Way-Too-Early 2025-26 College Basketball Rankings: Can Houston Hold Off Purdue and UConn?
A deep dive into ESPN's Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings for the 2025-26 men's college basketball season, featuring Houston as the early favorite and analysis of title contenders.
Way-Too-Early 2025-26 NCAA Men's Basketball Top 25
With Florida cutting down the nets in Phoenix, the college basketball world immediately turns its attention to next season. Here's our comprehensive breakdown of ESPN's Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings for the 2025-26 campaign:
1. Houston Cougars
Kelvin Sampson's squad tops our list thanks to:
- Returning stars Emanuel Sharp (12.7 PPG) and Joseph Tugler
- No. 6 recruiting class featuring three top-20 prospects
- Potential NBA departure of Milos Uzan (No. 40 in ESPN draft rankings)
Projected Starters:
- Kingston Flemings (Fr.)
- Isiah Harwell (Fr.)
- Emanuel Sharp (Sr.)
- Joseph Tugler (So.)
- Chris Cenac Jr. (Fr.)
2. Purdue Boilermakers
Matt Painter returns:
- Preseason Wooden favorite Braden Smith (15.8 PPG)
- Trey Kaufman-Renn (20.1 PPG)
- South Dakota State transfer Oscar Cluff (17.6 PPG)
Transfer Portal Impact Teams
Louisville (No. 3): Pat Kelsey's impressive haul includes:
- Mikel Brown Jr. (No. 8 recruit)
- Xavier transfer Ryan Conwell (16.5 PPG)
- Virginia sharpshooter Isaac McKneely
Michigan (No. 5): Dusty May landing:
- Potential 1st-rounder Yaxel Lendeborg (UAB)
- UNC transfer Elliot Cadeau
- Illinois big Morez Johnson Jr.
Title Defenders
Florida Gators (No. 19): Key questions:
- Replacing Walter Clayton Jr.'s leadership
- Alex Condon's NBA decision
- Thomas Haugh's development leap
Complete Top 25 Breakdown
| Rank | Team | Key Player | Biggest Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston | Emanuel Sharp | PG replacement |
| 2 | Purdue | Braden Smith | Frontcourt depth |
| 3 | Louisville | Mikel Brown Jr. | Frontcourt clarity |
| ... | ... | ... | ... |
| 25 | North Carolina | Caleb Wilson (No. 7 recruit) | Point guard need |
Other Notable Storylines:
- UConn's reload after 2-title streak ended
- Duke's freshman class led by Boozer brothers
- Michigan State's development without Jase Richardson
- Gonzaga's complete backcourt overhaul
Key Dates
- October 15th: First official practices
- November 11th: Season tip-off
- March 18th, 2026: NCAA Tournament begins
The college basketball machine never stops - stay locked to ESPN for all your offseason coverage of the transfer portal, NBA Draft decisions, and recruiting news leading into what promises to be another thrilling season!
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