Jeff BorzelloApr 27, 2026, 12:45 PM ETClose Basketball recruiting insider. Joined ESPN in 2014. Graduate of University of Delaware.Follow on XMultiple Authors
The buzzer on Michigan’s national championship win over UConn was just three weeks ago, but it has been a 20-day sprint since the transfer portal opened the next morning. More than 2,700 players have left their school to find a new one — and only nine of our top 100 transfers are still available. The majority of power-conference programs have already completed much of their rebuilds, particularly at the top of their rosters.
The dust hasn’t quite settled yet, but with the portal closing last Tuesday and the NBA early-entry deadline last Friday, it’s time to update our forecast for the 2026-27 men’s college basketball season.
(Note: We’ve projected players ranked in the top 25 of Jeremy Woo’s most recent NBA draft rankings to remain in it, and anyone after that to return to college.)
The Gators vaulted to No. 1 following the return of Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon, both of whom passed on the NBA draft to play in Gainesville for another year. And although Rueben Chinyelu has entered the NBA draft process, he is ultimately expected to return. That means Florida is likely to bring back the same frontcourt that won a national championship two seasons ago and is coming off an SEC title.
Kentucky transfer Denzel Aberdeen has committed to the Gators, too, but will need a waiver to play another season. If that happens, there’s not much of an argument for any other team to top these rankings.
Boogie Fland (11.7 points per game) Urban Klavzar (9.7 PPG) Thomas Haugh (17.1 PPG)) Alex Condon (14.9 PPG) Rueben Chinyelu (11.2 PPG)
Duke’s depth looks unparalleled at this point in the offseason. Though Cameron Boozer and Isaiah Evans are moving on to the NBA, the Blue Devils return Patrick Ngongba II and Dame Sarr, and Caleb Foster and Cayden Boozer opted to stay in Durham. That’s on top of the arrival of Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell, the best guard to enter the portal, and an elite recruiting class featuring three top-25 talents.
Jon Scheyer’s team has fallen short in heartbreaking fashion two years in a row, but the pieces are in place for Duke to make another deep run.
Caleb Foster (8.5 PPG) John Blackwell (19.1 PPG at Wisconsin) Dame Sarr (6.4 PPG) Cameron Williams (No. 3 in SC Next 100) Patrick Ngongba II (10.5 PPG)
The reigning national champions have reloaded in impressive fashion since a dominant run through the NCAA tournament. Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney — the latter of whom is arguably the top breakout candidate for next season — will be the offensive hubs on the perimeter, while five-star guard Brandon McCoy adds pop if the Wolverines don’t land Wake Forest transfer Juke Harris.
Up front, Dusty May added three transfers to help replace Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr.: Moustapha Thiam (Cincinnati), J.P. Estrella (Tennessee) and Jalen Reed (LSU).
Elliot Cadeau (10.1 PPG) Brandon McCoy (No. 18 in SC Next 100) Trey McKenney (9.5 PPG) J.P. Estrella (10.0 PPG at Tennessee) Moustapha Thiam (12.8 PPG at Cincinnati)
Quentin Coleman (No. 30 in SC Next 100) Stefan Vaaks (15.8 PPG at Providence) Andrej Stojakovic (13.5 PPG) David Mirkovic (13.6 PPG) Tomislav Ivisic (10.2 PPG)
Silas Demary Jr. (10.6 PPG) Braylon Mullins (12.0 PPG) Jayden Ross (4.8 PPG) Nikolas Khamenia (5.7 PPG at Duke) Najai Hines (5.5 PPG at Seton Hall)
Jordan Smith (No. 2 in SC Next 100) Jeremiah Wilkinson (17.4 PPG at Georgia) Meleek Thomas (15.6 PPG) Billy Richmond (11.1 PPG) Miikka Muurinen (five-star)
Isaiah Johnson (16.9 PPG at Colorado) Austin Goosby (No. 16 in SC Next 100) Elyjah Freeman (9.2 PPG at Auburn) David Punch (14.1 PPG at TCU) Matas Vokietaitis (15.7 PPG)
Aden Holloway (16.8 PPG) Jaxon Richardson (No. 17 in SC Next 100) Amari Allen (11.4 PPG) Drew Fielder (14.7 PPG at Boise State) Brandon Garrison (4.7 PPG at Kentucky)
Derek Dixon (8.5 PPG at North Carolina) Caleb Holt (No. 4 in SC Next 100) Cameron Holmes (No. 50 in SC Next 100) Ivan Kharchenkov (10.2 PPG) Motiejus Krivas (10.4 PPG)
Terrence Hill Jr. (15.0 PPG at VCU) Dai Dai Ames (16.9 PPG at California) Tyler Lundblade (15.6 PPG at Belmont) Jalen Haralson (16.2 PPG at Notre Dame) Miles Rubin (11.3 PPG at Loyola Chicago)
Dedan Thomas Jr. (15.3 PPG at LSU) Mercy Miller (5.2 PPG) Chase McCarty (4.0 PPG) Joseph Tugler (8.5 PPG) Delrecco Gillespie (17.7 PPG at Kent State)
Tyler Tanner (19.5 PPG) T.O. Barrett (8.6 PPG at Missouri) Ace Glass (16.4 PPG at Washington State) Sebastian Williams-Adams (7.0 PPG at Auburn) Bangot Dak (11.5 PPG at Colorado)
Rodney Rice (20.3 PPG) KJ Lewis (14.9 PPG at Georgetown) Christian Collins (No. 5 in SC Next 100) Jacob Cofie (9.9 PPG) Eric Reibe (5.9 PPG at UConn)
Jackson Shelstad (15.6 PPG at Oregon) Adrian Wooley (8.7 PPG) Karter Knox (8.1 PPG at Arkansas) Alvaro Folgueiras (8.4 PPG at Iowa) Flory Bidunga (13.3 PPG at Kansas)
Trevan Leonhardt (11.9 PPG at Utah Valley) Braden Frager (11.7 PPG) Pryce Sandfort (17.9 PPG) Sam Orme (12.7 PPG at Belmont) Boden Kapke (10.6 PPG at Boston College)
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)
Jaquan Johnson (16.9 PPG at Bradley) Killyan Toure (8.6 PPG) Leon Bond III (11.9 PPG at Northern Iowa) Tre Singleton (7.6 PPG at Northwestern) Blake Buchanan (8.5 PPG)
Quinn Ellis (8.4 PPG for Olimpia Milano) Ian Jackson (9.6 PPG) Lefteris Liotopoulos (2.9 PPG) Donnie Freeman (16.5 PPG at Syracuse) Ruben Prey (4.1 PPG)
Jason Crowe (No. 7 in SC Next 100) Jamier Jones (11.9 PPG at Providence) Trent Pierce (10.4 PPG) Toni Bryant (No. 14 in SC Next 100) Bryson Tiller (7.9 PPG at Kansas)
Acaden Lewis (12.2 PPG at Villanova) Dante Allen (6.6 PPG) Shelton Henderson (13.8 PPG) Caleb Gaskins (No. 10 in SC Next 100) Somto Cyril (9.3 PPG at Georgia)
Quentin Jones (9.1 PPG) Trey Green (10.7 PPG) Ishan Sharma (9.1 PPG) Amari McCottry (10.5 PPG) Elijah Strong (10.0 PPG at South Carolina)
Mario Saint-Supery (8.6 PPG) Jack Kayil (12.0 PPG for ALBA Berlin) Isiah Harwell (3.6 PPG at Houston) Davis Fogle (8.6 PPG) Braden Huff (17.8 PPG)
Markus Burton (18.5 PPG at Notre Dame) Bryce Lindsay (12.3 PPG at Villanova) Jaeden Mustaf (10.4 PPG at Georgia Tech) Aiden Sherrell (11.1 PPG at Alabama) Samet Yigitoglu (10.7 PPG at SMU)
The Huskies bid farewell to program legend Alex Karaban and dominant NCAA tournament star Tarris Reed Jr., but Dan Hurley went into the portal to land replacements in Nikolas Khamenia (Duke) and Najai Hines (Seton Hall). Neither is a like-for-like replica of their predecessors, but they’re both immediate-impact starters. Projected first-round pick Braylon Mullins is forgoing the draft to return alongside Silas Demary Jr. and Jayden Ross on the perimeter, but there was also the stunning news that Solo Ball is taking a redshirt next season due to his lingering wrist injury.
John Calipari will have to wait and see what Meleek Thomas opts to do with his NBA draft future, but Arkansas could have one of the elite backcourts in the country if Thomas decides to return to Fayetteville. Jordan Smith, the best guard in the 2026 class, and high-scoring Georgia transfer Jeremiah Wilkinson are already in tow on the perimeter while Billy Richmond is expected to return despite going through the NBA draft process. Smith is one of four top-25 recruits, joined by five-star forwards JaShawn Andrews and Miikka Muurinen as well as four-star wing Abdou Toure.
Sean Miller and the Longhorns had arguably the best portal class of any program in the country, landing two of the best transfers available in Colorado point guard Isaiah Johnson and TCU forward David Punch, along with top-100 options Mikey Lewis (Vanderbilt) and Elyjah Freeman (Auburn). Those arrivals combine with incoming top-20 guard Austin Goosby and returning center Matas Vokietaitis to form one of the most talented on-paper cores in college basketball. There could be some early growing pains, but Texas’ ceiling is incredibly high.
The big questions for Alabama next season are whether Aden Holloway is back on the team and running the point for the Crimson Tide, and whether Amari Allen opts to stay in the draft or return to Tuscaloosa. For now, we’ll project this team’s standing as if both are on the roster. There’s an intriguing mix of wing talent, with returnee London Jemison, NC State transfer Cole Cloer as well as top-25 recruits Jaxon Richardson and Qayden Samuels offering different skill sets. Drew Fielder is a skilled stretch-4. Brandon Garrison and Jamarion Davis-Fleming will have to step up and provide consistency at the 5 spot.
Staying true to his view on retention and development, Tom Izzo is effectively bolstering last season’s roster with a few reinforcements to help replace big men Carson Cooper and Jaxon Kohler. Jeremy Fears Jr. will be a preseason All-American as one of the nation’s elite point guards, and there should be more offensive punch on the perimeter with Jordan Scott and Kur Teng taking a step, four-star Jasiah Jervis coming into the fold as well as Kaleb Glenn returning from injury. Charlotte transfer Anton Bonke will have to make an impact on the interior.
Arizona had a mix of impactful decisions at the early-entry deadline, with Koa Peat opting to go pro, and Motiejus Krivas and Ivan Kharchenkov heading back to Tucson. Peat’s expected departure means Tommy Lloyd will have to find frontcourt reinforcements elsewhere as the roster looks incredibly thin as it stands. One area where the Wildcats are well-equipped is on the perimeter, where they landed point guards Derek Dixon (North Carolina) and JJ Mandaquit (Washington), and also welcome top-five recruit Caleb Holt.
With all five starters from this past season’s team gone, Rick Barnes went into the portal and landed one of the best transfer classes in the country. There has been a notable shift in focus, with the Volunteers adding a ton of offensive punch with the incoming group. Terrence Hill Jr. (VCU) torched North Carolina in the NCAA tournament; Jalen Haralson (Notre Dame) averaged 16.2 points as a freshman; Tyler Lundblade (Belmont) is a sharp 3-point shooter; and Dai Dai Ames (California) is a score-first lead guard. The key could be whether Barnes can get them all to buy in his usual brand of defense.
