Jeff BorzelloOct 7, 2025, 08:05 AM ETCloseJeff Borzello is a basketball recruiting insider. He has joined ESPN in 2014.Follow on X
Billy Donovan breaks down Florida’s toughness during 24-25 title run (2:12)Legendary Gators coach Donovan highlights how Florida was able to overcome adversity and make plays down the stretch throughout last season. (2:12)
It’s been six months since the Florida Gators won the national title and the runner-up Houston Cougars topped the first edition of these offseason top 25 rankings, with Purdue, Louisville, UConn and Michigan rounding out the top five. Now with just a couple of weeks left until the 2025-26 college basketball season tips off, only three of those teams retain a place among the top five.
Way-too-early rankings are considered something of a fool’s errand in the modern era of college basketball, given the rampant rebuilds and roster overhauls each offseason. But with big programs getting their business done earlier in the transfer portal cycle, and most non-first-rounders returning to college instead of leaving early for the NBA draft, many of the projected high-end rotations didn’t change much between April and October.
Still, it has been a long offseason, and we’re less than a month from the Nov. 3 tipoff — so it’s time for the final preseason top 25 rankings.
Is this the season Matt Painter and Purdue cut down the nets as first-time champs? There is a debate at No. 1, with Houston and Florida in the mix, but the Boilermakers get the nod. They bring back the Wooden Award favorite in Braden Smith, another All-American in Trey Kaufman-Renn, two more starters from a Sweet 16 team — and possess superior depth and experience from a season ago.
Boogie Fland (13.5 PPG at Arkansas) Xaivian Lee (16.9 PPG at Princeton) Thomas Haugh (9.8 PPG) Alex Condon (10.6 PPG) Rueben Chinyelu (6.1 PPG)
Milos Uzan (11.4 PPG) Emanuel Sharp (12.7 PPG) Isiah Harwell (No. 14 in ESPN 100) Joseph Tugler (5.5 PPG) Chris Cenac Jr. (No. 6 in ESPN 100)
Ian Jackson (11.9 PPG at North Carolina) Joson Sanon (11.9 PPG at Arizona State) Oziyah Sellers (13.7 PPG at Stanford) Bryce Hopkins (15.5 PPG at Providence in 2023-24) Zuby Ejiofor (14.7 PPG)
After guiding Louisville to a 19-win improvement in his first season at the helm, Pat Kelsey has loftier goals for Year 2. The Cardinals have one of the deepest and most explosive perimeter groups in America, with projected lottery pick Mikel Brown Jr. surrounded by transfers Ryan Conwell (Xavier), Isaac McKneely (Virginia) and Adrian Wooley (Kennesaw State). Kelsey also has a number of options up front, but international addition Sananda Fru is generating positive buzz.
Mikel Brown Jr. (No. 8 in ESPN 100) Isaac McKneely (14.4 PPG at Virginia) Ryan Conwell (16.5 PPG at Xavier) J’Vonne Hadley (12.2 PPG) Sananda Fru (12.6 PPG for Loewen Braunschweig)
Robert Wright III (11.5 PPG at Baylor) Kennard Davis Jr. (16.3 PPG at Southern Illinois) Richie Saunders (16.5 PPG) AJ Dybantsa (No. 1 in ESPN 100) Keba Keita (7.4 PPG)
Elliot Cadeau (9.4 PPG at North Carolina) Roddy Gayle Jr. (9.8 PPG) Nimari Burnett (9.4 PPG) Yaxel Lendeborg (17.7 PPG at UAB) Morez Johnson Jr. (7.0 PPG at Illinois)
Jaland Lowe (16.8 PPG at Pitt) Denzel Aberdeen (7.7 PPG at Florida) Otega Oweh (16.2 PPG) Mouhamed Dioubate (7.2 PPG at Alabama) Brandon Garrison (5.9 PPG)
Caleb Foster (5.1 PPG) Isaiah Evans (6.8 PPG) Nikolas Khamenia (No. 15 in ESPN 100) Cameron Boozer (No. 3 in ESPN 100) Patrick Ngongba II (3.9 PPG)
Christian Anderson (10.6 PPG) Tyeree Bryan (10.4 PPG at Santa Clara) LeJuan Watts (13.7 PPG at Washington State) JT Toppin (18.2 PPG) Luke Bamgboye (3.8 PPG at VCU)
The Razorbacks went through a few different phases in John Calipari’s first season, starting off 11-2 before losing their first five SEC games and then pulling it together late in the season with a Sweet 16 run. Four rotation players are back from that team, with Karter Knox ready to make the next step. Calipari also recruited two top-10 guards (Darius Acuff and Meleek Thomas) and two big man transfers (Malique Ewin and Nick Pringle) with extensive high-major experience.
Other than Duke, Arizona might be relying on freshmen more than any other team in the top 15. Tommy Lloyd could start two incoming recruits in Koa Peat and Brayden Burries, both of whom are physically ready for the college game and shouldn’t be unfamiliar with high-usage roles. Jaden Bradley will likely shoulder more offensive responsibility at the point guard spot. Things to monitor are shooting (freshman Dwayne Aristode will be key) and who starts at center (Tobe Awaka or Motiejus Krivas).
Jaden Bradley (12.1 PPG) Brayden Burries (No. 12 in ESPN 100) Anthony Dell’Orso (7.2 PPG) Koa Peat (No. 10 in ESPN 100) Tobe Awaka (8.0 PPG)
Donovan Dent (20.4 PPG at New Mexico) Skyy Clark (8.5 PPG) Eric Dailey (11.4 PPG) Tyler Bilodeau (13.5 PPG) Steven Jamerson II (10.0 PPG at San Diego)
Tamin Lipsey (10.6 PPG) Jamarion Batemon (No. 77 in ESPN 100) Milan Momcilovic (11.5 PPG) Joshua Jefferson (13.0 PPG) Blake Buchanan (5.7 PPG at Virginia)
Mihailo Petrovic (14.3 PPG for Mega Superbet) Kylan Boswell (12.3 PPG) Andrej Stojakovic (17.9 PPG at California) Zvonimir Ivisic (8.5 PPG at Arkansas) Tomislav Ivisic (13.0 PPG)
Tahaad Pettiford (11.7 PPG) Kevin Overton (7.8 PPG at Texas Tech) Elyjah Freeman (19.3 PPG at D-II Lincoln Memorial) Keyshawn Hall (18.8 PPG at UCF) KeShawn Murphy (11.7 PPG at Mississippi State)
Ja’Kobi Gillespie (14.7 PPG at Maryland) Amaree Abram (12.3 PPG at Louisiana Tech) Nate Ament (No. 4 in ESPN 100) Cade Phillips (4.6 PPG) Felix Okpara (7.1 PPG)
Labaron Philon Jr. (10.6 PPG) Aden Holloway (11.4 PPG) Latrell Wrightsell (11.5 PPG) Taylor Bol Bowen (8.0 PPG at Florida State) Aiden Sherrell (3.4 PPG)
Mario Saint-Supery (8.3 PPG for BAXI Manresa) Adam Miller (9.8 PPG at Arizona State) Tyon Grant-Foster (14.8 PPG at Grand Canyon) Braden Huff (11.0 PPG) Graham Ike (17.3 PPG)
It will be interesting to see whether Wisconsin’s changes last season — playing far more up-tempo and efficient offense with more 3s — carry over without All-American John Tonje in town. All-Big Ten guard John Blackwell will help pick up some of the slack, but Greg Gard will lean heavily on three transfers: Nick Boyd (San Diego State), Andrew Rohde (Virginia) and Austin Rapp (Portland). Nolan Winter is an intriguing breakout candidate in his junior season.
Nick Boyd (13.4 PPG at San Diego State) Andrew Rohde (9.3 PPG at Virginia) John Blackwell (15.8 PPG) Austin Rapp (13.8 PPG at Portland) Nolan Winter (9.4 PPG)
Blake Harper (19.5 PPG at Howard) Josh Dix (14.4 PPG at Iowa) Jackson McAndrew (7.8 PPG) Jasen Green (4.9 PPG) Owen Freeman (16.7 PPG at Iowa)
Tre Holloman (9.1 PPG at Michigan State) Matt Able (No. 24 in ESPN 100) Quadir Copeland (9.2 PPG at McNeese) Darrion Williams (15.1 PPG at Texas Tech) Ven-Allen Lubin (8.7 PPG at North Carolina)
It’s a potentially pivotal season for Hubert Davis in Chapel Hill — and there are certainly some personnel questions entering the campaign. But there is also a collection of intriguing talent, from top-five recruit Caleb Wilson and Arizona transfer Henri Veesaar up front to international pickup Luka Bogavac and returnee Seth Trimble on the wing. The point guard situation will have to be resolved. Colorado State transfer Kyan Evans has experience, but freshman Derek Dixon has sparked interest.
Kyan Evans (10.6 PPG at Colorado State) Seth Trimble (11.6 PPG) Luka Bogavac (14.9 PPG for SC Derby) Caleb Wilson (No. 5 in ESPN 100) Henri Veesaar (9.4 PPG at Arizona)
Could Florida go back-to-back? After what Todd Golden did to revamp the backcourt in the offseason, it’s not out of the question. The Gators were already bringing back one of the nation’s elite frontcourts, with potential first-rounders Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh (an easy breakout candidate) leading the way — but then Golden went out and landed impact transfers Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee to start on the perimeter. There could be some growing pains early, but this starting five is as talented as it gets.
It was clear relatively early into last season that the Huskies weren’t quite at the level of the team that had just won back-to-back national championships, but Dan Hurley reloaded last spring to make sure they are back in the title conversation. Solo Ball and Alex Karaban are All-American candidates, and Tarris Reed Jr. showed flashes of being a dominant interior force last season. Transfers Silas Demary Jr. (Georgia) and Malachi Smith (Dayton) erase any point guard questions, and five-star recruit Braylon Mullins is an elite shotmaker.
Rick Pitino guided St. John’s to its first outright Big East championship since 1985 last season and then went aggressively into the transfer portal to defend that title. Ian Jackson (North Carolina), Joson Sanon (Arizona State), Oziyah Sellers (Stanford), Bryce Hopkins (Providence), Dillon Mitchell (Cincinnati) and Dylan Darling (Idaho State) comprise one of the most elite transfer classes of all time. That’s all in addition to Zuby Ejiofor coming back, giving the Red Storm arguably the best returning big man in the country not named JT Toppin.
Few teams will possess the firepower that Kevin Young has at his disposal this season. At the top of the list is No. 1 recruit AJ Dybantsa, an incredibly gifted two-way wing who is in the conversation to be the No. 1 pick next June. He will be flanked by Richie Saunders, one of the best shooters in the country, and high-level Baylor transfer Robert Wright III. Do the Cougars have the defensive chops to win a title? Keep an eye on freshman Xavion Staton — his rim protection is drawing rave reviews early.
Another coach who produced a remarkable turnaround in his first year at the helm, Dusty May took the Wolverines from eight to 27 wins and a Sweet 16 appearance between 2023-24 and 2024-25. Can he get back to the Final Four this season? The keys will be Elliot Cadeau at the point guard spot and how May utilizes his trio of frontcourt additions: Yaxel Lendeborg (UAB), Morez Johnson Jr. (Illinois) and Aday Mara (UCLA). Lendeborg was one of the best players in the portal and has a case to be a preseason All-American.