Last year, the SEC really took a step forward in men’s basketball, proving it wasn’t just Kentucky and a bunch of other teams.

Tennessee and Auburn split the regular-season title, with Kentucky looking sharp while winning the SEC Tournament. This year, there should be plenty more talent returning to courts across the southeast.

Indeed, in CBS Sports’ ranking of the top 101 players heading into 2018-19, 17 SEC players were named, led by Tennessee F Grant Williams at No. 6:

  • No. 6 — Grant Williams, F, Tennessee
  • No. 11 — Tremont Waters, G, LSU
  • No. 18 — Reid Travis, F, Kentucky
  • No. 27 — Daniel Gafford, C, Arkansas
  • No. 28 — Jalen Hudson, G, Florida
  • No. 29 — P.J. Washington, F, Kentucky
  • No. 40 — Jontay Porter, F, Mizzou
  • No. 47 — Keldon Johnson, G, Kentucky
  • No. 51 — Chris Silva, F, South Carolina
  • No. 52 — Quindarry Weatherspoon, G, Mississippi State
  • No. 53 — Admiral Schofield, G/F, Tennessee
  • No. 57 — Darius Garland, G, Vanderbilt
  • No. 69 — Ashton Hagans, G, Kentucky
  • No. 73 — Bryce Brown, G, Auburn
  • No. 77 — KeVaughn Allen, G, Florida
  • No. 88 — Austin Wiley, C, Auburn
  • No. 92 — Naz Reid, F, LSU