California Last season: 21-13, lost first round of NIT. Nickname: Golden Bears. Coach: Wyking Jones, first season. Conference: Pac-12. Who’s gone: Coach Cuonzo Martin, now at Missouri; Ivan Rabb, Jabari Bird, Charlie Moore (transfer to Kansas). Who’s back: C Kingsley
California
Last season: 21-13, lost first round of NIT.
Nickname: Golden Bears.
Coach: Wyking Jones, first season.
Conference: Pac-12.
Who’s gone: Coach Cuonzo Martin, now at Missouri; Ivan Rabb, Jabari Bird, Charlie Moore (transfer to Kansas).
Who’s back: C Kingsley Okoroh, Cal’s lone returning starter.
Who’s new: Marcus Lee, transfer from Kentucky who sat out last season.
The Skinny: Cal is rebuilding under first-year coach Jones and picked to finish 11th in the Pac-12 after losing so much of its power in Rabb, Bird and Moore. The Bears lost to Cal State Bakersfield in the first round of the NIT and coach Cuonzo Martin immediately departed to take over Missouri. It could be tough to compete nightly in the talented Pac-12 given the lack of experience and scoring threats the Golden Bears had before.
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