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Myron Medcalf
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Myron Medcalf
ESPN Staff Writer
- Covers college basketball
- Joined ESPN.com in 2011
- Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato
Multiple Authors
We’re just over halfway through the offseason of no college basketball. A little more than 100 days ago, Michigan cut down the nets in Indianapolis for its first national championship in 37 years. In less than 100 days, the Wolverines will begin their title defense, looking just a little different.
Can new coach Mike Boynton and his new roster pick up where Dusty May left off before the latter’s surprise departure for the NBA? Who are the challengers? Florida, which did the unthinkable and kept its 2025 title-winning core intact for a third consecutive season? A UConn program with dynasty dreams? Duke with a coach coveted by the NBA?
Then there are the larger, sport-level changes that went into effect: new eligibility rules that were followed by a slew of lawsuits, throwing the question of who can play in a few months into murky waters. The NCAA tournament has also, after years of speculation, finally expanded. Eight more teams will now hear their name called on Selection Sunday.
There’s a lot to know if you stopped paying attention to college basketball after “One Shining Moment” played in April. So, consider this your primer: ESPN’s Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf on 10 storylines plus 90 more things to know about the upcoming season, from wild predictions to the top players, new coaches and more.
Jump to:
Top storylines | Wild predictions
Contenders | Teams that could make a jump
Best nonconference matchups
Freshmen | Transfers | Breakouts
All-America candidates | New coaches
10 storylines that could shape the season
How will Michigan defend its title without Dusty May and three lottery picks? Michigan’s march to a national championship last season was one of complete dominance. The Wolverines romped to a Players Era title in November with a plus-110 scoring margin over three games, won 29 games by double digits, and defeated teams by an average of 19 points per game in the NCAA tournament. Unsurprisingly, their entire frontcourt departed for the NBA as lottery picks. And then came the stunner: Dusty May became the first men’s college basketball coach to leave in the offseason immediately following a national title since 1988, when Larry Brown left Kansas in late June for the Dallas Mavericks.
The Wolverines have turned to Mike Boynton, who served as May’s assistant coach the past two seasons, to lead the program. Boynton was able to keep nearly the entire roster together — only backup guard L.J. Cason, who could miss all of next season after tearing an ACL in February, left following May’s exit — but a potential repeat seems like a taller task than it did three months ago. — Borzello
The first-rounders who spurned the NBA draft to return to college. Braylon Mullins made the most memorable shot of the NCAA tournament with his buzzer-beater to lead UConn to the Final Four over Duke. In a former era — think 10 years ago — a player like Mullins, a projected first-round pick entering this offseason, would have entered and stayed in the NBA draft. But with the advent of the NIL era, he and other elite prospects decided to return to college basketball for another season, altering the landscape and strengthening national title contenders.
Dan Hurley will now turn to Mullins to chase his third national title in five seasons. Thomas Haugh, also a projected lottery pick, is back in Gainesville, Florida, to chase another championship two years after he won it all with Florida. Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu will join him, locking up the nucleus of the Gators’ championship frontcourt.
Rick Pitino signed Tounde Yessoufou, who withdrew from the draft after averaging 17.8 PPG at Baylor last season and entered the transfer portal — he takes St. John’s from an afterthought in the 2026-27 national title race to a top-10 team. The biggest move of them all, however, is former Iowa State star Milan Momcilovic (16.9 PPG, 49% from beyond the arc) choosing Kentucky. Until Momcilovic’s decision — he also flirted with first-round projections after a string of good workouts for NBA teams — the Wildcats were one of the field’s mysteries. Now, they’re solidly a top-25 team and SEC contender. — Medcalf
Michael Malone starts a new era at North Carolina. Malone, the championship-winning former NBA coach, was working for ESPN in April when he received the call to replace Hubert Davis, the former UNC star who was fired following a series of lackluster showings during his five-year tenure. Three years removed from leading the Denver Nuggets, and 25 years after his last stint in the Division I ranks (he was an assistant at Manhattan from 1999 to 2001), it makes sense the school would turn to a leader accustomed to the roster chaos and financial transactions attached to transfer portal moves and NIL deals.
But the past 10 years have not been kind to NBA coaches who tried to adapt to the college game. Both levels of basketball have their own unique challenges, and although Malone has an NBA title, he’s a newcomer in this landscape. His predecessor had All-Americans and lottery picks and still fell short of expectations in Chapel Hill.
Malone is out to prove he can bridge the gap between a storied program’s tradition and its need to get real about where it stands in college basketball right now. — Medcalf
Bill Self is on retirement watch as he coaches another potential No. 1 pick. After losing to St. John’s in the NCAA tournament, the longtime Kansas head coach seemed uncertain about his future. “I love what I do; I need to be able to do it where I’m feeling good and healthy to do it fairly well,” Self said at the time. “I’ll get back home, and it’ll all be discussed.”
A week later, he backtracked and announced his return to Lawrence, saying he was “committed” to Kansas. That hasn’t quieted the speculation about the future of the legendary head coach who has battled health challenges in recent years.
The arrival of Tyran Stokes, the potential No. 1 pick in the 2027 NBA draft, might have contributed to Self’s newfound enthusiasm about his coaching future. In Stokes, the Jayhawks will have a player with NBA dreams and a versatility that could fuel their first Final Four run since their national title in 2022. It must be acknowledged that Kansas had similar projections a year ago with Darryn Peterson. Yet, the team never hit its stride amid a turbulent season for Peterson.
The key to Self’s future might rest on the shoulders of another phenomenal freshman. — Medcalf
Rampant eligibility questions remain entering the stretch run of the offseason. We’re less than 100 days from the start of the season, and there are still dozens and dozens of players in eligibility limbo.
In May, the NCAA laid out new guidance regarding eligibility for international players, including updated requirements for compensation players received while playing in Europe. An NCAA spokesperson told Sports Illustrated at the time that the NCAA “identified several international leagues in which participation by a prospect is likely to result in violations of NCAA rules and a loss of eligibility.”
The guidance came weeks after the largest Europe-to-NCAA exodus we’ve seen, leading to rampant questions about whether the majority of the European stars coming to college basketball will be cleared to play.
The second, arguably bigger, sticking point is the new age-based eligibility model that gives athletes five years of eligibility over five seasons. The new rules were put into effect for student-athletes graduating next spring but not retroactively applied to those who graduated this past spring. This new “five-in-five” rule has led to a raft of lawsuits and legal challenges from graduating seniors arguing for a fifth year of eligibility.
In early July, an Ohio county judge ruled in favor of 24 athletes, granting a preliminary injunction that blocks the NCAA from enforcing its new eligibility rules against the likes of Xavier’s Filip Borovicanin and potential Cincinnati commit MJ Collins Jr., who graduated high school in 2022 and played for only four years. While the injunction only applies to the one specific lawsuit in Ohio, it has opened the doors for several more in other states and will keep stretching out the eligibility question. — Borzello
Mark Pope enters the season under pressure. Kentucky beat then-No. 1 Purdue in a preseason exhibition game last October and entered Year 2 of the Mark Pope era with sky-high expectations, a highly ranked transfer class, reportedly the highest-paid roster in the sport and plenty of momentum in the program.
It unraveled pretty quickly. The Wildcats started 5-4 overall, lost their first two games of the SEC season, and after an impressive stretch midway through conference play lost five of their final seven games of the regular season before limping out of the NCAA tournament with a 19-point loss to Iowa State in the second round.
A string of high-profile recruiting and transfer portal misses to start the offseason didn’t help the frustration levels, but Pope rebounded well — including adding Momcilovic, the nation’s top transfer — and finished the spring with a roster that will likely open the season ranked inside the top 25. That said, Pope can’t afford a repeat of 2025-26. — Borzello
Will Wade is back in Baton Rouge. When LSU fired Will Wade in 2022, then-school president William F. Tate said, “We can no longer subject our University, Department of Athletics and — most importantly — our student-athletes to this taxing and already-lengthy process without taking action.” He was referring to the sanctions Wade was facing over his second pay-for-play scandal in three years. At the time, it seemed as though the divorce between both sides was final.
But this is the new LSU. Kim Mulkey is still wearing her colorful outfits on the sidelines. The school stole Lane Kiffin from Ole Miss to lead its football program, and Kiffin added Ed Orgeron, who won a national title at LSU in 2019 before being fired. It only makes sense Wade would return, too. In Baton Rouge, the band is back together.
And Wade, fittingly, isn’t doing anything conventionally, either. He entered July with just four players on his roster, mostly because he appears to be awaiting legal challenges to the NCAA’s new five-in-five eligibility rules to allow a fleet of international players as well as former Big East Player of the Year RJ Luis to play. What’s the plan from here? Who knows, but Wade is ready to make LSU relevant again, four years after he left town as a villain. — Medcalf
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Will Wade on LSU: ‘I’m for LSU, LSU is for me’
The Pac-12 is back, sort of, at the expense of the WCC. The conference realignment conversation has centered on college football in recent years, but the loss of the Pac-12 more significantly removed the West Coast’s traditional footprint in basketball. The league managed to find a way to return this season, without the prominent schools that comprised the former version. It does have new members in Gonzaga, along with Boise State, Colorado State, San Diego State and Utah State — all teams with recent NCAA tournament appearances, and even runs, on the résumé.
The Pac-12’s gain, however, is a major loss for the West Coast Conference, which lost the Bulldogs. Gonzaga’s 30-year run of success in the WCC put a spotlight on the entire league, benefitting the other members. Saint Mary’s became Gonzaga’s chief rival and sent multiple players to the NBA as it developed its talent pool. Todd Golden was the coach at San Francisco before taking Florida to a national title in 2025. And BYU earned its opportunity to compete in the Big 12 after thriving in the WCC. Without Gonzaga, the WCC will have to create a new identity and beacon. — Medcalf
Will Dusty May leaving for the NBA start a trend? Before May left for the Dallas Mavericks, it had been seven years since an NBA team hired a college head coach. (The last time coincidentally also involved Michigan, with John Beilein leaving for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2019.) Historically, the college-to-NBA coaching jump hasn’t been a great bet. Beilein lasted just 54 games; Billy Donovan (formerly of Florida) reached the conference finals with the Oklahoma City Thunder in his first year and never again advanced past the first round; Fred Hoiberg, currently at Nebraska, went 115-155 in three-plus seasons with the Chicago Bulls. Brad Stevens is the outlier, following a slew of coaches — including Rick Pitino and John Calipari — who went below-.500 in the NBA.
May might have restarted the trend. Prior to hiring May, the Mavericks pursued Duke coach Jon Scheyer, and it’s easy to see why both names were at the top of the college-to-NBA wish list. Both have the personality and tactical acumen NBA teams covet, though they’re not the only ones: Along with Scheyer, Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd, Alabama’s Nate Oats, BYU’s Kevin Young (who was linked to the Chicago Bulls job this spring) and Florida’s Todd Golden are all potential names to monitor over the next few years. And don’t forget UConn’s Dan Hurley, who turned down a lucrative offer from the Los Angeles Lakers in 2024 and spoke as recently as this offseason about potentially coaching in the NBA one day. — Borzello
Welcome to the newly expanded NCAA tournament. After more than three years of discussions and debates, the NCAA finally made the long-anticipated decision official: The men’s and women’s tournaments are expanding by eight teams to fields of 76, effective this coming season. There will now be 44 at-large bids to go with 32 automatic bids (the return of the Pac-12 means an additional automatic qualifier).
The biggest change from a logistical and bracketing perspective? The First Four is out; the Opening Round is in. There will now be 24 teams playing in 12 games for a chance to advance to the men’s round of 64, as opposed to eight teams playing in four games. Half of the games will take place in Dayton, where the First Four has typically been hosted, while the other half will be played in Wichita, Kansas.
The biggest question surrounding the expansion: Will this mean more middling power-conference bids or more mid-major at-large selections? — Borzello
10 title contenders
Teams listed in order of Borzello and Medcalf’s consensus top 10
Florida Gators. After falling to 9-seed Iowa in the second round of the tournament, Todd Golden’s goal is now two titles in three years. He brings back the frontcourt trio — Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon, Rueben Chinyelu — that led the Gators to a national championship two years ago and a 1-seed last season. Boogie Fland is also back at point guard, and the Gators are holding out hope that a fourth key player from that title team, Denzel Aberdeen, gets another year of eligibility. — Borzello
Duke Blue Devils. In back-to-back seasons, Jon Scheyer coached the national player of the year (Cooper Flagg in 2024-25, Cameron Boozer in 2025-26) and both times fell just short of his national title goals. To secure his first national title as head coach — and the Blue Devils’ first since 2015 — Scheyer has tapped the transfer portal to sign former Wisconsin star John Blackwell, who will play alongside veterans such as Caleb Foster and five-star recruit Cameron Williams. — Medcalf
Illinois Fighting Illini. After reaching the Final Four last season, Brad Underwood has reloaded with enough talent to make another deep run in March. Key players David Mirkovic, Tomislav Ivisic and Andrej Stojakovic are all back, and two newcomers — transfer Stefan Vaaks and freshman Quentin Coleman — arrive in Champaign to replace Keaton Wagler and Kylan Boswell in the backcourt. — Borzello
UConn Huskies. Braylon Mullins, hero of the Huskies’ buzzer-beating win over Duke in the Elite Eight and a projected first-round pick in the 2027 NBA draft, is the anchor of a team that lost key veterans but also returns three of its top five scorers from last season. Dan Hurley’s dynasty hopes — UConn is chasing its third title in five years — could hinge, however, on Duke transfer Nikolas Khamenia‘s ability to fill the massive void created by the departure of Tarris Reed Jr. — Medcalf
Texas Longhorns. Sean Miller and the Longhorns had as strong an offseason as any team in college basketball, completely rebuilding and revamping the roster into a national championship contender. They had one of the best transfer classes in the country, led by David Punch; added a pair of five-star recruits, including Marcus Spears Jr.; and also brought back potential all-league center Matas Vokietaitis. On paper, they’re loaded. — Borzello
Tennessee Volunteers. Under Rick Barnes, Tennessee has had three consecutive seasons with players who averaged at least 18 points per game. Wake Forest transfer Juke Harris, who scored 25 points or more in 11 games last season, could make it four in a row. Joined by former VCU star Terrence Hill Jr. and other double-figure scorers from the transfer portal, the Vols are poised to change the offensive output for a team that ranked 10th in the SEC in efficiency in 2025-26. — Medcalf
Michigan Wolverines. The reigning national champions reloaded for another run at a trophy, but Dusty May’s departure for the NBA somewhat dampens their preseason hype. That said, Elliot Cadeau was the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player, Trey McKenney is poised for a breakout season and incoming transfers J.P. Estrella and Moustapha Thiam enter the fold as frontcourt anchors. — Borzello
Michigan State Spartans. Per the oddsmakers, Jeremy Fears Jr. is the national player of the year favorite entering the season. If he lives up to that projection, Tom Izzo’s squad should be in position to reach the national semifinals at least. Five-star recruit Jasiah Jervis and returnees Coen Carr and Kur Teng form a collection of playmakers who should make up one of the most entertaining Michigan State teams in years. — Medcalf
Arizona Wildcats. After winning the Big 12 championship, earning a 1-seed and advancing to the Final Four, what does Tommy Lloyd have in store for an encore? There are still questions surrounding the power forward position, but Ivan Kharchenkov and Motiejus Krivas are back as starters up front and top-five recruit Caleb Holt is expected to be a two-way game changer on the perimeter. This team should be elite defensively. — Borzello
Louisville Cardinals. The transfer portal doesn’t offer guarantees for any team, but Pat Kelsey has assembled a class capable of competing with the other contenders on this list — if he can build the camaraderie in the locker room to make it all work. Former Kansas star Flory Bidunga immediately makes the Cardinals a formidable defensive team, while Jackson Shelstad, Karter Knox and Iowa hero Alvaro Folgueiras should provide a strong offensive foundation for a squad that wants much more than an ACC crown. — Medcalf
10 teams that could make a jump
A “jump” meaning into the national spotlight, into the top tier of their conference or onto the NCAA tournament bubble. Listed in alphabetical order.
Florida State Seminoles. In Luke Loucks’ first season in Tallahassee, the Seminoles took Duke to the brink of defeat in the ACC tournament quarterfinals, only for Robert McCray’s potential winner to rim out at the buzzer. The good news is Loucks has had a strong start to his tenure, and now with a top-20 recruiting class as well as former UNC Asheville star Kameron Taylor and former Missouri star Anthony Robinson II, he could lead the school to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2021. — Medcalf
Indiana Hoosiers. In his first season in Bloomington, Darian DeVries simply didn’t have enough size and athleticism up front on the roster to compete, with the Hoosiers losing six of their final seven games and missing the NCAA tournament. He has since landed impact bigs Aiden Sherrell and Samet Yigitoglu while also adding explosive scorer Markus Burton. — Borzello
Marquette Golden Eagles. Shaka Smart is coming off his second-worst season as a head coach, winning just 12 games in a rebuilding season after famously eschewing the transfer portal to instead rely on his young returnees. That decision should pay off this season, however: Nigel James Jr., Adrien Stevens and Royce Parham are all back as starters, and Smart finally went to the portal for Nolan Minessale and Sananda Fru. — Borzello
Maryland Terrapins. Another Big Ten team that should make a jump, Maryland really struggled in Buzz Williams’ first campaign at the helm, finishing just 12-21 overall and 4-16 in the league. Why the optimism now? The Terps had a strong transfer portal season, brought back Pharrel Payne and Andre Mills, and also welcomed top-10 recruit Babatunde Oladotun. — Borzello
Missouri Tigers. The Tigers’ loss to Miami in the NCAA tournament was their sixth loss in nine games, punctuating a middle-of-the-pack season. But this coming campaign, five-star recruits Jason Crowe and Toni Bryant — along with former Kansas star Bryson Tiller — have the tools to turn Dennis Gates’ roster into one of America’s top offensive units and propel it to the SEC’s top tier and national title contention. — Medcalf
Ohio State Buckeyes. Jake Diebler continued to prove he was the right man to lead Ohio State as his team won 21 games and earned an 8-seed in the NCAA tournament. The 2026-27 season could entail another leap — this time into the top tier of the Big Ten — and feature the program’s first NCAA tournament win since 2022 for a group that brings back John Mobley Jr. (15.7 PPG) and adds an elite recruiting class led by Anthony Thompson (No. 12 in the SC Next 100). — Medcalf
Oklahoma State Cowboys. Steve Lutz won 20 games in his second season as head coach in Stillwater. His third year could end with the program’s first NCAA tournament appearance since 2021. Returnee Kanye Clary, who averaged 16.1 PPG in the last six games of the 2025-26 campaign, and former North Carolina standout Luka Bogavac will join a top-15 recruiting class led by SC Next 100 forward Latrell Allmond to earn a nod on Selection Sunday. — Medcalf
Providence Friars. Here’s Bryan Hodgson’s track record when it comes to taking over programs: a seven-win increase in Year 1 at Arkansas State and an NCAA tournament appearance in Year 2; a 12-win increase and NCAA tournament appearance in Year 1 at South Florida. With a talented and deep transfer class, the Friars could follow a similar trajectory. — Borzello
USC Trojans. Last season’s group collapsed down the stretch, losing its final eight games after a solid 18-6 start. Eric Musselman has responded by building a new roster that looks incredibly talented on paper. The Trojans have brought in four former McDonald’s All-Americans while also returning Rodney Rice, Alijah Arenas and Jacob Cofie. — Borzello
Virginia Cavaliers. The ACC is crowded with teams that could compete for a national title: There’s another strong Duke squad with a balance of youth and experience; a stacked Miami team; a Louisville squad that had a lot of success in the portal; a North Carolina team rebuilding with a new coach. And then there’s last season’s 30-win Virginia, which returns Thijs De Ridder (15.6 PPG, 6.2 RPG) and three of its top five scorers. The Cavaliers are a serious threat in the ACC and a sleeper in the national championship conversation. — Medcalf
10 wild predictions
There will be two blue-blood jobs open next spring. Legitimate question marks surround the future of three blue-blood head coaches. Kentucky’s Mark Pope obviously enters the season under pressure after an inconsistent 2025-26 campaign with a high-priced roster. Kansas’ Bill Self dealt with retirement talk this past spring, even taking time after the 2025-26 season to mull his future. And then there’s Duke’s Jon Scheyer, who was pursued by the Dallas Mavericks this spring and will be near the top of NBA wish lists next year, too. — Borzello
Duke won’t hit its stride before ACC play. The Blue Devils seem to have every asset to succeed in Jon Scheyer’s fifth season at the helm. They have veterans on the roster, including Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell and returnees Patrick Ngongba II and Caleb Foster. They know how to win games, and are coming off back-to-back seasons of being led by the best player in college basketball. But they also have new parts Scheyer will have to blend together. Don’t be surprised if they hit a few rough patches on their way to title contention. — Medcalf
For the first time, at least two leagues will receive double-digit NCAA tournament bids. In 2025, the SEC set the record for NCAA tournament bids with 14 — three more than the previous record (2011, by the Big East). It couldn’t quite replicate that feat last season, though it managed 10 bids on Selection Sunday. The league should get there again this year. Meanwhile, the Big Ten has maxed out at nine bids, but this year it will get over the hump and land at least 10 bids. The Big 12 pushing for double-digit bids wouldn’t be out of the question, either. — Borzello
Texas will get to its first Final Four since 2003. This admittedly looks less wild after the Longhorns landed Marcus Spears Jr., the 2027 SC Next 100 No. 1 prospect who reclassified to play this season. But I loved the makeup of Sean Miller’s team even before it happened. Isaiah Johnson and David Punch were two of the best transfers in the country, Matas Vokietaitis should be one of the best bigs in the country, and there was already positive buzz coming out of Austin surrounding five-star guard Austin Goosby and Saint Mary’s transfer Mikey Lewis. Throw Spears into the mix, and the Longhorns have all the pieces. — Borzello
Arizona‘s Caleb Holt will be the best freshman in America. The buzz around Tyran Stokes is valid, and Jordan Smith should benefit from John Calipari’s experience with turning multiple point guards into stars. But Holt, the projected No. 3 pick in the 2027 NBA draft, per ESPN, is a two-way energizer. He joins a Wildcats group that plays fast, which will give the 6-foot-5 talent an abundance of opportunities to impact games while making a serious case as a national title contender. — Medcalf
Missouri‘s Jason Crowe will be the most productive of the five-star freshmen. Smart money is on Kansas’ Tyran Stokes being the best of the group, but that wouldn’t be a wild prediction, would it? Crowe, meanwhile, is an incredibly explosive guard who was one of the truly elite scorers in high school last year. He is the all-time leading scorer in California high school basketball history, averaging 43.3 points as a senior. He also led the Nike EYBL in scoring last spring and took his game to an even higher level at last summer’s Nike Peach Jam, leading the event in scoring. Dennis Gates will put the ball in Crowe’s hands early, and Crowe will back up the high school accolades. — Borzello
Alabama‘s Aden Holloway will earn all-SEC honors a year after felony arrest. Holloway was arrested in March for felony drug possession, temporarily removed from campus and barred from playing in the NCAA tournament. The veteran guard, who averaged 16.8 points and was a third team All-SEC selection last season, seemed destined for a prolonged legal battle — and potentially an end to his college basketball career — until he entered a “second-chance” program this offseason. Doing so could give him another opportunity to play Division I basketball and take a step forward. — Medcalf
A non-freshman will be the national player of the year. OK, this isn’t that bold of a claim, but a freshman has won the Wooden Award in each of the past two seasons: Cooper Flagg in 2025, and Cameron Boozer sweeping all the awards last season. Tyran Stokes is the best freshman entering the campaign, but I’m not sure Kansas will be good enough for him to win the award. On top of that, there’s more talent than ever returning to college basketball, including Florida’s Thomas Haugh, UConn’s Braylon Mullins, Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner and Michigan State’s Jeremy Fears Jr. — Borzello
Jai Lucas will receive a massive extension at Miami. Based on Borzello’s previously mentioned rumblings about possible blue-blood opportunities, it’s not wild to predict an interesting falling of dominoes in college basketball if those jobs open. In that scenario, Miami fans would probably collectively hold their breath. After all, Lucas — who won the Joe B. Hall national coach of the year award last season after leading the Hurricanes to the most wins by a first-year head coach in program history — had stints as an assistant at both Kentucky and Duke. A massive extension for the second-year head coach would mitigate any rumors about his immediate future. — Medcalf
College basketball will have two 900-point scorers for the first time in a decade . This threshold has been elusive. In fact, the sport hasn’t produced a player who reached that mark since Zach Edey’s second Wooden Award-winning season in 2023-24. The sport hasn’t had two players hit 900 points since Campbell’s Chris Clemons (993 points) and Hofstra’s Justin Wright-Foreman (948 points) in 2018-19. But the offensive output continues to rise in college basketball, and we should see this level once again. — Medcalf
10 nonconference matchups to watch
Games are listed in chronological order.
Florida vs. Miami in Tampa, Nov. 2. The Hurricanes’ Jai Lucas won the Joe B. Hall national coach of the year award after a stellar debut campaign. A win over in-state rival and national title contender Florida in his second season would establish the Hurricanes as a true second-weekend threat and ACC contender. — Medcalf
UConn vs. Michigan in Boston, Nov. 6. The winners of three of the past four national championships, in a rematch of last season’s national title game. Michigan had a tumultuous offseason, with May leaving for the Mavericks and its frontcourt departures necessitating a portal rebuild. Meanwhile, the post-Alex Karaban era begins at UConn, with Dan Hurley bringing back one of the elite backcourts in the country but lacking retention up front. This one’s an early opportunity for transfers Nikolas Khamenia, Najai Hines, JP Estrella and Moustapha Thiam to lay down a marker. — Borzello
Kansas vs. Kentucky in Chicago, Nov. 10. The battle for the commitment of Tyran Stokes — the projected No. 1 pick in the 2027 NBA draft per ESPN — involved a visit to Lexington that created a buzz among Big Blue Nation, before it became clear he’d already decided to play for Bill Self. This will amplify the atmosphere at the United Center for this Champions Classic matchup. — Medcalf
Illinois at Duke, Nov. 17. A matchup of heavyweight contenders, this will also serve as a November barometer for both teams: David Mirkovic and the Illini after last season’s Final Four run, as well as retooled Duke with Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell after the Blue Devils’ heartbreaking Elite Eight exit. — Medcalf
Duke at Florida, Dec. 1. The Blue Devils won a thriller against the Gators at Cameron Indoor Arena last season. The SEC/ACC Challenge rematch, this time in Gainesville, feels like a potential preview of the 2027 national championship game in Detroit. — Medcalf
Arkansas at North Carolina on Dec. 1. In his first high-profile home game as North Carolina’s new head coach, Mike Malone will face John Calipari, with a chance to earn kudos from his fanbase and begin his college basketball tenure with a win over an SEC title contender. — Medcalf
Arizona vs. St. John’s at Madison Square Garden, Dec. 5. Months after Tommy Lloyd swiped left on the North Carolina job, this battle between Tounde Yessoufou‘s St. John’s and Motiejus Krivas‘ Arizona is an early test of two top-10 teams with national championship dreams. — Medcalf
Kansas vs. Missouri in Kansas City, Dec. 6. The Border War is one of the strongest rivalries in college basketball. This edition will feature four former McDonald’s All Americans, and the reality that we’re just not sure how many more times we will see Bill Self in this setting. — Medcalf
Louisville at Kentucky, Dec. 12. Milan Momcilovic‘s arrival in Lexington is significant for Mark Pope’s future at Kentucky. A second consecutive win over chief rival Louisville would soothe a lot of the doubters in Lexington. — Medcalf
Arkansas vs. Arizona in Phoenix, Dec. 19. This is a matchup for both college basketball and NBA fans: Arkansas combo guard Jordan Smith and Arizona wing Caleb Holt, both five-star freshmen, are projected top-three picks in the 2027 NBA draft, per ESPN. — Medcalf
10 freshmen to watch
Listed in order of their SC Next 100 ranking.
Tyran Stokes, SF, Kansas. The No. 1 recruit in the country and early projected No. 1 pick in the 2027 NBA draft, Stokes is a matchup nightmare for opponents. His strength makes him a menace slashing to the rim, but he is also capable of creating for others and is an excellent passer.
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No. 1 CBB prospect Tyran Stokes makes pick live on ‘NBA Tip-Off’
Jordan Smith, G, Arkansas. Smith is a winner and a leader and that should be evident immediately in Fayetteville. He is a terrific two-way performer, establishing himself as one of the elite defenders in the class and capable of playing either backcourt position.
Caleb Holt, SG, Arizona. The Wildcats’ highest-ranked recruit in nearly a decade will make an impact at both ends of the floor from day one. He’s a terrific defender who can guard multiple positions and will look to make plays while getting downhill with the ball in his hands.
Cameron Williams and Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje, PF, Duke. Jon Scheyer will likely have to start at least one of these two five-stars. Williams is a top-five recruit with enormous long-term potential, while Boumtje Boumtje turned heads all spring and summer on the international circuit.
Bruce Branch III, SF, BYU. Branch has huge shoes to fill. While not at the level of AJ Dybantsa, the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft, he is one of the best pure scorers in the 2026 class. He has size, he has length and he possesses the ability to make shots over defenders or catch-and-shoot from the perimeter.
Jason Crowe, PG, Missouri. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Crowe put up the best numbers in the freshman class next season. He led the Nike EYBL in scoring and is arguably the most explosive player in the class in terms of getting by his defender and putting pressure on the defense.
Anthony Thompson, SF, Ohio State. Thompson is Ohio State’s highest-ranked men’s basketball recruit in a decade, and Jake Diebler will be counting on him to produce right away. He can really shoot it from the perimeter and is capable of scoring at all three levels.
Miles Sadler, PG, West Virginia. Sadler steadily rose up the 2026 SC Next rankings, capped by a fantastic showing at the Nike Hoop Summit in April. He’s a tremendous playmaker, and his speed is a difference-maker; defenders find it difficult to keep him out of the lane off the bounce.
Quentin Coleman, SG, Illinois. Coleman initially committed to Wake Forest before reopening his recruitment in the spring and heading to Champaign. He is already generating potential one-and-done buzz, despite being unranked until late in his high school career.
Nikola Kusturica, SF, UCLA. Kusturica committed to UCLA earlier this month and will spend two years in Westwood, given the fact he just turned 17 in April. He was outstanding at the FIBA U17 World Cup in Turkey this summer, averaging 24.6 points and scoring 37 in Serbia’s loss to the United States in the gold medal game. — Borzello
10 transfers to watch
Listed in order of their transfer rankings.
Milan Momcilovic, SF, Kentucky (No. 1): Momcilovic was the best shooter in the country last season and the best player in the portal. The former Iowa State star should be a foundational piece for Mark Pope, providing the Wildcats with a legitimate go-to guy offensively in what will be a critical season for the program’s head coach.
Flory Bidunga, PF, Louisville (No. 2): Bidunga established himself as one of the elite post defenders last season at Kansas, while also enjoying a breakout campaign on the offensive end. He’ll enter 2026-27 with all-conference expectations — and still has another step to go as a scorer.
John Blackwell, SG, Duke (No. 3): The best guard in the portal, Blackwell earned All-Big Ten honors after averaging 19.1 points and 5.1 rebounds at Wisconsin last season. He’ll fill a huge need for Jon Scheyer, as the Blue Devils lacked a go-to scorer a year ago alongside Caleb Foster and Dame Sarr on the perimeter.
Tounde Yessoufou, SF, St. John’s (No. 4): Yessoufou didn’t withdraw from the NBA draft until just before the deadline. Then he committed to St. John’s minutes after it passed. He is an elite scorer who averaged 17.8 points as a freshman at Baylor, and he will be needed even more with Donnie Freeman‘s recent Achilles injury.
Juke Harris, SG, Tennessee (No. 5): Harris had a huge second-season breakout under Steve Forbes, jumping from 6.1 points as a freshman to 21.4. He’ll be the focal point of Rick Barnes’ offense-first portal class — even if his numbers drop due to the increased competition for shots around him.
P.J. Haggerty, G, Texas A&M (No. 6): While he has been maligned at times throughout his career — he’s on his fifth school in five seasons — what can’t be called into question is Haggerty’s productivity. After hitting career highs in scoring (23.4 PPG) and assists (3.8 APG) last season at Kansas State, his transition to BuckyBall should be fun to watch.
Stefan Vaaks, G, Illinois (No. 9): Vaaks was one of the surprise freshmen in college basketball last season, averaging 15.8 points and 3.2 assists at Providence. Now, the Estonia native heads to Champaign, where he will likely be handed more responsibility as a playmaker, and create matchup issues with his 6-7 size.
Moustapha Thiam, C, Michigan (No. 10): Given the strides Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara took last season, there should be optimism Thiam can reach his ceiling in Ann Arbor, too. He was tremendous down the stretch of last season, posting 18.0 points and 10.4 rebounds in his final eight games at Cincinnati.
Acaden Lewis, PG, Miami (No. 13): Jai Lucas nailed his picks from the portal last season, and Lewis is the headliner for this season’s incoming transfer group. He’s a stellar two-way point guard, one who averaged 12.1 points, 5.3 assists and 1.9 steals as a freshman at Villanova last season.
Massamba Diop, C, Gonzaga (No. 18): Diop was one of the most intriguing players in the portal, mostly due to his enormous potential. He was a surprise freshman nationally last season, averaging 13.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks at Arizona State — and he immediately becomes one of the most athletically gifted players in the Pac-12. — Borzello
10 players with breakout potential
Amari Allen, F, Alabama. The 6-8 forward, who earned a spot on the all-SEC freshman squad after scoring 15 points or more in six league games, is ready for a bigger role in Nate Oats’ offense. After recording double figures in the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament, he has shown he can handle more.
Shelton Henderson, F, Miami. Hurricanes fans cheered when Henderson announced his return to the program only days after scoring 18 points in a loss to Purdue in the NCAA tournament’s second round. The 6-6 standout should be an ACC player of the year candidate in his second season. — Medcalf
Malachi Moreno, C, Kentucky. The 7-foot sophomore made the right move to withdraw from the NBA draft and return to Lexington, where he’ll get another chance to learn under Mark Pope, a former NBA center himself, and improve on last season’s 59% shooting from inside the arc.
Ivan Kharchenkov, F, Arizona. Prior to a lackluster effort in a Final Four loss to Michigan, Kharchenkov averaged 14.0 PPG and 6.5 RPG in the NCAA tournament. The 6-7 standout is poised to become a star under Tommy Lloyd in his sophomore season.
Trey McKenney, G, Michigan. The Mike Boynton era in Ann Arbor will begin with McKenney — a 6-4 guard who averaged 12.0 PPG and made 40% of his 3-point attempts in the NCAA tournament — as one of the main faces of the program.
Tyler Perkins, G, Villanova. Perkins is the only returning player who averaged in double figures (13.7 PPG, 37% from 3) last season. The 6-4 guard flew under the radar a year ago, but a borderline top-25 Villanova squad will draw more attention if his growth continues.
Amari McCottry, F, Saint Louis. In his team’s lopsided second-round loss to Michigan in March, the 6-6 McCottry (14 points, 7-for-11 from the field) was the best player for the Billikens. Saint Louis lost its top two scorers from last season, and will accordingly look to McCottry to put together a complete, dominant campaign.
Amare Bynum, F, Ohio State. Late last season, the 6-8 forward put together four consecutive double-figure efforts. The young standout, who made 62% of his shots inside the arc in Year 1, will aim to push Ohio State into the top tier of the Big Ten in Year 2.
C.J. Cox, G, Purdue. Now that Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn have all graduated, it’s Cox’s turn to be a leader for Matt Painter’s program. He was seventh on the team in usage rate a year ago, but the 37% 3-point shooter will get more opportunities now.
Patrick Ngongba II, C, Duke. Last season, the 6-11 standout was listed as the 10th-most impactful player in the nation in Evan Miya’s player efficiency rankings. Ngongba (10.1 PPG, 1.1 BPG) will be a two-way threat again this season for a Duke squad, and he will be asked to execute on both ends of the floor. — Medcalf
10 All-America candidates
Jeremy Fears Jr., G, Michigan State. The favorite to win the Wooden Award, Fears (15.2 PPG, 9.4 APG) is surrounded by offensive playmakers and experience to help Tom Izzo capture his second national championship. He’ll also chase the NCAA record books a season after recording 328 assists, the No. 6 mark in college basketball history.
David Mirkovic, F, Illinois. Mirkovic returns with key players from last season’s Final Four team determined to take the Illini all the way. The 6-9 forward averaged 13.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists and shot 38% from 3 — and isn’t expected to slow down.
Tyran Stokes, SF, Kansas. At 6-7, Stokes is one of the strongest and most versatile talents Bill Self has ever coached. If he can smooth some of the edges of his game and become a consistently focused player, Stokes could be the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NBA draft.
Thomas Haugh, F, Florida. Haugh (17.1 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 57% FG), a third-team AP All-American last season, picked one more year at Florida, another shot at a second national championship and a hefty NIL package over a spot in the first round of the NBA draft. As a result, he’s a candidate for every individual honor in the country entering the season.
Tyler Tanner, G, Vanderbilt. Tanner (19.5 PPG, 37% from 3) returned to college to prove to the decision-makers at the next level that he can be a reliable defensive presence and not just an elite scorer. His scoring touch, however, is the reason Vanderbilt will begin the season as a top-25 squad.
John Blackwell, G, Duke. The former Wisconsin star earned All-Big Ten third team honors after averaging 19.1 PPG and connecting on 39% of his 3-point attempts for the Badgers. In Durham, he’ll have a fleet of NBA prospects and veterans to expand his game and star power in the ACC.
Elliot Cadeau, G, Michigan. On a team with three future lottery picks, Cadeau secured Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four, scoring 19 points and picking up a pair of key steals in the national title game. He keeps improving with every season, and his return is a boost for Mike Boynton and the start of the next chapter in Ann Arbor.
Milan Momcilovic, F, Kentucky. The former Iowa State star was the focus of a bidding war after impressing in NBA workouts. He’ll have the green light to shoot in Lexington — just like he did in Ames — positioning him to earn All-America consideration.
Jordan Smith, G, Arkansas. In Smith, John Calipari is getting a two-way combo guard — not a pure point guard like Darius Acuff Jr. was last season. Like Acuff, however, Smith will have the ball in his hands as a catalyst for the Razorbacks. Players in similar spots under Calipari have easily earned All-America honors.
Braylon Mullins, G, UConn. The NCAA tournament hero might not ever outlive his glorious Elite Eight winner. But that performance wasn’t an exception; rather, it was a sign of continued progress for a player who scored in double figures in six of his team’s last eight games, setting up a possible star turn in 2026-27. — Medcalf
10 coaches at new programs
Michael Malone, North Carolina. One of the most surprising hires of the carousel came at one of the biggest jobs in the sport. Malone won 510 games and an NBA championship in 12 seasons with the Denver Nuggets but hasn’t coached in college since his days as a Manhattan assistant in 2001. He already has put together what should be a top-25 roster, though, and has hit the ground running on the recruiting trail.
Mike Boynton, Michigan. Just two months after helping Dusty May lead Michigan to a national championship, Boynton was promoted to the top spot with a two-year contract. There’s still a top-10-caliber roster in Ann Arbor — Boynton was able to keep nearly the entire group together following May’s departure — and there should be some defensive continuity from last season’s top-ranked defense given he was the team’s defensive coordinator.
Will Wade, LSU. Wade’s return to Baton Rouge wasn’t the cleanest of transitions, with the Tigers’ pursuit of its former coach playing out publicly while Matt McMahon was still in charge of the program. But now that Wade is back in the fold, the wins should follow. Since LSU fired him in 2022, Wade won 58 games in two seasons at McNeese and led NC State to the 2026 NCAA tournament.
Bryan Hodgson, Providence. Hodgson has developed a reputation for punching above his weight on the recruiting trail and quickly turning around programs, having already done so at South Florida and Arkansas State. He had one of the best transfer classes in the Big East this spring and has the Friars hoping to get back to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2023.
Gerry McNamara, Syracuse. The Orange went to a program legend to try to return to their glory days. McNamara was the head coach at Siena for two seasons after 15 years as a Syracuse assistant under Jim Boeheim and Adrian Autry. As a player, he had one of greatest Orange careers of all time, including a national championship in 2003.
Jerrod Calhoun, Cincinnati. Calhoun returns home after leading Utah State to back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances, with last season’s trip including a win over Villanova. The Cincinnati graduate began his coaching career as a student assistant under Hall of Famer Bob Huggins. His first Bearcats roster includes 11 transfers and zero returnees.
Luke Murray, Boston College. Considered one of the sport’s elite offensive tacticians, Murray was part of the Huskies’ back-to-back title-winning staffs. He’ll now look to bring those winning ways to Chestnut Hill, which hasn’t seen an NCAA tournament team since 2009. He already has upgraded the program’s talent with an underrated portal class.
Randy Bennett, Arizona State. After years of speculation that he would leave Saint Mary’s, Bennett finally made the jump, heading back to his home state after 25 years with the Gaels. He was able to convince all-league forward Paulius Murauskas to follow him to Tempe, which should help in Year 1.
Casey Alexander, Kansas State. Alexander led Belmont to the Missouri Valley regular-season title last season, his 10th straight campaign with at least 20 wins. He will replace Jerome Tang, who was let go toward the end of his fourth year. Will Alexander’s efficient offensive system translate to the Big 12?
The rest of the power-conference changes: Alan Huss (Creighton) was promoted to replace Greg McDermott after leaving High Point in 2025 to be the Bluejays’ coach-in-waiting. Justin Gainey (NC State) returns to his alma mater after five seasons as a Tennessee assistant. Scott Cross (Georgia Tech) looks to lead the Yellow Jackets to just their second NCAA tournament appearance since 2010. And, after spending eight seasons as an NBA assistant, Ronald Nored (Butler) is back at the program he helped lead as a player to back-to-back national title games. — Borzello
