California Golden Bears
2018-19 record: 8-23, 3-15 in the Pac 12
Head coach: Mark Fox
Tenure at Cal: 1st season
Career coaching record: 286-176
Home court: Haas Pavilion
Starters: G Paris Austin, G Kareem South, G Matt Bradley, F Andre Kelly, C Lars Thiemann
Bench: G Joel Brown, G Juhwan Harris-Dyson, G Dimitris Klonaras, F D.J. Thorpe, F Grant Anticevich
Overview: After an absolutely disastrous season that saw the Golden Bears lose their first 15 conference games, Cal is in full rebuild mode and hopes to kickstart a turnaround with the hire of new head coach Mark Fox. With the transfers of Justice Sueing and Darius McNeill, two of the top three scorers from last season, Fox will count on veterans Paris Austin, Matt Bradley and Juhwan Harris-Dyson to help lead the team.
A complete overhaul of the roster features 17 players this season, including numerous walk-ons and several international recruits. Most prominent of the group is graduate transfer Kareem South, who will likely fill a starting guard role. As for rookies, the only player on the roster listed as a center is Lars Theimann from Germany, while Ontario native Joel Brown hopes to make an impact at the guard spot.
One thing that needs to go right: The mashup of incoming players, led by Kareem South, buy into Fox’s system and develop some chemistry on their way to a double-digit win season.
One thing that could go wrong: With little veteran presence on the team and a new coaching staff, the Golden Bears are a mess on both sides of the ball and remain last in the Pac-12.
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