The UConn Huskies established themselves as one of the greatest college basketball teams ever Monday night, throttling Purdue and winning their 12th consecutive NCAA Tournament game by at least 13 points. 

But the Huskies won’t look the same next season.

While head coach Dan Hurley has ensured fans he won’t be leaving Storrs, we still don’t know what the (perhaps monster) contract offer from Kentucky will look like.

The Huskies are still close to the top of the oddsboards to pull off a three-peat.

However, Kansas and Duke are listed with shorter odds. 

Let’s dive into some of the favorites alongside the team I’m watching closely in the early offseason markets.

Many of the top Duke (11/1) players from this season’s Elite Eight squad could move on. I don’t expect Kyle Filipowski to return. 

However, sharpshooting freshman guard Jared McCain could still return alongside backcourt mates Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster, and Jeremy Roach could use his fifth-year option. 

If they all return, they’d be paired with the most exciting high school prospect in a decade. 

For good reason, Cooper Flagg is the consensus top overall prospect from the 2024 class.

He’s an elite two-way player with a high IQ. 

His offensive footwork and shooting skills give him a high three-level scoring floor, but his playmaking and passing skills offer a point-forward upside. 

Meanwhile, he’s a tremendous off-ball defender and rim protector who can block two or three shots per game. 

I’m seeing shades of Chet Holmgren but with arguably more athleticism.  

Jon Scheyer also recruited a top-five prospect in Khaman Maluach to play alongside Flagg in the frontcourt.

The Blue Devils will be as talented as ever, but I’m waiting to see what happens with McCain and Roach before investing. If the Blue Devils return both, Duke will boast a dominant backcourt and frontcourt. 

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Kansas (+1200), UConn (+1500), Alabama (+1500), North Carolina (+1500), Houston (+1500) and Arizona (+2000) all have relatively short odds in the markets. 

None of these teams entice me. 

Among this group, Houston is the most interesting. 

Four of its five starters have confirmed they will return, led by guard LJ Cryer and forwards J’Wan Roberts and JaVier Francis. Kelvin Sampson has the personnel to run his dominant ball-screen blitz defense. 

If Jamal Shead decides to return, the Cougars would be the preseason top overall team and likely worth a wager. 

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Gonzaga (+3000) is currently undervalued. 

After a somewhat shaky start, Mark Few built chemistry with his group, turning the Bulldogs back into an unstoppable offense through Ryan Nembhard’s ball-screen sets and Graham Ike’s post-play. 

Even better, Ike became one of the nation’s best interior defenders, leading a defense that ranked among the top 10 nationally in most interior defensive metrics. 

Four of Gonzaga’s five starters will return for the upcoming season, giving Few extra time for chemistry and development. They built momentum, and the Bulldogs are primed to build on their excellent second half. 

Ben Gregg’s improvement offers tremendous upside. He played like an All-American down the stretch, bringing extra firepower to the Zags with his floor-spacing, shooting and pinpoint passing. The Zags could space the floor and move the ball much better with an improved Gregg, and he may improve more.

Adding Michael Ajayi from Pepperdine gives Few more shot creation and dribble penetration – Ajayi averaged 17 points per game at Pepperdine – and getting sharpshooting wing Steele Venters back from his season-ending injury gives Gonzaga some much-needed 3-and-D depth.   

If Few can adequately replace Anton Watson while snagging some extra depth in the portal, the Bulldogs will be deadly. 

They’re currently priced as the 12th-best team, but ESPN and 247’s way-too-early top-25 rankings have the Zags as the nation’s second-best squad. 

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I’m also somewhat interested in Iowa State (+4000). 

TJ Otzleberger built the nation’s best defense in Ames, using a ball-screen blitz and no-middle combination to stifle defenses at the point of attack and point-blank range. 

While anchor Rob Jones won’t return, Otzleberger should find forwards to step up – the Cyclones’ defense is more about scheme than players. Specifically, I’d look toward Charlotte transfer Dishon Jackson to help fill that role. 

Meanwhile, superstar point guard Tamin Lipsey should return, and he’s primed for significant improvements following a monster freshman season. 

A great defense and excellent point guard is a winning combination. 

Returning Keshon Gilbert at the other guard spot is massive, and returning Milan Momcilovic while bringing in transfer Northern Iowa Nate Heise helps the Cyclones’ wing depth. 

I think Iowa State is a top-10 team as currently constructed, yet the Cyclones are priced closer to the nation’s 15th-best team. 

I’d closely watch Cyclone futures, especially if senior Curtis Jones returns for a fifth collegiate season, creating a deadly backcourt trio.