Jeff BorzelloApr 6, 2026, 11:20 PM ETClose Basketball recruiting insider. Joined ESPN in 2014. Graduate of University of Delaware.Follow on XMultiple Authors
Who leads the way-too-early 2026-27 Top 25? (3:00)Jeff Borzello breaks down the expected top teams and sleeper picks for the upcoming 2026-27 college basketball season. (3:00)
Michigan cemented its place among the most dominant teams in recent men’s college basketball history Monday, beating UConn to win the program’s first national championship since 1989. The Wolverines (37-3) won 29 games this season by double digits and set multiple NCAA tournament records in the process. And now coach Dusty May gets to reload for a repeat run.
What’s next? We’re already rolling right into the “offseason,” which mostly just involves rampant roster changes for the next six weeks. The transfer portal, NBA draft stay-or-go decisions, the various coaching changes — all huge storylines to follow as we close the book on 2025-26.
In the past, we’ve had pretty hard-and-fast house rules regarding the Way-Too-Early Top 25. For example, any player ranked in the top 50 of ESPN’s NBA draft rankings was considered a departure. But with the rising number of borderline first-round picks opting to return to school due to lucrative NIL and revenue share agreements, it’s impossible to use that as a cutoff. Now, it’s a little more loose. Late first-round picks could go either way, and we’re going to build in some speculation.
Any player projected outside the first round in ESPN’s NBA draft rankings is factored in as a returnee for now.
And with the transfer portal officially opening in a matter of hours, these rankings are likely to go haywire very soon. So, dive in quickly — we’re only 209 days away from the first game of the 2026-27 season.
The reigning national champions have a legitimate chance to go back-to-back depending on the NBA draft decisions of frontcourt stalwarts Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. Entering the NCAA tournament, both players were projected in the late first round. After high-level performances in the tournament, though, both could justifiably leave. Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney are expected to return, though, while incoming five-star recruit Brandon McCoy should join them on the perimeter.
Deron Rippey Jr. (No. 13 in SC Next 100) Caleb Foster (8.5 PPG) Dame Sarr (6.4 PPG) Cameron Williams (No. 3 in SC Next 100) Patrick Ngongba (10.5 PPG)
Boogie Fland (11.7 PPG) Urban Klavzar (9.7 PPG) Isaiah Brown (5.6 PPG) Alex Condon (14.9 PPG) Rueben Chinyelu (11.2 PPG)
Caleb Holt (No. 4 in SC Next 100) Cameron Holmes (No. 50 in SC Next 100) Dwayne Aristode (4.1 PPG) Ivan Kharchenkov (10.2 PPG) Motiejus Krivas (10.4 PPG)
Jordan Smith (No. 2 in SC Next 100) Meleek Thomas (15.6 PPG) Billy Richmond III (11.1 PPG) JaShawn Andrews (No. 12 in SC Next 100) Malique Ewin (9.9 PPG)
Quentin Coleman (No. 30 in SC Next 100) Jake Davis (5.6 PPG) Andrej Stojakovic (13.5 PPG) David Mirkovic (13.6 PPG) Tomislav Ivisic (10.2 PPG)
Chance Mallory (9.3 PPG) Elijah Gertrude (1.7 PPG) Sam Lewis (10.6 PPG) Thijs De Ridder (15.6 PPG) Johann Grunloh (7.1 PPG)
Ikenna Alozie (No. 38 in SC Next 100) Mercy Miller (5.2 PPG) Chase McCarty (4.0 PPG) Joseph Tugler (8.5 PPG) Arafan Diane (No. 20 in SC Next 100)
Tamin Lipsey was the heartbeat of an incredibly successful run in Ames, and Joshua Jefferson had an All-American campaign this past season. But both will be gone. How does coach TJ Otzelberger replace them? Milan Momcilovic could return, and Killyan Toure and Jamarion Batemon form a two-way perimeter duo. Blake Buchanan and Dominykas Pleta are also back. Former Eastern Washington transfer Mason Williams should return after last summer’s hip surgery.
Killyan Toure (8.6 PPG) Jamarion Batemon (6.8 PPG) Milan Momcilovic (17.2 PPG) Blake Buchanan (8.5 PPG) Dominykas Pleta (4.5 PPG)
Simeon Wilcher (5.7 PPG) Austin Goosby (No. 16 in SC Next 100) Camden Heide (5.9 PPG) Dailyn Swain (17.4 PPG) Matas Vokietaitis (15.7 PPG)
Josh Schertz’s time coaching Robbie Avila has come to an end, but Saint Louis still returns five players who averaged at least nine points for one of the nation’s highest-octane offenses. Quentin Jones, Trey Green and Amari McCottry all started at least 30 games this past season, and Kellen Thames and Ishan Sharma were two of the best bench players in the country. Green, McCottry and Thames all earned third-team All-Atlantic 10 honors. But what will Schertz do to replace Avila?
Brock Harding (8.0 PPG) Trent Lincoln (JUCO) Micah Robinson (10.9 PPG) David Punch (14.1 PPG) Xavier Edmonds (12.7 PPG)
Rodney Rice (20.3 PPG) Alijah Arenas (14.1 PPG) Christian Collins (No. 5 in SC Next 100) Jacob Cofie (9.9 PPG) Adonis Ratliff (No. 15 in SC Next 100)
After putting together the biggest surprise season of anyone in college basketball, what does coach Fred Hoiberg have in store for an encore? Rienk Mast, Jamarques Lawrence and Sam Hoiberg are all gone, but elite shotmaker Pryce Sandfort and sixth man extraordinaire Braden Frager should be back. Berke Buyuktuncel should also return as a starter. The Cornhuskers could use point guard help, though, and perhaps a reliable frontcourt player alongside Buyuktuncel.
Cale Jacobsen (4.6 PPG) Braden Frager (11.7 PPG) Pryce Sandfort (17.9 PPG) Berke Buyuktuncel (6.7 PPG) Ugnius Jarusevicius (16.2 PPG at Central Michigan in 2024-25)
Dylan Mingo (No. 9 in SC Next 100) Luka Bogavac (9.8 PPG) Maximo Adams (No. 21 in SC Next 100) Jarin Stevenson (8.1 PPG) Henri Veesaar (17.0 PPG)
Aden Holloway (16.8 PPG) Jaxon Richardson (No. 17 in SC Next 100) Qayden Samuels (No. 24 in SC Next 100) London Jemison (6.2 PPG) Keitenn Bristow (3.6 PPG)
Graham Ike is out of eligibility, and two other starters are out the door, leaving coach Mark Few with as uncertain a roster as we’ve seen in Spokane recently. Does he run it back with Mario Saint-Supery at point guard? Is Braden Huff coming back to school? Can Davis Fogle be the next big-time Gonzaga wing? The good news is, there is a talented recruiting class headed to Gonzaga, led by top-100 recruit Luca Foster and European pro Jack Kayil.
Mario Saint-Supery (8.6 PPG) Jack Kayil (12.0 PPG for ALBA Berlin) Luca Foster (No. 51 in SC Next 100) Davis Fogle (8.6 PPG) Braden Huff (17.8 PPG)
Robert Wright III (18.1 PPG) Bruce Branch III (No. 6 in SC Next 100) Dawson Baker (7.5 PPG) Kennard Davis Jr. (8.5 PPG) Khadim Mboup (2.2 PPG)
Tyler Tanner (19.5 PPG) Anthony Brown Jr. (No. 76 in SC Next 100) Chandler Bing (3.6 PPG) Ethan Mgbako (No. 93 in SC Next 100) Jackson Sheffield (No. 96 in SC Next 100)
As usual, Duke’s roster is in as much flux as anyone’s in college basketball. Cameron Boozer is gone, as is Maliq Brown. But Isaiah Evans, Patrick Ngongba II and Dame Sarr are all projected as late first-round or early second-round draft picks, and could go either way. Coach Jon Scheyer again also has the nation’s best recruiting class, led by five-stars Cameron Williams and Deron Rippey Jr. Caleb Foster should return as a starter, and Cayden Boozer and Nikolas Khamenia are set for bigger roles if they’re back in Durham.
Will coach Todd Golden be able to run it back for a third consecutive season with the frontcourt duo of Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu? Condon is projected in a similar draft range to last season, when he opted to return to Gainesville. Chinyelu really began to hit his offensive stride in SEC play this past season. If both return, look out. Boogie Fland is already set to come back, while Urban Klavzar and Isaiah Brown both saw their roles expand as the season progressed. Expect the Gators to be aggressive in the transfer portal for a shotmaking wing.
After three title game appearances in four years, including two national championships, it’s impossible to keep UConn too far from the top of the rankings — even if life without Storrs stalwart Alex Karaban is set to begin. The backcourt of Silas Demary Jr. and Solo Ball should be back, while Braylon Mullins looks poised for the NBA draft and Tarris Reed Jr. is out of college eligibility. Jayden Ross and Eric Reibe look ready for increased roles, and an underrated recruiting class — led by top-35 forward Colben Landrew — should help.
Arizona was one of the best teams in the country all season before its national semifinal blowout loss to Michigan. The Wildcats are likely to lose freshmen Brayden Burries and Koa Peat to the NBA draft, and Big 12 Player of the Year Jaden Bradley and key bench players Tobe Awaka and Anthony Dell’Orso are out of eligibility. But coach Tommy Lloyd should bring back frontcourt starters Ivan Kharchenkov and Motiejus Krivas, and top-five recruit Caleb Holt should have an immediate impact. The Wildcats need a point guard out of the transfer portal.
Assuming Jeremy Fears Jr. returns to East Lansing, coach Tom Izzo should have one of his best and deepest teams in recent years. Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper will be gone, but the Spartans have Cam Ward ready to take a step forward and top-50 recruit Ethan Taylor to help. Coen Carr, Kur Teng, Jordan Scott and Divine Ugochukwu all contributed this past season and will be back, and Kaleb Glenn should be healthy. Top-50 recruit Jasiah Jervis is another option who gives Izzo a fast-rising shotmaker with a high ceiling.
Coach John Calipari is still leaning into freshmen, and he’s still producing some of the best one-and-done prospects in college basketball. Next in line is Jordan Smith, the best guard in the 2026 high school class and a high-level competitor with two-way ability. Fellow five-star recruit JaShawn Andrews could also earn a starting role next season, and top-50 senior Abdou Toure can get downhill. But much of the optimism in Fayetteville centers on the returns of Meleek Thomas, Billy Richmond III and Malique Ewin.
Coach Brad Underwood should have the players to make another run at a Big Ten championship and the Final Four next season. Most of the team’s key European players have more eligibility, including David Mirkovic, Tomislav Ivisic and Zvonimir Ivisic, while Andrej Stojakovic — who excelled in a bench role — could also return. The Illini will have to replace Keaton Wagler and Kylan Boswell, most likely via the transfer portal. But incoming freshmen Quentin Coleman and Lucas Morillo will push for minutes.