The college basketball landscape has shifted dramatically in the NIL and transfer portal era. Traditional powers are loading up, while others fight to stay relevant—but according to one insider, the old guard of "Blue Bloods" is shrinking fast.

Jon Rothstein, host of the "Inside College Basketball Now" podcast, recently dropped a hot take that's got fans buzzing: only two programs still deserve the Blue Blood label. "There are two programs in college basketball that are still operating as traditional Blue Bloods," Rothstein said. "It's UConn and Duke. It's Duke and UConn."

Rothstein didn't stop there. He broke down the current state of three struggling giants: Kentucky, Kansas, and North Carolina. In his daily Rothstein 45 rankings, Kentucky sits at No. 40, Kansas at No. 30, and North Carolina at No. 26. "Of those three rosters right now, Carolina has the best roster," he noted—but even that comes with a caveat.

It's a far cry from the glory days. North Carolina hasn't advanced past the Sweet 16 since winning its sixth national championship in 2017. Kentucky hasn't seen an Elite Eight since 2019, and while Kansas cut down the nets in 2022, consistency has been elusive. Meanwhile, UConn has won two of the last four national titles and finished as runner-up this year, while Duke has reached at least the Elite Eight in each of the past three seasons.

For Tar Heels fans, the message is clear: the program needs to rediscover its mojo. First-year head coach Michael Malone faces a monumental task—restoring a storied program to its rightful place atop college basketball. With the Blue Blood club shrinking to just Duke and UConn, the pressure is on for North Carolina to prove it still belongs.