It kills me how we have to do this every year.
Your most recent memories of last year's squad are from the peak of their developmental arc. They had been playing together as a team for months through an entire season of basketball. Through great coaching, analysis, and experimentation, players had grown into rigid roles, and minutes were heavily displaced into our highest-efficiency units to create the best possible performance in tournament play.
Your only exposure to the current team is an exhibition game in August with unlimited fouls, musical chair substitutions, and Cal not even coaching.
Seriously.