Jeff BorzelloCloseJeff BorzelloBasketball recruiting insiderJeff Borzello is a basketball recruiting insider. He has joined ESPN in 2014.Follow on XMyron MedcalfCloseMyron MedcalfESPN Staff WriterMyron Medcalf covers college basketball for ESPN.com. He joined ESPN in 2011.Follow on XOct 23, 2025, 08:45 AM ET
play3:06Alabama uses numbers to maximize its outputNate Oats, Labaron Philon Jr. and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. join the SEC Now desk to discuss the Crimson Tide’s wide range of skills and using math to be as efficient as possible.
play2:32Anthony Robinson crashes the party on the SEC Now setDennis Gates shares Missouri’s key to success for this season as Robinson speaks on skills he’s been working on during the offseason and how he plans to lead the Tigers.
play2:22Mark Byington and Vanderbilt ready to carry momentum into year twoCommodores Devin McGlockton, Tyler Nickel and Byington join the SEC Now desk to discuss the fun memories and lessons learned after last season.
play0:20Robbie Avila shows off range with deep 3-pointerRobbie Avila shows off range with deep 3-pointer
play2:51Missouri embracing challenges and carrying momentumMark Mitchell, Jacob Crews and Dennis Gates join the SEC Now desk to discuss how they have grown since last season and the Tigers’ program culture.
play2:28Mark Pope and Kentucky zeroed in on winningMark Pope, Otega Oweh and Jaland Lowe join the SEC Now desk to discuss their competitive fire and high expectations heading into the season.
play3:02Florida relives national championship, lists new changesTodd Golden, Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh join the set to discuss when it hit them that the Gators were champions and announce that Haugh will be starting in a new position.
play1:49Mikel Brown Jr.’s lookaway 3 caps All American 3-point contest victoryLouisville commit Mikel Brown Jr. puts on a show to win the McDonald’s All American 3-point contest.
play0:19Cameron Boozer wins men’s Gatorade Player of the YearCameron Boozer is honored at the ESPYS for being the men’s Gatorade Player of the Year.
Experienced frontcourt and transfer guards make No. 3 Florida scary (3:50)SEC Network’s Dari Nowkhah, Daymeon Fishback and Pat Bradley dive into how the Gators have reloaded to go after another national championship with new high-level guards and dominating big men. (3:50)
Alabama uses numbers to maximize its outputNate Oats, Labaron Philon Jr. and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. join the SEC Now desk to discuss the Crimson Tide’s wide range of skills and using math to be as efficient as possible.
Nate Oats, Labaron Philon Jr. and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. join the SEC Now desk to discuss the Crimson Tide’s wide range of skills and using math to be as efficient as possible.
Anthony Robinson crashes the party on the SEC Now setDennis Gates shares Missouri’s key to success for this season as Robinson speaks on skills he’s been working on during the offseason and how he plans to lead the Tigers.
Dennis Gates shares Missouri’s key to success for this season as Robinson speaks on skills he’s been working on during the offseason and how he plans to lead the Tigers.
Steven Pearl describes the uniqueness of transfer forward Keyshawn Hall, saying that he’s very versatile and compares him to other Tiger greats at that position.
Mark Byington and Vanderbilt ready to carry momentum into year twoCommodores Devin McGlockton, Tyler Nickel and Byington join the SEC Now desk to discuss the fun memories and lessons learned after last season.
Commodores Devin McGlockton, Tyler Nickel and Byington join the SEC Now desk to discuss the fun memories and lessons learned after last season.
Missouri embracing challenges and carrying momentumMark Mitchell, Jacob Crews and Dennis Gates join the SEC Now desk to discuss how they have grown since last season and the Tigers’ program culture.
Mark Mitchell, Jacob Crews and Dennis Gates join the SEC Now desk to discuss how they have grown since last season and the Tigers’ program culture.
Mark Pope and Kentucky zeroed in on winningMark Pope, Otega Oweh and Jaland Lowe join the SEC Now desk to discuss their competitive fire and high expectations heading into the season.
Mark Pope, Otega Oweh and Jaland Lowe join the SEC Now desk to discuss their competitive fire and high expectations heading into the season.
Florida relives national championship, lists new changesTodd Golden, Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh join the set to discuss when it hit them that the Gators were champions and announce that Haugh will be starting in a new position.
Todd Golden, Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh join the set to discuss when it hit them that the Gators were champions and announce that Haugh will be starting in a new position.
Mikel Brown Jr.’s lookaway 3 caps All American 3-point contest victoryLouisville commit Mikel Brown Jr. puts on a show to win the McDonald’s All American 3-point contest.
Louisville commit Mikel Brown Jr. puts on a show to win the McDonald’s All American 3-point contest.
Cameron Boozer wins men’s Gatorade Player of the YearCameron Boozer is honored at the ESPYS for being the men’s Gatorade Player of the Year.
The introduction of revenue sharing and the explosion of name, image and likeness have created a level of talent not seen in college basketball in a long time. Projected NBA first-rounders are returning to school because they can make significant money while trying to boost their draft stock; international pros are coming to the United States to play in college; and the top end of the 2024 and 2025 high school recruiting classes were loaded.
So what is the pecking order of elite players entering the 2025-26 men’s college basketball campaign?
ESPN’s Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf ranked the top 100 by creating their own lists and then deliberating a few dozen times to settle on the order below.
Heading into last season, there was a clear debate at the top between Duke’s Cooper Flagg and North Carolina’s RJ Davis. We opted for Flagg given his enormous ceiling and his potential to produce a Carmelo Anthony-esque national championship run. Although he fell just short of the latter, leaning toward youth was the right call.
Royal edges out Xzayvier Brown for the final spot in the 100. Royal, a 6-foot-6 forward, averaged 13.7 points and 6.9 rebounds last season, showing the ability to rack up breakout performances: 29 points vs. Illinois, 31 points and 15 boards vs. Valparaiso, and 26 points vs. Michigan. If Royal can produce outings like that more consistently, Ohio State will likely take the next step and be a real threat to win NCAA tournament games. — Borzello
After a ruptured Achilles sidelined him for much of last season, Wrightsell recently told reporters that he’s aiming to return in November. Before he was injured eight games into the 2024-25 campaign, he was averaging 11.5 points and connecting on 42.2% of his 3-point attempts. — Medcalf
Carr fits the prototype of a Tom Izzo player — the 6-6 forward is a gritty, explosive athlete who can defend multiple positions and change the energy in the building with a series of attention-grabbing dunks. He is also a capable defender with an “excellent” rating at Synergy Sports. Izzo recently said he expects Carr (8.1 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 33.3% from 3) to become a better shooter, which could impact Michigan State’s fortunes. — Medcalf
One of the most gifted point guards in the ACC the past two seasons, George led the conference in assists last year and should run the show for coach Adrian Autry in a crucial campaign for the Orange. He averaged 12.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 6.5 assists last season, and he showed scoring potential with five 20-point outings over a six-game stretch during league play. — Borzello
The lasting memory of Lewis’ stint at Arizona could be his struggles in the Wildcats’ 100-93 loss to Duke in the Sweet 16, where he scored only six points after averaging 10.8 throughout last season. But the 6-4 guard registered double figures in five straight games before that, adding eight steals and seven blocks over that stretch. Lewis is a key portal pickup for Ed Cooley’s program. — Medcalf
The 6-8 wing excelled in 15 appearances for FC Barcelona in the EuroLeague last season. The Italian standout scored 17 points in last year’s Nike Hoop Summit and outplayed some of the top recruits in the United States. Sarr’s elite defensive play is one reason he is a projected top-10 pick in ESPN’s latest 2026 NBA mock draft. — Medcalf
Edwards was a first-team All-AAC player at North Texas and a third-team All-SEC selection at Vanderbilt. Can he now earn all-conference honors in the Big East? He’s likely to be one of the most dynamic scorers in the league after averaging 17.0 points for the Commodores last season. — Borzello
Robinson blossoming into one of the SEC’s better point guards last season was critical to the Tigers’ turnaround from zero conference wins to a 6-seed in the NCAA tournament. He averaged 9.0 points and 3.5 assists, shooting 40% from 3-point range on low volume. He was also at the heart of one of the most active defenses in the country, averaging 2.0 steals and jump-starting Missouri’s aggressiveness. — Borzello
Anthony Robinson crashes the party on the SEC Now set
The former five-star recruit was lost in a rotation that produced three top-10 picks in the 2025 NBA draft and five selections overall, but the 6-6 wing still connected on 42% of his shots from beyond the arc and had big moments throughout last season. (He had 18 points in a December win over Auburn and 17 points in a February victory over Illinois.) He should get more opportunities to have an impact this season. — Medcalf
Loyer was thrown into the mix as a freshman in 2022-23, starting next to classmate Braden Smith in Purdue’s backcourt. Three years later, those two are still the starting guard pairing for Matt Painter and the Boilermakers. Loyer has started 110 games over the past three seasons and averaged double figures in each. He is one of the best shooters in the country, making 44.4% of his 3s in both his sophomore and junior seasons. — Borzello