The confetti may still be falling on the Michigan Wolverines as they cut down the nets to celebrate a 2026 national championship, but it’s never too early to start thinking about next season. There’s so much roster uncertainty pretty much everywhere you look in college basketball with the transfer portal set to open Tuesday and NBA draft decisions to come over the next several weeks, but that doesn’t mean we can’t start dreaming of who might be in position to win it all in Detroit next April.
WIth that in mind, here’s a look at Sports Illustrated’s way-too-early top 25, with notes on the offseasons to come for some of the best of the best in college hoops.
1. Michigan
Michigan’s program is in amazing shape as long as Dusty May stays the head coach in Ann Arbor. It will be a tall order for the Wolverines to keep potential first-rounders Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara, but even keeping one would make the Wolverines a serious title threat on paper. Even if not, the Wolverines can then allocate resources accordingly around a pair of backcourt stars in Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney along with elite freshman guard Brandon McCoy. The proof of concept of turning Danny Wolf and now Mara and Johnson into NBA prospects out of the portal should help make Michigan an extremely attractive sell to this year’s class of transfers.
2. UConn
Fresh off a third Final Four in four years, UConn can safely be placed among the nation’s elite yet again. The big fish returner should be point guard Silas Demary Jr., who had a strong junior season and could become a star as a senior. Even if Braylon Mullins heads to the pros, a nucleus of Demary, Solo Ball, Jaylin Stewart, Eric Reibe and the Huskies’ strong freshman class looks very enticing. If Reibe has the type of breakout year UConn is hoping for, he could quickly emerge as one of the best bigs in the country.
3. Florida
The Gators’ bid for a repeat national championship ended in shocking fashion in the round of 32, but Florida seems primed to be right back near the top of the sport in 2026–27. PG Boogie Fland and rotation guards Urban Klavzar and Isaiah Brown have already announced their returns to Gainesville, and there’s optimism that Florida can coax back its two superstars up front in Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu. If that happens, Florida will enter next season as a real threat to win it all, especially if it can add a bit more scoring pop on the wing to help replace Thomas Haugh.
4. Arizona
Tommy Lloyd has built a monster at Arizona, even if things ended ugly in its blowout loss to Michigan on Saturday. And while the Wildcats will lose a lot from this season’s team, the future looks bright. It’d be ideal to get back at least one of star wing Ivan Kharchenkov and big man Motiejus Krivas to go with a talented incoming group headlined by top-five recruit Caleb Holt in the backcourt. Expect the Wildcats to be aggressive in the portal market for point guards, specifically ones who’ve already had a track record of succeeding at the high-major level.
5. Michigan State
Michigan State has had quite the renaissance the last two years, coinciding with the ball going into PG Jeremy Fears Jr.’s hands full time. Assuming Fears comes back (he’s at best a second-round pick if he enters the draft), Michigan State seems likely to be near the top of the Big Ten yet again. The priority this offseason will assuredly be boosting a frontcourt that loses a ton of production, though rising sophomores Cam Ward and Jordan Scott have serious upside.
6. Duke
March pain notwithstanding, Jon Scheyer has this Duke program operating at an elite level with just seven total losses in the last two years. There’s no Cameron Boozer or Cooper Flagg incoming from the high school ranks, but the Blue Devils have three top-15 recruits on the way (including star PG Deron Rippey Jr.) and a chance to have real roster continuity. What shakes out in the backcourt with Caleb Foster and Cayden Boozer each having eligibility remaining in addition to Rippey will be interesting. Up front, Cameron Williams could have a huge year as a freshman, but that’s where the Blue Devils likely need the most reinforcements.
7. Virginia
It’s hard not to be excited about the future of the Virginia program after 30 wins in Ryan Odom’s first season in Charlottesville. There’s a strong nucleus in place for the future, too: PG Chance Mallory looks like a budding star, and the frontcourt with Thijs De Ridder and Johann Grünloh likely coming back is loaded. Odom is clearly a sharp roster-builder primed to succeed at a well-resourced program like Virginia, and the style Virginia plays attacking the offensive glass and protecting the paint defensively is a winning one in the modern era of college hoops.
8. Illinois
Breaking through to the Final Four was a big step forward for Brad Underwood’s program, but the Illini have been consistently excellent for a while now. David Mirković, one of the stars of Illinois’s run, could emerge into a superstar as a sophomore and is already one of the sport’s most entertaining players. Bringing back some combination of Tomislav Ivišić, Zvonimir Ivišić and Andrej Stojaković would also help, but the Illini have a strong talent acquisition operation rolling and a pipeline to land the best players from around the world if they experience more attrition than expected.
9. Arkansas
John Calipari has unsurprisingly started recruiting as well as anyone in the country at Arkansas, with a monster 2026 high school class incoming. With star soon-to-be-freshmen in guard Jordan Smith Jr. and wings Abdou Toure and JJ Andrews, the Razorbacks could have one of the most athletic teams in college basketball in 2026–27. Smith’s a safe bet to be the nation’s most productive freshman, a guard with an elite motor and tons of winning characteristics who has been a fixture with the U.S. youth national teams coming up the ranks.
10. Houston
Houston’s last time finishing outside KenPom’s top five was before the COVID-19 pandemic. Give Kelvin Sampson five basketball players and a month to coach them, and they’ll likely be defending and rebounding at an elite level. That said, this will be a new-look Cougars team with all three star guards assuredly gone and the possibility of further NBA defections in the form of forwards Joseph Tugler and Chris Cenac Jr. The Cougars have another strong freshman class coming with big man Arafan Diane and guard Ikenna Alozie, but they’ll need significant portal reinforcements.
11. Alabama
Alabama seems likely to lose star point guard Labaron Philon Jr. to the draft, but if it can retain the rest of its core it could be right at the top of the SEC in 2026–27. Guard Aden Holloway, and wing Amari Allen would be huge pieces to keep, and the Tide have a pair of top-25 recruits signed to go with them in Qayden Samuels and Jaxon Richardson. Nate Oats said the Tide need to get bigger this spring, so expect that to be a priority in the portal.
12. Gonzaga
Gonzaga’s last time finishing outside of KenPom’s top 25 was 2011, so it seems pretty safe to include the Bulldogs here. A healthy Braden Huff up front profiles as one of the best players in the sport in 2026–27. He was perhaps the most efficient scorer in the country before a season-ending knee injury in January. Gonzaga also has a pair of major breakout candidates in guard Mario Saint-Supery and wing Davis Fogle, each of whom showed serious flashes at times in ’25–26.
13. St. John’s
Back-to-back Big East titles is an unbelievable accomplishment for Rick Pitino and the Red Storm considering the program he inherited when he arrived in Queens three years ago. Losing Zuby Ejiofor, the heartbeat of the Red Storm the last two years, is a huge blow, but the Red Storm could have some solid backcourt continuity if the likes of Ian Jackson, Joson Sanon and Dylan Darling stay put. Rebuilding the frontcourt and adding Pitino-style athletic and physical forwards will be the priority for the spring.
14. Iowa State
Iowa State has been among the most consistent programs in the sport of late. While local product and leader Tamin Lipsey and star forward Joshua Jefferson graduating are significant blows, Iowa State has a pair of very promising young guards in Killyan Toure and Jamarion Batemon to build around and a steady starting big in Blake Buchanan. All eyes will be on the draft decision of Milan Momcilovic, who’s fresh off one of the best shooting seasons in the sport’s history.
15. Vanderbilt
The Vanderbilt program is on a clear upward trajectory under Mark Byington, and the Commodores just locked in their star head coach to a new contract to ensure he’ll be in Nashville for the long haul. The Commodores will lose a lot to graduation, but as long as they can hold onto superstar guard Tyler Tanner, they belong in these rankings. Tanner has first-team All-American potential if he returns for a third season with the Commodores, but could have draft interest as early as the late first round.
16. Nebraska
The Cornhuskers won their first-ever NCAA men’s tournament game in 2026, a dream campaign that began 20–0 and ended with a spot in the Sweet 16. If Nebraska can retain star wings Pryce Sandfort and Braden Frager as well as versatile forward Berke Büyüktuncel, they’ll enter 2026–27 well-positioned to compete in the upper echelon of the Big Ten.
17. Texas
A surprise run to the Sweet 16 made Sean Miller’s first year in Austin a success. The best way to build on it would be convince star wing Dailyn Swain to eschew the NBA for one more year of college, but even if he doesn’t return the Longhorns have some strong building blocks in place in big man Matas Vokietaitis and top-20 freshman guard Austin Goosby, one of the most exciting prospects in a down 2026 high school class.
18. Purdue
Things will look very different in West Lafayette, Ind., without Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn, but the Boilers haven’t finished outside KenPom’s top 25 in a decade. Freshman Luke Ertel and sophomore Omer Mayer can take on the ballhandling responsibility, while C.J. Cox seems primed for big steps forward as a junior. And watch out for Antione West Jr., who earned rave reviews this year while redshirting.
19. Kansas
The Jayhawks have had a roller-coaster offseason, getting Bill Self back for at least one more year as head coach but seeing a pair of critical pieces in Flory Bidunga and Bryson Tiller announce plans to hit the portal. Kansas has a strong freshman class headlined by PG Taylen Kinney though, and that class could get even better if the Jayhawks can woo No. 1 recruit Tyran Stokes.
20. Saint Louis
The Billikens won 29 games, then miraculously held onto head coach Josh Schertz in spite of substantial high-major interest thanks to a monster investment into the program from its administration. With that, SLU seems well-positioned to retain much of its core, including sharpshooters like Trey Green and Ishan Sharma as well as slashing guards Quentin Jones, Kellen Thames and Amari McCottry. Land a big fish up front, and SLU could be even better next year than it was this season.
21. Iowa
It’s not hard to be all-in on what Ben McCollum is building in Iowa City after the Hawkeyes’ run to the Elite Eight. The Hawkeyes could have real continuity, too. Three starters (Kael Combs, Cooper Koch and Cam Manyawu) have eligibility remaining, and talented subs Tate Sage and Alvaro Folgueiras had huge NCAA tournaments. If McCollum can land a high-level lead guard in the portal, watch out.
22. UCLA
Losing Donovan Dent and Tyler Bilodeau creates a huge void, but the Bruins have done well with retention early this offseason. Guard Trent Perry is back and should have a big junior year, and up front the Bruins have already locked in a pair of starters in Eric Dailey Jr. and Xavier Booker. Hit it big in the portal at the PG and four spots, and Mick Cronin will be in business.
23. Texas Tech
There’s all kinds of uncertainty entering the offseason in Lubbock. Will JT Toppin’s knee heal in time for a 2026–27 return? Does his status being in flux impact whether Christian Anderson comes back vs. going pro? What about other key pieces with eligibility left like rising sophomore guard Jaylen Petty? What we do know is Grant McCasland is a big-time roster-builder, and Texas Tech has one of the most potent budgets in the sport. They’ll end up plenty talented, however it all comes together.
24. TCU
The Horned Frogs were a tough out once they got rolling in Big 12 play, finishing 11–7 in the league before pushing Duke for a stretch in the round of 32. There’s a strong nucleus here if it can be retained: David Punch and Xavier Edmonds is an outstanding frontcourt, wings Micah Robinson and Liutauras Lelevicius provide real versatility, and Brock Harding managed the point well. It may not be easy to keep that group together, but they’ll be in good shape if they can.
25. USC
Eric Musselman’s tenure in Southern California is off to a somewhat slow start, but the Trojans get a nice talent injection this offseason in the form of three McDonald’s All-Americans, headlined by California native Christian Collins. If USC can have real retention with the likes of Rodney Rice, Jacob Cofie and Alijah Arenas, they could move up the Big Ten pecking order quickly.
More March Madness From Sports Illustrated
Listen to SI’s college sports podcast, Others Receiving Votes, below or on Apple and Spotify. Watch the show on the SI College YouTube channel.
- It’s the Big Ten’s World. The Rest of College Sports Is Living in It.
- Alex Karaban Leaves as UConn’s Ultimate Winner—But One Title Short
- Dusty May’s Ambitious Vision Carried a Michigan Juggernaut to a Championship
- From Obscurity to Immortality: Yaxel Lendeborg’s Gritty Masterpiece Seals Michigan’s Title
- NCAA Releases Iconic ‘One Shining Moment’ Video After Michigan Victory to Cap 2026 NCAA Tournament
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Men’s College Basketball Way-Too-Early Top 25 Rankings: Post 2026 Title Game.
