ESPN's " way too early top 25 for 2015-16"

18. LSU Tigers

LSU basketball fans, assuming they exist, began November with a glorious vision: That, when the class of 2015's top overall prospect -- uber-star Ben Simmons -- arrived in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, he would join two fellow first-rounders and form a bona fide national title contender. Instead, both Jarell Martin and Jordan Mickey will take their talents to the NBA, and what could have been an obscenely loaded team will instead have to settle for being merely fascinating. By all accounts, Simmons is the real deal, not only a preternaturally skilled future pro but a great, unselfish passer to boot. And he'll be joined by fellow McDonald's All American Antonio Blakeney, the No. 2-ranked shooting guard, and No. 14-ranked player, in the ESPN 100. What else will LSU have? There is rising senior Keith Hornsby, who had a solid 2014-15 as the Tigers' lone perimeter threat -- and could, in an ideal configuration, pair with Blakeney to spread the floor and keep defenses honest against Simmons. Unfortunately, given the Tigers' lack of execution in key moments all season, and the occasionally baffling (and baffled) work of coach Johnny Jones, it's a major stretch to use the words "LSU" and "ideal configuration" in the same sentence. Simmons is not to be missed. Beyond that, who knows?

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