College basketball teams will start practice in just about a month.
And every program will face questions once those sessions begin.
What's the starting rotation? Can new players jell with the returning players? Will new coaches connect with their teams in their first seasons?
Some programs will encounter more significant questions before practice begins. Here are the biggest ones:
Will the NCAA clear Marvin Bagley III to practice and compete in the near future?
When Bagley, now the No. 1 recruit in the 2017 class per ESPN, announced on SportsCenter his decision to reclassify and play for Duke in 2017-18 -- more on that later -- he made the Blue Devils the favorites to win the NCAA crown this season.
He's a versatile 6-foot-10 forward who will enter the season as the projected No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA draft. To compete for Duke this year, however, he must earn approval from the NCAA clearinghouse. Bagley attended three high schools in three years, a situation that could draw beyond-the-norm scrutiny from NCAA officials, who will examine his transcripts to see if he completed the required 10 "core" courses prior to his seventh semester of high school. From there, he must finish six additional core courses and maintain a 2.3 GPA in those classes.
Now, Bagley and Duke would not commence this process if they envisioned any complications. But the NCAA clearinghouse is a mysterious collection that will examine every detail of Bagley's transcripts, given the weight of the moment, before making a decision about his eligibility for 2017-18.
What's Mike Krzyzewski's status?
Last year, associate head coach Jeff Capel coached the Blue Devils when Krzyzewski missed seven games due to a back injury. Earlier this month, Duke canceled an exhibition trip to the Dominican Republic because of Krzyzewski's knee-replacement surgery. Krzyzewski said the condition of the knee would have impacted his ability to coach through the 2017-18 season had he not addressed the problem now.
Per his statement, Krzyzewski said he expects the team to start practice at "full strength," which suggests he's confident he'll make enough progress after the rehab process to play an active role once practice begins.
But the latest surgery -- he has undergone six surgeries in a 17-month stretch -- for the 70-year-old legend should worry the program's supporters, considering the health challenges he has endured over the past two years.
How will Wichita State handle Landry Shamet's absence?
In early August, the star point guard underwent surgery after suffering a stress fracture in his right foot. The procedure could force him to miss nearly four months of action and the start of the season. Shamet seems confident he'll avoid a significant absence, but he's recovering from his second major foot surgery in three years. He missed the bulk of his freshman season with a stress fracture in his left foot. Now it's the right foot.
Gregg Marshall will open practice without a player expected to accrue an abundance of preseason accolades. And Marshall has limited options to replace Shamet while he's sidelined. Daishon Smith, who started 12 games in 2016-17, decided to transfer in April after losing his spot in the rotation last season. Austin Reaves, a guard who played 11.8 minutes per game, is still wrestling with a shoulder injury.
Marshall can turn to Conner Frankamp, a veteran combo guard, to handle the ball in practice and manage the responsibilities if Shamet can't play in November. An extended absence for Shamet, however, would diminish the potential of a program projected to start the season in the top 10.
How will Miami's Lonnie Walker fit into the mix once he returns?
The five-star prodigy could earn a spot in next summer's NBA draft lottery. He's a flashy, athletic wing and the most impressive recruit Jim Larranaga has signed at Miami.
But Walker is not expected to return before the start of the regular season following surgery for a torn meniscus in his right knee, an injury he suffered this summer. Walker, Bruce Brown and Ja'Quan Newton form one of the nation's best backcourts, the most important trio for a promising Hurricanes squad. All backcourts need time to jell, though, and Miami won't have Walker once practice starts. Unlike Shamet, Walker doesn't have previous experience playing with his team. So the re-entry process will take time.
Walker, Brown and Newton can thrust Miami into the fight for the ACC title. But the Hurricanes need Walker to get healthy before that process can begin on the court.
How will Rick Pitino and Roy Williams handle ongoing NCAA challenges?
No, the NCAA dramas at Louisville and North Carolina are not finished.
North Carolina finally had its Committee on Infractions hearing earlier this month after the school was accused of offering student-athletes improper benefits by allowing them to enroll in sham courses in the African-American Studies department.
Now the Tar Heels will await a ruling, so they'll face more questions about the impact of the pending decision once practice starts.
Louisville, which was disciplined in the aftermath of a sex scandal, is appealing the COI ruling that would likely cost the team its 2013 national title banner and force the Cardinals to vacate an abundance of wins.
Roy Williams and Rick Pitino have been forced to answer questions about their respective scandals for years. So they're seasoned.
The legacies of both coaches will be impacted if Louisville's appeal fails and the COI forces North Carolina basketball to vacate wins and, potentially, title banners from 2005 and 2009.
All of this could come as both teams are preparing for the season.
So the drama continues.
Can LaVall Jordan mold Butler into a Big East contender?
Butler's new head coach succeeded Chris Holtmann in June. Jordan is a former Bulldog, so he understands the culture of the program.
Yes, he lost top-100 recruit Kyle Young, who followed Holtmann to Ohio State. But Jordan will start the year with a veteran trio of Kamar Baldwin, Kelan Martin and Paul Jorgensen. The young coach still boasts the pieces to compete in the Big East.
And a fortuitous offseason trip to Spain gave Jordan and the Bulldogs an opportunity to build chemistry prior to the season. So he's not entering practice at the disadvantage most coaches face in their first preseason camps with their new teams.
Jordan is in a great position to help Butler reach its potential after a strong offseason.