Its really simple. Egor and Catchings are both NBA players and likely first round draft picks. The only guy even close to NBA caliber last year IMO was JR. And JR likely would have been a second round pick at best and desitned for the D league. SJ was a good solid college player but that was all he was.

Furthermore Waterman and Khalifa may have a future in Europe or China but neither one will play in the NBA.

Last year's team was a good team it was the old adage "the whole is greater than the sum of the parts." Some have pointed to the NET ranking, which was nice but in the end the team was bounced in the first round of the tournament, and I think it was a situation of them not having that ONE guy why can get you that shot when you need it the most.

This team took the best parts: Hall, Saunders, Knell, and Baker and added two NBA level guys, as well as a whole bunch more talent. Keita, Crawford, Boscovich, Mag, and Kozlowski are all better or have more upside than the guys who left or graduated.

Tjhis year could be something special if the parts gel together.