Brett Davis/US Presswire

A Southern California program mired in NCAA controversy has turned to Kevin O'Neill to right the ship.

10 Things To Know From The Offseason

By Andy Katz
ESPN.com

1. Turmoil at USC: Tim Floyd's decision to resign is still hard to fathom for members of his staff. They fully expected him to fight the allegations that he paid $1,000 to O.J. Mayo's handler, Rodney Guillory. Instead, Floyd folded and went home to Mississippi. The move meant the recruiting class collapsed and USC was officially in rebuilding mode. USC athletic director Mike Garrett pushed to get Pitt coach Jamie Dixon multiple times before he was rebuffed. He also interviewed former Sacramento Kings Reggie Theus. There were flirtations with others in the NBA, but Garrett decided on Kevin O'Neill. The onetime Arizona interim coach and former head coach at Marquette, Tennessee and Northwestern (who also made various stops in the NBA) shouldn't offer much change on the court because O'Neill, like Floyd, is a defensive-minded coach. But the challenge will be in recruiting. Don't expect the new coach to deal with handlers, whether doing so is clean or not. How O'Neill handles this gig will be one of the more interesting things to watch.

2. Signs of stabilization: The Trojans already were dealing with a recruiting mess, but it could have been made much worse had there been a massive defection. Keeping the staff intact under O'Neill helped. It also didn't hurt that some of the players had limited options. Seniors Dwight Lewis and Marcus Johnson couldn't have gone anywhere in Division I, and UNC transfer Alex Stepheson wasn't going to sit out another season. Keeping Leonard Washington and Marcus Simmons also was key in allowing the Trojans to maintain a strong man presence on defense. And Donte Smith gives the Trojans at least one point guard going forward.

3. Zona saves face, then raids USC: Arizona would have had serious egg on its face had it hired Tim Floyd. Landing Sean Miller was a major coup. He won big at Xavier and did it without indiscretion. He is a player's coach and loves to push the basketball, which was Lute Olson's forte for a quarter century. Miller kept up with two players he had been recruiting for Xavier, Kyryl Natyazhko and Kevin Parrom, who will play for the Wildcats. But the major coup was landing three players who had committed to USC: Lamont Jones, Solomon Hill and Derrick Williams. USC was expecting to make a run for a top-five finish in the Pac-10 with those recruits. Now Arizona can expect the same.

4. Wise decision: No one would have blamed Nic Wise if he had kept his name in the NBA draft, even if he wouldn't be selected. Chase Budinger and Jordan Hill had left, and he was about to play for his fourth coach in four seasons. But Wise was rational in his thinking and discovered he was better off returning and playing for a coach who can ensure he'll put up big numbers. Wise wasn't ready for the World University Games trials after withdrawing from the draft. But he should be good to go in the fall and, with a stellar recruiting class on board behind him, has a chance to lead the Wildcats to the NCAA tournament for the 26th straight season.

5. Wazzu pair star at USA trials: For the second time in three years, Washington State had two members on a USA Basketball team. Klay Thompson was a solid contributor for the gold-medal-winning under-19 team in New Zealand, averaging 7.8 points and 4.4 rebounds while shooting 51.6 percent of his 3s. He didn't show signs that his slight frame would be an issue. Meanwhile, DeAngelo Casto earned a spot with his rugged play at the trials. But a knee injury limited him to playing in just four of the nine games. He returned stateside to have surgery but is expected to be fine for the start of the season. Washington State coach Ken Bone has two anchors to keep the Cougars in the chase for an NCAA tourney berth.

6. Lee blossoms during the summer: Malcolm Lee came to UCLA with plenty of hype, but there was a logjam last season with Darren Collison returning and Jrue Holiday taking up plenty of minutes as a star freshman. Lee averaged 10.7 minutes in 29 games, putting up a modest 3.2 points and 0.6 assists a game. But the UCLA staff is giddy over reports that Lee became a workaholic this summer. He needed to and had to, because he'll be the Bruins' featured perimeter player. Lee increased his shooting range, and the expectation is he'll make a major jump from his freshman to sophomore seasons.

7. Pondexter earns spot at WUG: Washington's Quincy Pondexter needed to step out on his own this summer. He averaged 12.1 points and 5.9 boards last season, but he was playing in the shadow of Jon Brockman, the best rebounder the Huskies have seen. UW will be loaded on the perimeter, but rebounding will be by committee unless Pondexter can muster more work on the boards. He played well in the trials to earn a spot on the U.S. roster at the World University Games in Serbia, but he averaged only three rebounds a game during the event. Washington coach Lorenzo Romar was thrilled Pondexter earned the spot, but the forward still needs to improve his board work.

8. Oregon hires Mike Dunlap: Dunlap turned down Arizona's interim head-coaching job last year, allowing Russ Pennell to be the face of the program. But Dunlap was behind the scenes, using his basketball smarts to help the Wildcats reach the NCAA tournament. Oregon coach Ernie Kent shook up his staff by hiring Dunlap as his associate head coach and firing Mark Hudson, who had spent 12 seasons in Eugene. According to The Oregonian, Dunlap signed a two-year deal that will pay him $400,000 a year, with a signing bonus of $300,000 and additional incentives based on whether the Ducks make the NCAA tourney. That's big bucks for an assistant. Along with Kent, the pressure is on Dunlap to deliver and push OU out of the Pac-10 cellar.

9. Oregon State continues to recruit well: Beavers coach Craig Robinson hasn't had as much trouble selling Corvallis and Oregon State as originally projected when he earned the gig in 2008. The 2009 class was better than expected with contributors Joe Burton, Roberto Nelson, Rhys Murphy, Jared Cunningham and Australian Angus Brandt. Robinson then kept up his Chicago connections by locking up a commitment from Whitney Young High point guard Ahmad Starks. The Beavers were one of the surprise teams last season, claiming seven Pac-10 victories after none in 2007-08 and then winning the College Basketball Invitational. But to take the next step (the Big Dance), the Beavers would need to recruit well in 2009 and '10. So far, that has occurred.

10. Bears' Zhang shines for China: Max Zhang was an afterthought on California's roster last season. In just 15 games, the 7-foot-3 freshman center averaged just 1.3 points and 0.6 rebounds in 4.5 minutes a game. But he may have been the surprise of the summer out of the Pac-10. Zhang played for his native China at the World University Games, and he led the Chinese in rebounding in five of six games while averaging 18 points and 17.3 rebounds for the tournament. He led all players with his scoring and blocks (a total of 34 for an average of 5.6 a game). He was seventh in scoring and posted two triple-doubles. If he can do half of that for the Bears this season, they'll improve inside with a player they hardly expected to get better.

10 Key Players

By Andy Katz
ESPN.com

• Solomon Hill, Arizona: The freshman forward is considered one of the better offensive players in the high school Class of 2009. Hill flopped from Arizona to USC back to Arizona in his recruiting process. He should flourish under new coach Sean Miller, who always had his teams push the ball at Xavier. Hill can be a point-forward for the Wildcats, giving Miller even more offensive flexibility.

• Jamil Wilson, Oregon: Michigan State and Texas really coveted the freshman forward from Wisconsin. But Ducks assistant Kenny Payne worked his connections in the Midwest to land Wilson, who could end up being the Pac-10 freshman of the year. He's a skilled wing who can shoot from the baseline extended and handle the fall facing the basket. Oregon desperately needs another legit scorer, and Wilson may deliver early and often.

• Theo Robertson, Cal: Former Cal staffers have professed that had Robertson been healthy in 2007-08, they might still have their jobs. He was that critical to California. A year ago, in Mike Montgomery's first season, the 6-6 Robertson averaged 13.1 points and made 48.8 percent of his shots and 48.7 percent of his 3-pointers. Robertson had offseason hip surgery, but is expected to be ready to go in the fall. If his senior season is like his junior campaign, he'll prove to be just as valuable for the Bears.

• Alex Stepheson, USC: Stepheson was a solid role player for North Carolina two seasons ago during the Tar Heels' run to the Final Four. He would have played a significant role last season had he stayed, especially with the early injury to Tyler Hansbrough. But Stepheson bolted to USC to be closer to his family. Even with the coaching change to Kevin O'Neill, Stepheson is still being billed as a defensive stopper and an anchor in the middle. He brings experience, skills and a hunger to produce after sitting out last season.

• Landry Fields, Stanford: Fields performed quite well for first-year coach Johnny Dawkins last season. He went from averaging four points a game behind the Lopez twins to averaging a dozen last season. His minutes rose from 12 to 30 a game. Fields has a shot to be an All-Pac-10 performer on a rebuilding Stanford squad. If he can be a dominant scorer, the Cardinal have a chance to stay competitive in conference play.

• Nikola Dragovic, UCLA: Dragovic is the Bruins' top returning scorer (9.4 points per game), and he made 38.2 percent of his 3s last season. But more will be expected as a senior. Dragovic isn't a star. He's a complementary player. But he still can do more if he gets the touches. Dragovic can play facing the basket and, if need be, use his body a bit more in the post. He can be a difficult matchup if he gets his shot off from deep. But he must make himself more of a factor, especially on the defensive end.

• Roberto Nelson, Oregon State: Craig Robinson's pickup of Nelson was one of the first signs that he would be a player in the Southern California recruiting scene. He was coveted by the majority of Pac-10 schools and has the ball skills to flourish in Robinson's offensive passing-and-screening system. The Beavers return most of their team, but Nelson will be expected to claim major minutes. He's too good to keep off the court.

• Derek Glasser, Arizona State: Glasser was James Harden's high school teammate, and the two meshed quite well in leading the Sun Devils to the NCAA tournament. But now Glasser is alone and needs to provide even more scoring than the 8.8 points per game of last season. He shot the ball extremely well at 41.3 percent on 3s, averaged 4.8 assists and had nearly a 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. But he doesn't have Harden or Jeff Pendergraph to pass to anymore. So he may have to do more so that ASU doesn't plunge down the standings.

• Brock Motum, Washington State: Former Wazzu coach Tony Bennett found a gem at the Australian Institute of Sport. Motum has long been considered a highly coveted forward. New coach Ken Bone can expect him to step in immediately and make a major contribution. Motum, who's left-handed and 6-9, should be a game-changer for the Cougars.

• Abdul Gaddy, Washington: Memphis coveted Gaddy when John Calipari was still coaching. The Tacoma native originally was headed to Arizona, but he opted to play near his home at Washington. Gaddy should give coach Lorenzo Romar plenty of options on the perimeter. He has deep range and can get to the hole. The Huskies have had smaller point guards, but at 6-3, Gaddy is a more traditional playmaker who can give them a different defensive look.

10 Freshmen We Can't Wait To See

By Joel Francisco
Scouts Inc.

• Derrick Williams, PF, Arizona: Williams has progressed as much as any prospect on the West Coast in the past year. Because of his impressive frame (think: extreme length) and blossoming skill set, his upside is immense.

• Jamil Wilson, PF, Oregon: Wilson is a multiskilled, face-up 4-man. His level of intensity seems to fluctuate, but he can knock down the 3-point shot, handle things well in transition and deliver the nifty assist.

• Mike Moser, PF, UCLA: Offensively, Moser is a jump shot away from being an all-conference candidate. Defensively, he has the physical attributes to guard all three perimeter positions.

• Victor Rudd, SF, Arizona State: Certainly the biggest mystery of the incoming freshmen. He has oodles of talent, and his game has improved each and every season. Inconsistency is the only thing haunting this gifted wing.

• Kyryl Natyazhko, C, Arizona: With standout center Jordan Hill's departure to the NBA, Sean Miller will have to depend on Natyazhko sooner rather than later. He has an ideal frame for the 5-spot, and his versatile offensive game (an inside-out threat) should translate into an immediate impact.

• Abdul Gaddy, PG, Washington: He may not be a speed demon in transition, but his size, savvy and overall high basketball IQ are leaps and bounds ahead of his peers'. Seeing him play alongside sophomore phenom Isaiah Thomas will be wildly intriguing.

• Brock Motum, PF, Washington State: The Australian import put on quite a performance at the under-19 Four Nations tournament in Melbourne. This polished post prospect should be the most college-ready freshman in the conference.

• Roberto Nelson, SG, Oregon State: Nelson will bring a skill package that can affect the game on many different levels. He shoots from deep, rebounds and scores a bunch of points in transition.

• Solomon Hill, WF, Arizona: Although Hill needs to improve his jump shot, specifically from the 3-point line, the other aspects of his game are of a high level. He is a point-forward type who is a prolific passer and rebounder, and his midrange game is progressing as well.

• Tyler Honeycutt, WF, UCLA: He may be headed for a redshirt year if his lower back doesn't heal in time. Nonetheless, this late-blooming wing type has a bevy of upside. He can stroke the 3-point shot and pass with the best of them. And his shot-blocking ability is impressive.

10 Nonconference Games We Can't Wait To See

By Andy Katz
ESPN.com

• Cal versus Syracuse, Nov. 19 (Coaches vs. Cancer): Long before the Bears go to Kansas, they'll have a shot to make some noise in New York with one game against Syracuse and then another opposite either Ohio State or North Carolina. Cal needs to at least split at MSG to prove it has staying power for the long haul. It has as many veterans back as Ohio State and more than Syracuse and UNC.

• Washington State at Gonzaga, Dec. 2: The Cougs and Zags have developed quite a rivalry in the past few seasons. And this game has turned into a must-get for Wazzu because it doesn't face a daunting nonconference slate. Washington State will go to an Great Alaska Shootout with average opponents and draw a rebuilding LSU in Seattle. So no game could have as much meaning long term as the game in Spokane. If they win it, the Cougs will be taken more seriously.

• Kansas at UCLA, Dec. 6: The Bruins will be searching for a marquee win in nonconference play, something that eluded them last season. This game against Kansas will come on the heels of the 76 Classic in Anaheim. If the Bruins can't pick up quality wins in that event, the KU matchup at Pauley Pavilion will hold even more meaning.

• Arizona at Oklahoma, Dec. 6: We will know more about the Wildcats after their excursion to Maui. If Arizona can win twice at the Maui Invitational, the Cats won't need a true road win like this one. But if they don't, a game like this will take on even more meaning. OU is in transition without the Griffin brothers and hasn't had a feared home court. A win by Arizona in this Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series matchup would do wonders for its March profile.

• UCLA versus Mississippi State, Dec. 12 (Wooden Classic): The Bruins picked up a challenging opponent for their short trip to Anaheim. Getting Mississippi State early in the season should challenge UCLA's frontcourt more than any game besides KU. This game will come a week after UCLA plays the Jayhawks, so it may be in desperation mode for a quality win. And if Renardo Sidney is eligible, it will be interesting to see how he performs against the program he originally appeared to be leaning toward.

• Washington versus Georgetown, Dec. 12 (Wooden Classic): The Huskies don't have a marquee nonconference schedule, which is a bit surprising for a team that should contend for the conference title. Facing Georgetown in the Wooden Classic is the perfect neutral-site game to challenge this squad. The Hoyas could be a threat to win the Big East, and this could end up being a March type of win for the Huskies.

• Tennessee at USC, Dec. 19: Kevin O'Neill will get a shot at one of his many former employers, and USC will need a marquee win in nonconference play to stand out. Plucking off Tennessee at home certainly would suffice. The Trojans also will go to Texas and Georgia Tech, but expecting wins in those places may be a reach.

• UCLA at Notre Dame, Dec. 19: It's a true road game for the young Bruins, who won't have to deal with a raucous environment in any other game in the nonconference slate. How UCLA handles the Irish may be a good precursor as to how it'll do in the heart of the Pac-10 schedule in late February and early March.

• Cal at Kansas, Dec. 22: The Bears are the conference favorite, and that means they must perform well outside the league. Cal will get a shot to make a national name for itself in December when it goes to Allen Fieldhouse. No one should expect the Bears to beat the loaded Jayhawks, but this Christmas week game will offer up a golden chance for them to make themselves known as a national contender.

One potential matchup …

• UCLA versus Butler, Nov. 27 (76 Classic): If UCLA beats Portland and if Butler takes out Minnesota, the Bruins will have one of their most challenging games of the season against the Bulldogs. Playing Butler would be a stingy defensive affair. The Bulldogs have been known to keep the games in the 50s or low 60s, and UCLA doesn't mind playing in that range, either.