The nets have been cut down in Indianapolis with Michigan defeating Connecticut to win the national title and close the book on the men’s college basketball season. After a short breath, it’s already time to start looking ahead to the 2026-27 campaign and determine which teams are the contenders to play in the Final Four in Detroit next April.
There’s a lot in flux before we get to the start of the season in November, making the predictions for next season challenging. The biggest factor to weigh is the impact of the transfer portal, which officially opens Tuesday, April 7. However, we already know many of the major players moving places. There’s also the matter of the uncertain futures for several candidates for the NBA draft. In those instances, we’ve assumed upper echelon will depart but left open the door for others to stay.
We’ve done our best to put all information together and release our too-early Top 25 ranking with a heavy dose of power schools dominating.
1. Michigan State
Despite losing twin big men Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper, this could be a special season for the Spartans if – as expected – it brings back point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. and forward Coen Carr. Those give them two standouts to build around. Michigan State will also have great depth with most of this year’s rotation back in the fold. Tom Izzo will add in a very impressive recruiting class that ranks second nationally.
2. Duke
While player of the year Cameron Boozer departs, The Blue Devils will again have a significant infusion of freshman talent with guard Deron Rippey Jr. and forward Cameron Williams projected to be immediate impact players. Should veterans Caleb Foster, Cayden Boozer and Dame Sarr decide to forego the draft, this has the makings of one of the best teams in the nation.
3. Michigan
The Wolverines will lose Yaxel Lendeborg and should also see forward Morez Johnson Jr. and center Aday Mara enter the NBA draft. The focus of the team’s production will shift to a backcourt built around Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney. Michigan coach Dusty May has signed an elite recruiting class headlined by forwards Quinn Costello and Lincoln Cosby and will again hit the transfer portal aggressively.
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4. Florida
The key question for the Gators is whether Alex Condon will return for another season. He stands to be one of the top players in the SEC and would have Rueben Chinyelu alongside him up front. Boogie Fland and Urban Klavzar are confirmed returner and bring scoring punch and experience in the backcourt. A couple of transfer adds puts Florida back in title contention.
5. Arizona
The departures of most of the key players from a team that dominated the Big 12 will be hard to replace. That’s the negative. The positive is there’s enough role players due back and some key arrivals already slated to join the program. The frontcourt could be formidable with Ivan Kharchenkov and Motiejus Krivas having eligibility. Dwayne Aristode will be expected to lead the backcourt in his sophomore season, and he’ll be joined by five-star freshman Caleb Holt.
6. Illinois
This could be another Final Four team next season if things fall right. The frontcourt looks to be in great shape with David Mirkovic poised to be back with the Ivisic brothers. Andrej Stojakovic will lead the backcourt with Quentin Coleman, a late addition to the recruiting class, a potential immediate contributor after Keaton Wagler’s departure. Expect Brad Underwood bring in more pieces from the transfer portal or overseas to make Illinois a contender again.
7. Alabama
The legal situation of Aden Holloway looms over his status for next season. Should Holloway return, the Crimson Tide have plenty of potential firepower to play their up-tempo style. Amari Allen averaged double figures, while London Jamison stands to have a bigger role in his second seasons in the program. Keitenn Bristow and Jalil Bethea both failed to make an impact after their arrivals from the portal, but development from both would be a major boost.
8. Houston
The Cougars have been a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the last four tournaments, illustrating the high standards of the program under Kelvin Sampson. There will be retooling through the portal with most of the key components from this past season departing. Veteran forward Joseph Tugler should be the leader of the group and could be joined by Chris Cenac, who is weighing a draft decision. Bigger roles are expected for Mercy Miller and Chase McCarty. Incoming prep center Arafan Diane will be asked to contribute right away.
9. Arkansas
The Razorbacks will be aiming higher after a pair of Sweet 16 appearances. While the departure of Darius Acuff Jr. will leave a major void, John Calipari is bringing in freshman guards Jordan Smith Jr. and JJ Andrews. More will be asked of veterans Billy Richmond III and Malique Ewin, but they are both capable of providing scoring punch.
10. Virginia
The Cavaliers were one of the country’s biggest surprises in Ryan Odom’s first season and stand to bring back several of their key pieces. Thijs De Ridder was first-team all-ACC in his first season with the program, and Sam Lewis and Chance Mallory will have bigger roles. It should be another season at the top of the conference.
11. Gonzaga
It’ll be a new look for the Bulldogs with the team moving into the Pac-12 that will provide greater conference competition with several of the best teams from the Mountain West also arriving. Gonzaga benefits from several mainstays returning with big man Braden Huff expected to be at full strength after missing the final stretch of the season due to a knee injury and rising sophomores Mario Saint-Supery and Davis Fogle looking to make big jumps in production. A strong recruiting class led by Jack Kayil from Germany and Luca Foster will also keep Mark Few’s team in the mix for a top seed in the tournament.
12. Connecticut
Guards Braylon Mullins and Solo Ball could enter the NBA draft. If not, though, UConn will have one of the best backcourts in the country. Silas Demery and Jayden Ross were return after contributing to the team that fell one game short of a national title. There will be a need for a new interior presence with Tarris Reed Jr. graduating, and Alex Karaban’s departure leaves a huge void. But the Huskies will add more wing scoring with freshmen Colben Landrew and Junior County.
13. Iowa State
It will be a year of transition for the Cyclones with mainstays Tamin Lipsey and Jordan Jefferson among the players moving on. Milan Momcilovic, the team’s leading scorer, is expected to explore his NBA draft options, and his return would be a massive boost. T.J. Otzelberger will be aggressive in the portal, but he has holdovers Killyan Toure, Blake Buchanan and Jamarion Batemon to build around.
14. St. John’s
Few teams will be as active in the portal with standouts Zuby Ejiofor and Bryce Hopkins out of eligibility. The backcourt should bring back experience and depth with Dylan Darling, Oziyah Sellers, Ian Jackson and Joson Sanon, though this group will need to be better from 3-point range. The biggest source of optimism comes from coach Rick Pitino and his track record of tournament success.
15. BYU
Incoming freshman Bruce Branch III isn’t as heralded as AJ Dybantsa was, but he’s a massive piece for the Cougars, who will be hoping to avoid the injury bug that slowed their expected NCAA Tournament run. Robert Wright will be an elite scorer with Branch. The big question for coach Kevin Young is bringing in some size to address departures in the frontcourt.
16. Purdue
The Boilermakers move on without the trio of Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn. No returning player scored more than guard C.J. Cox’s 8.5 points per game. Look for Purdue to lean on a recruiting class that ranks seventh nationally while blending in transfers such as former Princeton forward Caden Pierce. Coach Matt Painter has won at least 24 games in each of the past five years and will contend to do so again despite the reworked roster.
17. Miami (Fla.)
Like his ACC counterpart Ryan Odom, Jai Lucas did one of the best jobs of first-year coaches with the program making a 19-win improvement. The Hurricanes are looking to go further than just making the NCAA Tournament with Shelton Henderson and Dante Allen expected to the top scoring options. Lucas will again hit the portal but he secured an elite recruit by convincing incoming freshman Caleb Gaskins to stay home in South Florida.
18. Nebraska
To capitalize on this year’s success, Nebraska has to retain Pryce Sandfort and Braden Frager while dipping into the portal to find a new starting point guard. The Cornhuskers will bring back some size up front but will need a healthy season from former All-MAC pick Ugnius Jaruševičius. Incoming freshmen Colin Rice and Jacob Lanier could make an immediate impact.
19. Iowa
After a magical Elite Eight run, Iowa looks to maintain that momentum under second-year coach Ben McCollum while losing top scorer Bennett Stirtz. The Hawkeyes will be aggressive in the portal to find a guard to join holdovers Kael Combs, Isaia Howard and Tate Sage, and also to find a center to play alongside projected returnees Alvaro Folgueiras, Cam Manyawu and Cooper Koch.
20. Kansas
One key returner is confirmed with Bill Self deciding to stay on the bench amid health issues. There will be less drama without Darryn Peterson around, and the role of standout freshman should be handled by incoming recruit Taylen Kinney. Bryson Tiller was slated for a bigger role in the frontcourt after the surprising departure of Flory Bidunga. But it appears Tiller and guard Elmarko Jackson also may be leaving.
21. Tennessee
The elusive first Final Four remains the goal but getting back to the Elite Eight for the fourth year in a row will require Rick Barnes to bring in major additions through the portal. One already in the books is Tyler Lundblade from Belmont, who brings needed shooting range. Ralph Scott and Manny Green are two freshmen that need to have a big impact.
22. North Carolina
One big question was answered with the hiring of Michael Malone. It’s unclear how bringing in an NBA title-winning coach without experience as college head coach will shake out. But let’s assume for now that most of their returning pieces stay in place. Luka Bogavac and Jarin Stevenson are good building blocks that return for their senior season, and key recruits Dylan Ming and Maximo Adams could contribute right away. Expect there to be major moves in the portal with Chapel Hill still remaining a desired destination.
23. Louisville
Louisville has gone 51-19 in Pat Kelsey’s two years and should remain an ACC contender despite losing some key pieces, including Mikel Brown Jr. and Ryan Conwell. While there’s work to be done in the portal, the Cardinals bring back guard Adrian Wooley and former G-League guard London Johnson.
24. Wisconsin
With guard John Blackwell entering the portal, look for the Badgers to be active in adding depth and shooting to the wing rotation. What Wisconsin has is an experienced frontline led by Nolan Winter and Austin Rapp, which should lead to a different look on offense. But the pieces are in place for another top-six finish in the Big Ten.
25. VCU
The Rams were poised to have five of their top six scorers return before the announcement that Terrence Hill Jr. was departing. Even with the bad news, Phil Martelli Jr. has a solid foundation to build upon after a 28-win season. Look for guard Nyk Lewis to emerge in his sophomore season with forward Lazar Djokovic providing scoring inside . Sammy Jackson, a top-50 recruit, should be a huge addition to the lineup.
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