Tournament: Battle 4 Atlantis

When and where: Nov. 25-27 at the Imperial Arena in Paradise Island, Bahamas

Teams involved: Texas, Syracuse, Connecticut, Michigan, Charlotte, Texas A&M, Washington, Gonzaga

Initial thoughts: Is this the year someone knocks out a ceiling tile?

The draw and charm of these early-season tournaments is not just where they are played in terms of location, but where they are played in terms of gyms. The Maui Invitational, for example, uses the Lahaina Civic Center, a tiny little bandbox that also hosts a sweet craft fair during the year.

At the Battle 4 Atlantis, it’s the Imperial Arena, which goes by the Imperial Ballroom the rest of the year. It’s a huge meeting space, amazingly transformed into a gym for the tourney. Yet watching it on television every year, the ceilings appear so impossibly low you can’t help but think an arcing shot will literally go through the roof.

Yet the Battle 4 Atlantis has defied the odds -- and not just by keeping the ball in the gym. New tournaments crop up frequently and die out just as quickly, but this one has proved to have staying power thanks to seriously good fields in each of its first four years.

Year 5 is no different. Maybe none of the teams headed to Atlantis are national-championship good, but there are plenty that could be very dangerous in the 2015-16 season.

Moreover, it’s not just a good field -- it’s a very balanced one. Who’s the favorite? You can make an argument for just about every team, which will make it all the more fun to watch.

Why you’ll want to watch: One simple reason: to see which teams are legit. Virtually every team in this tournament is selling a promise. Can they deliver on it?

For Syracuse, UConn and Michigan the sell is improvement. Each team was disappointingly below its own standard last season.

The Orange, saddled by NCAA sanctions, self-imposed their ineligibility for the postseason but in all likelihood at 18-13 wouldn’t have been much of a candidate. The problem wasn’t defense (it rarely is) but offense, so it’s worth watching to see whether there is more fluidity to the Orange’s O this year and whether a top-10 recruiting class, which includes a long-range shooter in Malachi Richardson, fixes what ailed Syracuse.

Kevin Ollie, meanwhile, probably made the best offseason deal when he landed graduate transfer Sterling Gibbs from Seton Hall. He desperately needed someone to take over for Ryan Boatright, and Gibbs, who can shoot and distribute, fits the bill. But this is a new cast of characters for him -- as well as for Shonn Miller, another critical grad transfer pickup via Cornell -- so it will be interesting to see how Ollie melds his team together.

As for Michigan, there’s only one thing worth watching: Caris LeVert. How’s he looking? When he went down midway through the season last year with a foot injury, so too did any hopes the Wolverines had. His decision to return to school instead of try the NBA was a huge boost for a team that struggled to reach .500 a year ago.

For Texas A&M and Washington, the promise lies in the freshmen. Each is hoping new blood will bring new results. The Aggies’ class of four ranks sixth in the nation and is 4-for-4 in ESPN 100 players.

Washington coach Lorenzo Romar, whose program was racked with transfers last year -- including leading scorer Nigel Williams-Goss, who is sitting out with fellow Atlantis tourney team Gonzaga (awkward!) -- went practically wholesale exchange, signing eight new players. He needs all of them to play well immediately to right a ship that sank to a 2-11 finish after an 11-0 start.

Texas and Charlotte are selling change, too, just at the coaching level. Shaka Smart's taking over at Texas ranks as arguably the biggest shake-up on the coaching carousel this season, replacing Rick Barnes. He’s promised to bring an up-tempo style, including swarming defense, to the Longhorns, so it will be interesting to see just how this team looks on the floor.

Charlotte went a decidedly different route, hiring Mark Price. The longtime NBA assistant has zero college experience, but then again, neither did Fred Hoiberg a long time ago. No doubt he will be a point of curiosity early.

And finally, there is Gonzaga. Really, does Mark Few need to sell anyone anymore? Didn’t think so. The Zags are simply reloading.