It’s one thing to lose a player early to the NBA Draft who is a projected first-round pick. Or even a projected second-round pick. But it stings a different way, coaches will tell you, when they lose someone early who is important to them but almost certainly won’t be selected.

It’s now happened to Kelvin Sampson in back-to-back years.

Nate Hinton, Houston’s third-leading scorer this past season, announced Monday night that he’s forgoing his final two years of eligibility to remain in the 2020 NBA Draft just one year after Armoni Brooks, Houston’s second-leading scorer two seasons ago, announced that he was forgoing his final year of eligibility to remain in the 2019 NBA Draft. Brooks wasn’t drafted then. Hinton likely won’t be drafted now. And, just so we’re clear, I don’t write that as a criticism of their decisions because they’re obviously free to do whatever they like. It’s simply two statements of fact.

Either way, it’s not good for Houston.

But the Cougars are still expected to return five of the top six scorers from a team that won the AAC and finished 14th at KenPom. So they’ll be good again. And that’s why they’ve only slipped to No. 9 in Version 15.0 of the 2020-21 CBS Sports Preseason Top 25 And 1.

If you’ve been following these updates, you know that what I do is assume all consensus projected first-round picks will remain in the NBA Draft, make educated guesses about other underclassmen, and omit (for now) all traditional sit-out transfers. As always, when I need to adjust, I’ll adjust. Version 16.0 is likely right around the corner. But, at this moment, Gonzaga is No. 1 based on the idea that everybody who can return from a team that finished 31-2 will return from a team that finished 31-2. If that happens, the Zags will be led by All-American Filip Petrusev, have three of their top five scorers back, and benefit from a top-10 recruiting class highlighted by five-star guard Jalen Suggs.

Updated Top 25 And 1 rankings

Updated Top 25 And 1 roster analysis

1. Gonzaga

Coach: Mark Few

2019-20 record: 31-2

Notable players definitely gone: Killian Tillie, Ryan Woolridge, Admon Gilder
Notable players expected to also leave: N/A
Notable players expected to return: Filip Petrusev, Corey Kispert, Joel Ayayi, Drew Timme, Anton Watson, Pavel Zakharov, Martynas Arlauskas, Will Graves, Matthew Lang
Expected additions: Jalen Suggs, Julian Strawther, Dominick Harris, Oumar Ballo, Aaron Cook 

2. Baylor 

Coach: Scott Drew

2019-20 record: 26-4

Notable players definitely gone: Freddie Gillespie, Devonte Bandoo
Notable players expected to also leave: N/A
Notable players expected to return: Jared Butler, MaCio Teague, Davion Mitchell, Mark Vital, Matthew Mayer, Tristan Clark, Flo Thamba
Expected additions: Dain Dainja, LJ Cryer, Zach Loveday, Adam Flagler, Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua

3. Villanova

Coach: Jay Wright

2019-20 record: 24-7

Notable players definitely gone: N/A
Notable players expected to also leave: Saddiq Bey
Notable players expected to return: Collin Gillespie, Justin Moore, Jermaine Samuels, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Cole Swider, Brandon Slater, Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree, Bryan Antoine
Expected additions: Caleb Daniels, Eric Dixon  

4. Virginia

Coach: Tony Bennett

2019-20 record: 23-7

Notable players definitely gone: Mamadi Diakite, Braxton Key
Notable players expected to also leave: N/A
Notable players expected to return: Kihei Clark, Jay Huff, Tomas Woldetensae, Casey Morsell, Kody Stattman, Francisco Caffaro, Justin McKoy
Expected additions: Sam Hauser, Jabri Abdur-Rahim, Reece Beekman, Carson McCorkle, Kadin Shedrick

5. Iowa

Coach: Fran McCaffery

2019-20 record: 20-11

Notable players definitely gone: Ryan Kriener, Bakari Evelyn, Cordell Pemsl
Notable players expected to also leave: N/A
Notable players expected to return: Luka Garza, Joe Wieskamp, CJ Fredrick, Jordan Bohannon, Joe Toussaint, Connor McCaffery, Jack Nunge
Expected additions: Ahron Ulis, Tony Perkins, Josh Ogundele, Keegan Murray, Kris Murray

6. Kansas

Coach: Bill Self

2019-20 record: 28-3

Notable players definitely gone: Devon Dotson, Udoka Azubuike, Isaiah Moss
Notable players expected to also leave: N/A
Notable players expected to return: Ochai Agbaji, Marcus Garrett, David McCormack, Christian Braun, Silvio De Sousa, Tristan Enaruna, Mitch Lightfoot
Expected additions: Bryce Thompson, Tyon Grant-Foster, Gethro Muscadin, Latrell Jossell

7. Duke

Coach: Mike Krzyzewski

2019-20 record: 25-6

Notable players definitely gone: Vernon Carey, Tre Jones, Cassius Stanley, Alex O’Connell, Javin DeLaurier, Jack White
Notable players expected to also leave: N/A
Notable players expected to return: Matthew Hurt, Wendell Moore, Joey Baker, Jordan Goldwire
Expected additions: Jalen Johnson, Jeremy Roach, DJ Steward, Mark Williams, Jaemyn Brakefield, Henry Coleman

8. Creighton

Coach: Greg McDermott

2019-20 record: 24-7

Notable players definitely gone: Ty-Shon Alexander, Kelvin Jones, Davion Mintz
Notable players expected to also leave: N/A
Notable players expected to return: Marcus Zegarowski, Denzel Mahoney, Mitch Ballock, Jacob Epperson, Damien Jefferson, Christian Bishop, Shareef Mitchell, Jalen Windham, Jett Canfield
Expected additions: Antwann Jones, Ryan Kalkbrenner, Rati Andronikashvili

9. Houston

Coach: Kelvin Sampson

2019-20 record: 23-8

Notable players definitely gone: Nate Hinton,Chris Harris
Notable players expected to also leave: N/A
Notable players expected to return: Caleb Mills, Quentin Grimes, Fabian White, DeJon Jarreau, Marcus Sasser, Justin Gorham, Brison Gresham, Cedrick Alley
Expected additions: Tramon Mark, Jamal Shead, Kiyron Powell, Cameron Tyson, J’Wan Roberts

10. Wisconsin

Coach: Greg Gard

2019-20 record: 21-10

Notable players definitely gone: Brevin Pritzl
Notable players expected to also leave: N/A
Notable players expected to return: Nate Reuvers, Micah Potter, Brad Davison, D’Mitrik Trice, Aleem Ford, Tyler Wahl, Trevor Anderson
Expected additions: Ben Carlson, Johnny Davis, Lorne Bowman, Steven Crowl, Jordan Davis

11. Michigan State

Coach: Tom Izzo

2019-20 record: 22-9

Notable players definitely gone: Cassius Winston, Kyle Aherns
Notable players expected to also leave: Xavier Tillman
Notable players expected to return: Aaron Henry, Rocket Watts, Gabe Brown, Malik Hall, Marcus Bingham, Thomas Kithier, Foster Loyer, Julius Marble
Expected additions: Joey Hauser, Mady Sissoko, AJ Hoggard

12. Tennessee

Coach: Rick Barnes

2019-20 record: 17-14

Notable players definitely gone: Jordan Bowden, Jalen Johnson
Notable players expected to also leave: N/A
Notable players expected to return: John Fulkerson, Yves Pons, Santiago Vescovi, Josiah-Jordan James, Olivier Nkamhoua, Uros Plavsic, Davonte Gaines
Expected additions: Jaden Springer, Keon Johnson, Corey Walker, Malachi Wideman, Victory Bailey, E.J. Anosike

13. West Virginia

Coach: Bob Huggins

2019-20 record: 21-10

Notable players definitely gone: Jermaine Haley, Chase Harler, Brandon Knapper, Logan Routt, 
Notable players expected to also leave: N/A
Notable players expected to return: Oscar Tshiebwe, Derek Culver, Miles McBride, Emmitt Matthews, Sean McNeil, Taz Sherman, Jordan McCabe, Gabe Osabuohien
Expected additions: Isaiah Cottrell, Taj Thweatt, Kedrian Johnson, Jalen Bridges

14. Texas Tech

Coach: Chris Beard

2019-20 record: 18-13

Notable players definitely gone: TJ Holyfield, Chris Clarke
Notable players expected to also leave: Jahmi’us Ramsey
Notable players expected to return: Davide Moretti, Kyler Edwards, Terrence Shannon, Kevin McCullar, Clarence Nadolny, Avery Benson, Russsel Tchewa, Andrei Savrasov
Expected additions: Marcus Santos-Silva, Nimari Burnett, Micah Perry, Chibuzo Agbo, Joel Ntambe

15….