACL to play his role well inside as a physical, rebounding presence. Cuonzo Martin also brings 7-1 big man Kingsley Okoroh off the bench.
In addition to their size inside, the Golden Bears have a dangerous duo of perimeter threats in Jabari Bird and Columbia grad transfer, Grant Mullins. Bird connected on 41% of his three-point attempts a season ago while Mullins knocked hit on 39% of his triple tries.
Question Marks:
With Tyrone Wallace graduating, Jaylen Brown leaving early for the NBA Draft, and Jordan Matthews choosing to transfer, Cal loses three athletic wings who were at their best attacking the basket. Sam Singer takes the reins at the point and is serviceable but not a great athlete. Bird and Mullins are known more as shooters. Freshman Charlie Moore and JUCO transfer Don Coleman should help some but Martin doesn’t have near the athleticism he did last year.
Cal Golden Bears Player to Watch:
Rabb could have easily left for the NBA and been a likely lottery pick but he instead decided to come back to school so that he could continue to work on his all-around game. That is a rare move made by someone facing millions of dollars. As a result, Rabb goes from being the fourth offensive option to the go-to threat for Cal which should only help his development.
X-Factor:
A former McDonald’s All-American, Bird has had a disappointing college career and looks to make amends as a senior. He battled nagging injuries his first two years which stunted his growth and impact as a player. FInally healthy last season, Bird took a backseat to his starting teammates but needs to emerge as a big-time scorer this year if Cal is going to get back to the tourney.
Looking Ahead to 2017-18:
Cal picked up a huge transfer in former Kentucky forward, Marcus Lee who should help fill the void when Rabb likely leaves for the NBA. Martin has already secured four verbal commits from wings in the 2017 class led by top 100 shooting guard, Jemari Baker. With Bird, Mullins, Singer, and Stephen Domingo all graduating, the Cal Golden Bears need as much wing help they can find.
Key Non-Conference Games:
11/11 vs. South Dakota State
11/21 vs. San Diego State (in Sacramento)
11/25 vs. Wyoming
11/30 vs. Louisiana Tech
12/6 vs. Princeton (Pearl Harbor Tournament)
12/7 vs. Seton Hall (Pearl Harbor Tournament)
12/21 vs. Virginia
David Kay is a senior feature NBA Draft, NBA, and college basketball writer for the Sports Bank. He also heads up the NBA and college basketball material at Walter Football.com and is a former contributor at The Washington Times Communities. David has appeared on numerous national radio programs spanning from Cleveland to New Orleans to Milwaukee to Honolulu. He also had the most accurate 2011 NBA Mock Draft and the most accurate 2012 NBA Mock Draft on the internet (Yup, repeat champ… #humblebrag), and finished with the second most accurate 2013 NBA Mock Draft (nearly a three-peat.) You can follow him on Twitter at David_Kmiecik.