Individual player ratings are not so precise because we have not figured out how to precisely adjust for SOS. It's adjusted PPP that raises kenpom above all the other systems, IMO.

While adjusted PPP (points per possession) has some element of subjectivity, it's much more reliable than anything we had a few years ago. For example, we must estimate the value of personal fouls, and there are all kinds of luck elements.

Also, we haven't figured out a reliable way to determine who is playing best at a particular moment in time and that variable changes from moment to moment. For example, going into the NCAA championship game last April, Gonzaga had the highest adjusted PPP in kenpom.com recorded history (dates back to 2001) while Baylor was a clear but distant #2. But in that game, Baylor demonstrated clear superiority.

There are sites out there that try to measure relative strength game to game. I'd be surprised if by that measure, BYU was not ranked #1 in the Nation immediately after the Oregon game.

All this is to say, the Athletic ranking the WCC as low as #9 is pretty lame. WCC is a clear #7 at the moment, with big spreads between #s 6 & 8.