March might be five months away, but it's never too early to start searching for potential national championship candidates.
With a crowded field of options, we take a look at some of the best value picks to take home the March Madness crown.
Texas (+1400)
When Texas brought in a championship-level coach in Chris Beard, the expectation was that it might take a little time to rebuild the program. However, after completely reloading the roster with loads of talent via the transfer portal, the Longhorns have a claim for the best 10-man group in college basketball.
Texas isn't just loaded at one position either. Guard is probably the team's deepest spot, with double-digit scorers Courtney Ramey and Andrew Jones joined by the nation's top transfer Marcus Carr, former five-star Devin Askew, and top-35 recruit Jaylon Tyson. Meanwhile, the forward group is made up of Dylan Disu, Tre Mitchell, Christian Bishop, and Timmy Allen - all transfers who averaged at least 11 points and 6.4 rebounds last season.
All told, the Longhorns' current players combined to score 122.8 points per game last year at their various schools. The scariest part for opponents is that Beard's reputation is that of an ace defensive coach. While it may take some time for all the pieces to come together, this group should be in top form come March Madness. Tied for the fourth-best odds to win it all, bettors should trust the overwhelming personnel Texas has at its disposal.
Kansas (+2000)
Staying in the Big 12, Kansas has all of the qualifications needed to be a championship-level squad. Hall of Fame coach Bill Self leads the way with his hard-nosed defensive approach. Transfers Remy Martin and Joseph Yesufu are both quality lead ball-handlers, while Ochai Agbaji, Jalen Wilson, and Christian Braun are talented wings that have the ability to score 30 points on any given night. Not to mention, senior big man David McCormack is a contender for conference player of the year.
What sets the Jayhawks below the Longhorns in betting odds is their lower ceiling. Kansas' roster largely consists of players that are known commodities, many of which were in similar roles prior to this season. With that being said, having the 11th-best odds to win a national championship at +2000 makes this group undervalued in the market. Kansas is a relatively safe bet to be a top-two seed come March and should be in the Final Four conversation all season long.
Oregon (+4000)
A common theme in our national champion best bets is that it takes a village to win in March. Texas and Kansas are deep, well-balanced squads - Oregon is no different. The Ducks' Will Richardson, Quincy Guerrier, and De'Vion Harmon were selected to a Pac-12 preseason all-conference team, and the Ducks feature a tight seven-man rotation entirely filled with starter-quality players.
Coach Dana Altman is no amateur when it comes to March Madness runs either, taking Oregon to the Sweet 16 or deeper in five of his 11 seasons in Eugene. This squad may not have a household name or a projected lottery pick, but the collective talent is enough for the Ducks to make a deep tournament push. Sitting at the 20th-best odds to bring home the trophy, Oregon is a team worth taking a flier on as the season commences.
Nevada (+25000)
Every year, a deep sleeper from a non-Power 5 conference emerges to be a real threat come tournament time, and this season's Nevada squad has the potential to be just that. A Cinderella team needs a star, and the Wolfpack have one in guard Grant Sherfield. He dropped 18.6 points and 6.1 assists per game last season en-route to making the Mountain West Conference's first team. Entering his junior season, it is possible Sherfield finishes as an All-American.
Nevada surrounds Sherfield with tons of talent, including last year's backcourt mate: sharpshooter Desmond Cambridge. Joining the team via the transfer portal is double-double machine AJ Bramah and former top-40 recruit Will Baker. Plus, coach Steve Alford has taken four teams to the Sweet 16, including mid-major Missouri State in 1999. All signs point to the Wolfpack being a valuable wild card to throw a little money on at +25000.
