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Cooper Flagg’s wallet might be more stuffed than his stat sheet.

In a recent sit-down with Bob Costas, longtime sports journalist Howard Bryant revealed that Flagg cleared over $28 million in NIL deals while at Duke his freshman year. The figure, which far surpasses On3’s original $4.8 million evaluation of Flagg’s earnings, solicited gasps from a live audience.

“He had a $13 million deal with New Balance and then $15 million with Fanatics,” Bryant said at the 51:10 mark of the conversation.

Both deals, signed on unreleased terms, have been reported to cover one NIL year and follow Flagg into the NBA. It’s possible that he has already earned the specified figures, but they likely represent the totality of his multi-year contracts. Either way, Flagg remains one of the highest-paid players in college sports.

The Newport, Maine, native signed his NIL deal with New Balance in August 2024. According to Boardroom, Flagg and his family met with several brand representatives offering “north of seven figures per year” before inking a contract with the Boston-based company. Fanatics then announced an “exclusive, multi-year” deal with the freshman in January 2025, including memorabilia and trading cards. 

Prior to the start of the 2024-25 regular season, Duke’s 6-foot-9 phenom became the first NCAA men’s basketball player to sign an NIL deal with Gatorade. Contracts with Cort Furniture, The NIL Store and AT&T round out his portfolio so far.

Flagg is also looking at big bucks in the professional leagues. According to Sportrac, the top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft will likely sign a four-year contract of roughly $62.7 million, with $13.8 million arriving in the first year. Flagg is largely expected to go first overall with the Dallas Mavericks, who won the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery. He will remain able to supplement that income with his current brand deals and any future ones.

In his sole season with the Blue Devils, Flagg earned national player of the year honors, the John R. Wooden Award and the Naismith Trophy. He led Duke to the Final Four while averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.4 blocks per game. 

The Monteverde Academy product isn’t the only Blue Devil cashing in on hefty NIL sums. On3’s top-100 valuation list estimates incoming quarterback Darian Mensah’s deals at $2.8 million, with freshman forward Cameron Boozer not far behind at $1.5 million.

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Abby DiSalvo

Abby DiSalvo is a Trinity sophomore and sports editor of The Chronicle’s 121st volume.

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Deion Sanders coached his first season with the Colorado Buffaloes in 2023 and helped turn a one-win program into a Big 12 contender. Sanders will now enter his first season coaching without quarterback Shedeur Sanders and wide receiver and cornerback Travis Hunter.

The Buffaloes are heading into a season with a new team, and there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the offense. Liberty transfer quarterback Kaidon Salter is the expected starter with four-star recruit Julian Lewis entering his true freshman season. Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt discussed his expectations for Sanders’ team in 2023 while appearing on The Herd.

“I don’t see them taking a huge step back, maybe a small one,” Klatt said. “So two things. One, they’ve recruited at a very high level, and they’ve brought in a couple of quarterbacks, Kaidon Salter, a quarterback transfer from Liberty. And they also got Julian Lewis, who decommitted from USC.”

With Liberty in 2024 Salter passed for 1,886 yards and 15 touchdowns. He threw just six interceptions. Salter brings in a veteran presence to this team, but there is a chance the team switches to Lewis if they choose to reevaluate their options.

“Deion has done a really great job, whether it’s been in the portal or in high school, recruiting to try to reload, they need to continue to get better at the line of scrimmage.”

The offensive line is one of the biggest question marks heading into the 2025 college football season. Offensive linemen Zack Owens and Cash Cleveland are two tough transfer portal losses. Colorado still has strong players, including upcoming four-star offensive tackle Carde Smith, but it could take time for the offensive line to develop this season.

MORE: Ex-Colorado Buffaloes Wide Receiver Signs NFL Deal With Pittsburgh Steelers

MORE: Shedeur Sanders Standing Out As Cleveland Browns’ Quarterback Competition Heats Up

MORE: Cleveland Browns Quarterback Competition: Shedeur Sanders, Kenny Pickett Trade?

“The more difficult part for me, and I know this sounds crazy, even more so than replacing Shedeur and Travis is the Big 12 … if you look at right now, what Vegas says about the team that they think is the worst team in the Big 12, the over-under is set at 5.5,” Klatt continued. “If you look at the team that they think is the best team in the Big 12, the over-under is set at 8.5.”

The Colorado Buffaloes finished the 2024 season with a 9-4 overall record, going 7-2 in Big 12 conference play. The Buffaloes were ranked No. 4 in the Big 12, but losing key members of the offense is difficult to bounce back from. There is high potential with the players Sanders has on the roster.

“So you’ve got basically 14,15,16 teams within three games of one another. That’s what I think is the most difficult part of the Big 12 and why it’s so difficult to predict. Could Colorado be a four-win team? Maybe. Could they be a nine-win team? Maybe that this conference is just so deep and bunched together with a lot of quality programs,” Klatt said.

The team has just as much of a chance to compete in the Big 12 as any other team in the conference. The Buffaloes have +2500 odds on FanDuel Sportsbook to be Big 12 Conference Championship winners next season. The team has -176 odds to go under 6.5 wins.

The Colorado Buffaloes will kick off the 2025 season on Aug. 29 against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

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Now that the NBA Draft withdrawal deadline for college players has passed and only one unsigned player remains in our top 100 transfers list, most rosters are set for the 2025-26 men’s college basketball season.

That means it’s time to hit refresh on my top 25. It’s no longer a dart-throwing exercise. Except for perhaps a few late international signings, this ranking may be nearly identical to the one I submit right before the season.

In an effort to avoid groupthink, I did not look at any other human rankings, but once I had a top 25 set, I did browse Bart Torvik’s list, which is the one computerized data set that has already published rankings for next season. Out of my top 25 teams, 22 appear in Torvik’s top 25. That made me feel pretty good about this list.

So if you vehemently disagree with me, be prepared to also yell at the computers.

1. Purdue

Projected starters: Braden Smith, Omer Mayer (freshman), Fletcher Loyer, Trey Kaufman-Renn, Oscar Cluff (transfer)
Notable returners: C.J. Cox, Daniel Jacobsen, Gicarri Harris, Raleigh Burgess
Other newcomers: Liam Murphy (transfer), Antione West

One coach told me Omer Mayer was the steal of the international signings, and his performance at the Nike Hoops Summit backed that up. Mayer could start at point guard right now for any team in America. He just happens to be going to the one team that returns the best point guard in college basketball, but I’m convinced he and Braden Smith can coexist. Mayer will allow Smith to get some rest; Purdue’s best team of Smith’s first three years running point had Lance Jones as a secondary handler.

Oscar Cluff and Daniel Jacobsen should help address Purdue’s ’24-25 shortcomings: two-point defense and rebounding. The offense was already championship-level good; if the defense can be top-20ish, the Boilermakers will back up this preseason expectation.

2. Houston

Projected starters: Milos Uzan, Emanuel Sharp, Isiah Harwell (freshman), Chris Cenac Jr. (freshman), Joseph Tugler
Other returners: Mercy Miller, Ramon Walker, Cedric Lath
Other newcomers: Kingston Flemings, Bryce Jackson, Kalifa Sakho (transfer)

Kelvin Sampson has had a freshman in his regular starting lineup in only three of his 11 seasons as Houston’s head coach. He’s never had two. But this is arguably the best freshman class Sampson has ever landed: No. 2 in the country, per 247Sports, behind only Duke. It’s tough to bet against the Coogs because of the three veterans in the starting lineup. Joseph Tugler is a defensive player of the year frontrunner; Emanuel Sharp is one of the nation’s best shooters; Milos Uzan was one of the best point guards in the country down the stretch this spring.

The Coogs will miss LJ Cryer’s shotmaking, but we say that every year about a departing Houston guard, and someone inevitably fills that void. Uzan’s decision to withdraw from the draft was a stabilizer. If Houston had to rely on a freshman at point guard or try to play Pop Isaacs (now at Texas A&M) away from his natural position, its outlook would be a lot less certain. If the freshmen can adjust quickly, the defensive possibilities for this group are pretty scary.

3. UConn

Projected starters: Silas Demary Jr. (transfer), Solo Ball, Jaylin Stewart, Alex Karaban, Tarris Reed
Notable returners: Jayden Ross
Other newcomers: Malachi Smith (transfer), Braylon Mullins, Darius Adams, Eric Reibe, Jacob Furphy (international), Jacob Ross

In 2022 the Huskies returned two starters and three of the top seven scorers from a team that won 23 games and lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, then landed a 6-foot-5 point guard out of the transfer portal and won a title. The 2025-26 Huskies return two starters and four of the top seven scorers from a team that won 24 games and made the second round of the NCAA Tournament. They landed a 6-foot-5 point guard out of the transfer portal. Will the end result be the same?

It’s not hard to see who slots into each role on the ’22-23 champs. Solo Ball could be the Jordan Hawkins, a gifted shooter ready to become one of the nation’s best shooting guards. Tarris Reed is capable of carrying the offense like Adama Sanogo could. This year’s UConn has a gifted freshman backup center in Eric Reibe; the original model was Donovan Clingan. The ’22-23 champs had Alex Karaban; this team has (an older) Alex Karaban. And then Georgia transfer Silas Demary Jr. seems like the ideal fit to play the Tristen Newton role. I’m not sure Jaylin Stewart can match Andre Jackson, and Reibe might be further along offensively but won’t have Clingan’s defensive impact, but you could argue the rest of the cast of characters are equals. Last year was a rebuilding season, but I’m betting this group is ready to win now that the core has had time to marinate.

4. Michigan

Projected starters: Elliot Cadeau (transfer), Nimari Burnett, Yaxel Lendeborg (transfer), Morez Johnson (transfer), Aday Mara (transfer)
Notable returners: LJ Cason, Roddy Gayle, Will Tschetter
Other newcomers: Trey McKenney, Winters Grady, Patrick Liburd

Michigan was really good defensively last year and has a chance to be elite after the work Dusty May did in the portal. Per CBB Analytics, the former teams of the three bigs Michigan added were all significantly better with them on the floor last season: Aday Mara (UCLA was 7.6 points per 100 possessions better), Morez Johnson (Illinois, 11 points per 100 possessions better) and Yaxel Lendeborg (UAB, 6.2 points per 100 possessions better). Mara would have had the highest block percentage in the country had he played enough to qualify for the KenPom.com leaderboard. It’s going to be difficult to score in the paint with so much positional size and Mara protecting the basket.

The stat sheet-stuffing Lendeborg is versatile enough for Michigan to play the three bigs together. Shooting will be the biggest concern. The Wolverines shot just 33.2 percent from deep last season and replaced one of their best shooters (Tre Donaldson) with a point guard (Elliot Cadeau) whom opposing defenses mostly ignore beyond the arc, but freshman Trey McKenney should help. He’s one of the most game-ready freshman guards in the country. Cadeau’s passing should also help an offense that struggled with turnovers. May has depth at every spot, experience and lineup versatility that should allow the Wolverines to match up with anybody.

5. Florida

Projected starters: Boogie Fland (transfer), Xaivian Lee (transfer), Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon, Rueben Chinyelu
Notable returners: Micah Handlogten, Urban Klavzar
Other newcomers: Alex Lloyd, CJ Ingram, AJ Brown (transfer)

Big is back: Last season’s best teams had positional size and elite paint protection. Florida could play a giant lineup that features Thomas Haugh (6-9), Alex Condon (6-11) and Rueben Chinyelu (6-10) up front. Those three played together only three possessions last season, per CBB Analytics, but it’ll be hard to justify bringing one of them off the bench, considering Haugh’s performance in the NCAA Tournament and the inexperience of the other wing options. That big lineup could also help mask some defensive limitations of Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee.

Florida’s up-tempo style should help Fland prove he can be a more efficient player than he was under John Calipari. The Gators will contend for another title if Fland and Lee are productive and if Haugh and Condon continue to gain confidence in their playmaking and scoring abilities. They’ll be expected to perform more like stars and take some of the heat off perimeter guys who cannot be expected to replicate the production of Walter Clayton.

6. Louisville

Projected starters: Mikel Brown Jr. (freshman), Ryan Conwell (transfer), Isaac McKneely (transfer), Sananda Fru (international), Kasean Pryor
Notable returners: J’Vonne Hadley, Khani Rooths
Other newcomers: Adrian Wooley (transfer), Mouhamed Camara (international), Vangelis Zougris (international)

Current projections have Aly Khalifa off the roster because the NCAA has ruled he’s run out his five-year eligibility clock, but I’m betting Khalifa is eventually allowed to play, whether it’s through appeal or a future lawsuit. He’s one of the best passing bigs in the country and would be the perfect hub in Pat Kelsey’s offense. Without him, Louisville still has some fun options up front with Kasean Pryor, who was looking like one of Louisville’s best players before his injury last year, and 21-year-old German big Sananda Fru, who should be ready to contribute right away.

Ryan Conwell was one of the best guards in the Big East last season, Isaac McKneely is a knockdown shooter and capable of scoring some off the bounce, and Adrian Wooley is one of the highest-upside guards in the portal. The Cards also have a five-star point guard in Mikel Brown Jr. This is one of the most talented rosters on paper, and Kelsey proved last year that he can get a bunch of hired guns to blend quickly.

7. BYU

Projected starters: Rob Wright (transfer), Kennard Davis (transfer), Richie Saunders, AJ Dybantsa (freshman), Keba Keita
Notable returners: Dawson Baker, Mihailo Boskovic
Other newcomers: Dominique Diomande (transfer), Xavion Staton, Chamberlain Burgess, Tyler Mrus (transfer), Nate Pickens (transfer)

Not all top-five recruits are created equal. Some years it’s Kevin Durant and Greg Oden. Some years it’s Isaiah Collier and Justin Edwards. This 2025 class — headlined by Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer — is expected to be one of those special classes. BYU is betting big on Dybantsa and has an elite big three with Dybantsa, Rob Wright (one of the best freshman point guards last season at Baylor) and first-team All-Big 12 honoree Richie Saunders. Center Keba Keita gives Wright a good pick-and-roll partner and elevates the defense. Mihailo Boskovic flashed high upside in his first season in the program. Dawson Baker is a solid sixth man who is good enough to start if Southern Illinois transfer guard Kennard Davis struggles with the level change. Anything else BYU gets from newcomers will be gravy.

Kevin Young seemed to find his groove as a college head coach about halfway through his first season. You never know how NBA guys will do at this level, but no one since Fred Hoiberg has made the move this seamlessly.

8. Duke

Projected starters: Caleb Foster, Isaiah Evans, Dame Sarr (international), Cameron Boozer (freshman), Patrick Ngongba
Notable returners: Darren Harris, Maliq Brown
Other newcomers: Cayden Boozer, Nikolas Khamenia, Sebastian Wilkins, Ifeanyl Ufochukwu (transfer)

Cameron Boozer is probably the surest bet of any incoming freshman. My worry for the Blue Devils is at point guard and on the defensive end. Duke was 19.3 points per 100 possessions worse with Caleb Foster on the floor last season, per CBB Analytics. Last year, guards Kon Knueppel and Sion James were so physical they could switch onto anyone. That won’t be the case with Isaiah Evans or Dame Sarr, although Sarr has the length and instincts to be a high-level defender. Cooper Flagg and Khaman Maluach could clean up a lot of mistakes inside. Boozer should be a solid defender, but he’s nowhere close to those two as a rim protector, and neither are Maliq Brown or Patrick Ngongba.

Jon Scheyer should be able to figure out how to make the offense work around Boozer. Sarr has lottery-level upside. Foster and Evans are the players who probably control the team’s floor and ceiling. Foster flopped in his first chance to be the starting point guard, and Cayden Boozer would be the backup plan.

Evans had a de facto warmup season this past year, when anything he provided was gravy. Maybe he turns into a star. Maybe he’s just a streaky shooter and not much more. The inexperience across the board is worrisome, but Duke’s bet on talent usually works out.

9. Kentucky

Projected starters: Jaland Lowe (transfer) Denzel Aberdeen (transfer), Otega Oweh, Andrija Jelavic (international), Jayden Quaintance (transfer)
Notable returners: Brandon Garrison, Collin Chandler, Trent Noah
Other newcomers: Mouhamed Dioubate (transfer), Kam Williams (transfer), Jasper Johnson, Malachi Moreno, Reece Potter (transfer), Braydon Hawthorne

This roster does not have the shooting of Mark Pope’s first Kentucky team, but it should be better defensively and have more playmaking on the perimeter. Pope showed in Year 1 that he can microwave chemistry. He’s also giving himself a ton of lineup options. Not only will there be position battles for starting jobs, but also Kentucky will have some talented players who struggle to even make the rotation.

I’m most intrigued by the frontcourt. Pope likes his bigs to be the playmaking hubs of his offense, and Andrija Jelavic, Mouhamed Dioubate and Jayden Quaintance are all intriguing options, though I’m not sure any of them can fully replace Amari Williams. Jelavic was a double-digit scorer for his professional club overseas, and Quaintance is considered a lottery-level prospect. He’ll have to beat out Brandon Garrison after recovering from a torn ACL.

You know what you’re going to get out of Otega Oweh and Florida transfer Denzel Aberdeen, who would have been a starter on most SEC teams last year. Pitt transfer Jaland Lowe is more of a true point guard than Lamont Butler, but he goes through spurts of inefficiency. If Lowe can be an all-league-caliber guard and one or two of the bigs can produce consistently, this could be a title contender.

10. Auburn

Projected starters: Tahaad Pettiford, Elyjah Freeman (transfer), Keyshawn Hall (transfer), Filip Jovic (Auburn), KeShawn Murphy (transfer)
Other newcomers: Kevin Overton (transfer), Abdul Bashir (juco transfer), Emeka Opurum (juco transfer), Sebastian Williams-Adams, Kaden Magwood, Simon Walker

Pettiford performed so well at the NBA Draft combine that it’s a little surprising he’s returning to school. And I like what Bruce Pearl did in the portal. He got a proven scorer in Keyshawn Hall. He got the perfect energy/defensive big man in KeShawn Murphy, who has already shown he can be a winning player in the SEC. Serbian big man Filip Jovic comes from the same pro league that produced Tomislav Ivisic and put up better scoring numbers. Elyjah Freeman is a high upside swing who comes from Division II but was on the radar of NBA folks at Lincoln Memorial University. Texas Tech transfer Kevin Overton is also a starter-level player, and Abdul Bashir, one of the top juco recruits in the country, is another upside swing.

Pettiford could be in for a usage increase that makes him a National Player of the Year candidate, and I’d bet on at least two of the other additions being consistent scorers. Defense is the concern, but Murphy should help solidify that end, and three of Pearl’s last four teams finished in the top 10 of adjusted defensive efficiency.

11. Illinois

Projected starters: Mihailo Petrovic (international), Kylan Boswell, Andrej Stojakovic (transfer), David Mirkovic (international), Tomislav Ivisic
Notable returners: Ben Humrichous, Ty Rodgers, Jake Davis
Other newcomers: Zvonimir Ivisic (transfer), Brandon Lee, Keaton Wagler

I cannot wait to see how the Balkan Illini come together. Head coach Brad Underwood decided a year ago to put most of his money toward international recruiting instead of top-line high schoolers or transfers, which gave him a head start with some of the top European prospects coming over this year. The headliner is Mihailo Petrovic, a 22-year-old point guard who was an MVP candidate in the Adriatic League, averaging 14.2 points and 7.3 assists playing against professionals. It’s the same league where the Ivisic brothers played before coming to the U.S., and Underwood went there to get likely starting power forward David Mirkovic as well. Andrej Stojakovic never played in the Adriatic League, but his dad, Peja, is from Croatia. Andrej averaged 17.9 points for a bad Cal team, but he’s meant to be the second or third or fourth option for the Illini.

Defense is a question mark, but this team is going to run beautiful offense. Next order of business: Nike needs to make this orange tracksuit for Underwood, and he must coach in it.

#NewProfilePic pic.twitter.com/AKlzzFrvRt

— Brad Underwood (@CoachUnderwood) April 28, 2025

12. St. John’s

Projected starters: Dylan Darling (transfer) Ian Jackson (transfer), Joson Sanon (transfer), Bryce Hopkins (transfer), Zuby Ejiofor
Notable returners: Ruben Prey, Lefteris Liotopoulos
Other newcomers: Dillon Mitchell (transfer), Oziyah Sellers (transfer), Handje Tamba (transfer), Kelvin Odih, Imran Suljanovic

I wrote this in the offseason’s first top 25: “If Rick Pitino lands a stud guard, I’ll probably be inclined to move St. John’s into the top 10 because it’s Pitino.” Since then he’s landed Ian Jackson (averaged 11.9 points as a freshman at North Carolina), Dylan Darling (the Big Sky MVP at Idaho State) and Oziyah Sellers (averaged 13.7 points on a middle-of-the-pack ACC team at Stanford). Arizona State transfer Joson Sanon, who was already committed at the time of April’s top 25, is also a nice upside addition from a crummy team. None of the three high-major guys have contributed much to winning outfits, and even Darling was on a fourth-place Big Sky team, so I’m hesitant to move the Johnnies all the way into the top 10.

It’s also hard to assume Bryce Hopkins is going to be the Bryce Hopkins of his sophomore season at Providence. Hopkins has played four games since the beginning of 2024. Pitino did get some insurance by landing former Texas/Cincinnati forward Dillon Mitchell, who I think is a great fit for his defense. If Hopkins is healthy, it’s a top-10 frontcourt. It’s possible I’m underestimating Pitino, but I think I’d take the 2024-25 roster over this one.

13. Texas Tech

Projected starters: Christian Anderson, LeJuan Watts (transfer), Tyeree Bryan (transfer), JT Toppin, Luke Bamgboye (transfer)
Other newcomers: Donovan Atwell (transfer), Josiah Moseley (transfer), Nolan Groves

Christian Anderson played with the presence of a veteran as a freshman. JT Toppin will be a preseason All-American. Head coach Grant McCasland once again prioritized shooting, landing three wings who shot 39-plus percent from 3 last season — Tyeree Bryan and Donovan Atwell are proven specialists, while LeJuan Watts is more of an all-around guard. Luke Bamgboye is an elite rim protector, ranking second nationally in block rate as a freshman at VCU.

For an offense that tries to capitalize on mismatches, it was a blow to lose Darrion Williams to NC State, but Anderson-Toppin should be one of the best point guard-big combos in the country, and the shooters should give them space to work.

14. Gonzaga

Projected starters: Braeden Smith,Tyon Grant-Foster, Adam Miller, Braden Huff, Graham Ike
Notable returners: Steele Venters, Emmanuel Innocenti, Ismaila Diagne
Other newcomers: Jalen Warley (transfer), Davis Fogle, Parker Jefferson

Apologies to Gonzaga, which I mistakenly omitted on my last rankings because I overlooked fifth-year senior Graham Ike’s ability to come back for a sixth year. Ike played two years at Wyoming, sat out 2022-23 with an injury, then played the last two years. So four in five and done, right? Nope. He’s one of those rare players with an extra season left because his freshman season was the 2020-21 COVID-19 waiver year.

This roster is old. Adam Miller, who will play a fifth season in six years, will be a floor spacer. The Zags hope to welcome back 24-year-old sharpshooter Steele Venters, the 2023 Big Sky MVP who has missed the last two seasons — first with a torn ACL, then an Achilles tendon tear. Gonzaga brought in well-traveled 25-year-old Tyon Grant-Foster (Indiana Hills Community College to Kansas to DePaul to Grand Canyon and now to Gonzaga), who fits neatly in the bucket-getting role Khalif Battle held last season. Replacing Ryan Nembhard at point guard is Braeden Smith, the 2024 Patriot League Player of the Year who was the rare transfer willing to actually sit out a year, learning the Gonzaga way as Nembhard’s understudy.

So the Zags have a table setter, an elite wing scorer, a couple of old knockdown shooters and two elite post-up guys in Ike and Braden Huff, who will inevitably end up an All-American by the time he’s finished in Spokane. It’s possible I haven’t overcorrected enough on my previous mistake.

15. Kansas

Projected starters: Darryn Peterson (freshman), Elmarko Jackson, Jayden Dawson (transfer), Tre White (transfer), Flory Bidunga
Notable returners: Bryson Tiller, Jamari McDowell
Other newcomers: Melvin Council (transfer), Samis Calderon

Bill Self told me recently that Kansas was one 14-15-point scorer away from having what he felt was a complete team. The Jayhawks missed on two targets for that spot in Darrion Williams (NC State) and Dame Sarr (Duke). There isn’t much left in the transfer portal, so Self could either go shopping overseas or just go with what he has and try to find at least one more big body for depth up front.

Self built this roster with “fit rather than talent” in mind, but he has a surefire pro in Darryn Peterson, who is expected to be one of the top picks in the 2026 draft. Self says Peterson is the “most prepared high school kid” he’s signed at Kansas — high praise considering Self has coached Andrew Wiggins, Joel Embiid and multiple other one-and-done lottery picks.

Self wisely signed transfers who can either stretch the floor (Jayden Dawson) or put pressure on the rim with their speed (Melvin Council). Freshman forward Bryson Tiller will need to be ready to play right away. But this team is built to be disruptive defensively, and if Peterson lives up to the hype and guys like Flory Bidunga and Elmarko Jackson develop, KU has enough talent to be a Big 12 contender again.

16. Iowa State

Projected starters: Tamin Lipsey, Dominick Nelson (transfer), Milan Momcilovic, Joshua Jefferson, Blake Buchanan (transfer)
Notable returners: Nate Heise
Other newcomers: Eric Mulder (transfer), Mason Williams (transfer), Jamarion Batemon, Killyan Toure, Xzavion Mitchell, Dominykas Pleta

The Clones struggled down the stretch when Keshon Gilbert was out, and Curtis Jones had to go nuclear for the offense to thrive. The good news is that T.J. Otzelberger has nailed the up-transfer market, and Utah Valley’s Dominick Nelson and Eastern Washington’s Mason Williams are the next guys who really need to hit. Even if they aren’t go-to scorers, the offense could be really good if Joshua Jefferson and Milan Momcilovic continue to improve.

The defense did slip slightly last year — from first to 13th in adjusted efficiency — and that’s in part because Iowa State wasn’t as physical and deep up front. But the Clones are never going to slip far with Tamin Lipsey at the head of the attack. Otzelberger has a formula that seems to keep working, and returning three starters from a NCAA Tournament team is a great foundation.

17. Arkansas

Projected starters: Darius Acuff Jr. (freshman), DJ Wagner, Karter Knox, Trevon Brazile, Malique Ewin (transfer)
Notable returners: Billy Richmond
Other newcomers: Karim Rtail (international), Nick Pringle (transfer), Meleek Thomas, Isaiah Sealy

This core should enter the season with some confidence after a surprise Sweet 16 run. John Calipari has a good mix of size, speed and guards who can get their own buckets. The concern is that this group leans into that last category too much and the offense looks disjointed, a common flaw of Calipari’s worst teams. Hope for a more cohesive approach comes with the addition of Malique Ewin, assuming the Florida State transfer gets used correctly. Ewin is a perfect fit for an SEC in which the best teams all have playmaking centers.

The defense could be elite with so much positional size. Arkansas played its best after Calipari made Trevon Brazile a starter late in the year, and pairing him with Ewin allows Arkansas to play five-out and take advantage of its team speed. It could be another up-and-down season, but as we saw this past year, once the talent figures out how to coexist, the ceiling is pretty high.

18. UCLA

Projected starters: Donovan Dent (transfer), Skyy Clark, Eric Dailey, Tyler Bilodeau, Xavier Booker (transfer)
Notable returners: Trent Perry
Other newcomers: Steven Jamerson (transfer), Jamar Brown (transfer)

The Bruins haven’t had a true point guard since Tyger Campbell. He was the last UCLA player to post an assist rate higher than 30 percent, in 2021; that’s also the last time UCLA made the Final Four. Top-shelf transfer Donovan Dent has had a plus-30 assist rate in each of his last two seasons at New Mexico.

Head coach Mick Cronin’s best teams usually play elite defense and execute his sets, and it feels like Dent should help in both areas. The Bruins welcome back three starters (Eric Dailey, Tyler Bilodeau and Skyy Clark) who transferred in a year ago and were efficient in Cronin’s system. The wild card is Michigan State transfer Xavier Booker, a former five-star recruit who never seemed to live up to the hype. He seems like an odd fit for Cronin, but maybe a change of scenery will unlock his potential.

19. Arizona

Projected starters: Jaden Bradley, Brayden Burries (freshman), Anthony Dell’Orso, Koa Peat (freshman), Motiejus Krivas
Other returners: Tobe Awaka
Other newcomers: Evan Nelson (transfer), Dwayne Aristode, Bryce James

Arizona brings in 247Sports’ No. 3 high school signing class and will likely throw its two five-stars (Brayden Burries and Koa Peat) into the starting lineup. Peat brings playmaking and athleticism to the frontcourt, and Burries’ ability to score is going to be critical with the graduation of Caleb Love. The Cats also need a breakout season from Motiejus Krivas, who played only eight games in 2024-25 because of a foot injury. The Wildcats lost Henri Veesaar to North Carolina after a breakout season, but when healthy, Krivas has always beaten Veesaar out. He and Tobe Awaka could make Arizona one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the country.

The Wildcats showed flashes of elite defense last year but never really leaned into that strength. For this team to hit its ceiling, defense will need to be a calling card, helping the offense get out in transition, where Jaden Bradley and Peat excel. Like Sampson at Houston, head coach Tommy Lloyd prioritized his high school class rather than loading up in the portal. With the COVID-19 waiver year mostly phased out of college basketball, it’ll be interesting to see whether more top-tier programs start to prioritize freshmen again. It worked out well for Duke this spring.

20. North Carolina

Projected starters: Kyan Evans (transfer), Seth Trimble, Luka Bogavac (international), Caleb Wilson (freshman), Henri Veesaar (transfer)
Other newcomers: Jarin Stevenson (transfer), Jonathan Powell (transfer), Jaydon Young (transfer), Derek Dixon, Isaiah Denis

Head coach Hubert Davis whiffed on his front line a year ago, and that’s where most of UNC’s offseason budget went. Caleb Wilson and Veesaar bring a little more scoring but a lot more defensive skill to the front line. Wilson is long, quick-twitch and switchable — not quite a young Anthony Davis, but in that mold. Veesaar is also an elite rim protector; Arizona’s defense was 10.5 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor last season, per CBB Analytics. The Tar Heels have the positional size to start 6-foot-11 Jarin Stevenson at the three. Worst-case scenario, he’s a backup to Wilson as a stretch four; best case, he continues to emerge as an NBA prospect.

With RJ Davis graduating, UNC also addressed the need for shooting in the portal by adding Colorado State point guard Kyan Evans (44.6 percent from 3) and West Virginia guard Jonathan Powell (35.2 percent). Freshman guard Derek Dixon, a good shooter who always plays under control, was one of my favorite players on the EYBL circuit. The Tar Heels are missing a dynamic scorer on the perimeter and will need to score more through execution, but the pieces fit.

21. Michigan State

Projected starters: Jeremy Fears, Trey Fort (transfer), Coen Carr, Jaxon Kohler, Carson Cooper
Notable returners: Jesse McCulloch
Other newcomers: Cam Ward, Jordan Scott, Kaleb Glenn (transfer), Divine Ugochukwu (transfer)

Coen Carr as the starting small forward could cause some spacing issues and make a crummy 3-point shooting team even crummier, but head coach Tom Izzo does not give a damn about your analytics. The Spartans are going to guard and play fast, and we all need more chances to see Carr punishing rims.

But yeah … the shooting. It’s a worry. Izzo at least addressed it in the portal by grabbing Trey Fort (37.9 percent from 3 at Samford) and Kaleb Glenn (41 percent at Florida Atlantic). I’m not sure I buy Glenn as a 40 percent 3-point shooter, but he deserves credit for drastically improving in that area after going 1 of 9 from deep as a freshman at Louisville. Ideally, this team would have been a preseason top-10 outfit led by a sophomore Jase Richardson, but Richardson was too good too fast. Now the Spartans will need to win by guarding, running and playing through the bigs. Old-school Izzo.

22. Creighton

Projected starters: Nik Graves (transfer), Josh Dix (transfer), Blake Harper (transfer), Jackson McAndrew, Owen Freeman (transfer)
Notable returners: Jasen Green, Isaac Traudt
Other newcomers: Hudson Greer, Austin Swartz (transfer)

Josh Dix and Owen Freeman should be the best two players on this team, and it is worth pointing out both spent last year on an Iowa team that won only seven games in the Big Ten. (The Hawkeyes were 4-6 in conference play before Freeman was lost for the year. Not great, but not awful!) So why am I high on Creighton? One, I think Dix can be one of the best wings in the country. Two, in Gregg McDermott I trust.

McDermott landed another talented wing in Blake Harper, who averaged 19.5 points per game as a freshman at Howard. Jackson McAndrew made 69 3s as a freshman, and Nik Graves made 61 last season at Charlotte. Hudson Greer is one of the better shooting wings in the 2025 class. The “let it fly” Bluejays will be back, which should give Freeman, an elite back-to-the-basket scorer, plenty of room to operate. The Jays are going to really miss Ryan Kalkbrenner, especially on defense, but give McDermott this much offensive talent, and he’s going to figure it out.

23. Alabama

Projected starters: Labaron Philon, Aden Holloway, Latrell Wrightsell, Taylor Bol Bowen (transfer), Aiden Sherrell
Notable returners: Houston Mallette
Other newcomers: Jalil Bethea (transfer), London Jemison, Davion Hannah, Amari Allen, Noah Williamson (transfer), Keitenn Bristow (transfer)

I had Alabama out of the first version of these rankings, under the assumption Labaron Philon was going to stay in the NBA Draft — he’d previously said he was “all in.” I was underwhelmed by Alabama’s transfer haul, and Nate Oats lost a ton of production off last year’s roster, though he still had shooting. And I might have been onto something, considering Bart Torvik’s ratings have Bama at 38. But I love, love, love Philon, and his reentry into the lineup changes the equation.

Philon’s presence takes some pressure off Aden Holloway, and his ability to live in the paint should help set up the shooters. Aiden Sherrell needs to make a leap, but he could be dangerous if he makes enough shots to stretch defenses. The other option at the five is Patriot League Player of the Year Noah Williamson, but I think he’s going to have a tough time matching high-major speed and athleticism. Maybe one of Alabama’s freshmen is way better than expected, as Philon was a year ago. Oats probably deserves the benefit of the doubt, but this appears to be a drop-off in talent from his last two rosters.

24. Missouri

Projected starters: Anthony Robinson, Sebastian Mack (transfer), Trent Pierce, Mark Mitchell, Jevon Porter (transfer)
Notable returners: Jacob Crews, Trent Burns, TO Barrett, Annor Boateng
Other newcomers: Shawn Phillips (transfer), Jayden Stone (transfer), Luke Northweather (transfer), Aaron Rowe, Nicholas Randall

Missouri returns three starters from a Top 25 team. I was a big fan of Sebastian Mack a few years ago on the EYBL circuit, and while he was solid at UCLA, it feels like he has the potential to be more productive in a high-tempo system like Mizzou’s. He should fit nicely in the Tony Perkins role. Jacob Crews should elevate from the second shooter off the bench to take Caleb Grill’s sixth-man spot.

The Tigers’ ceiling could be determined by the productivity of Jevon Porter and Trent Burns at center. Porter, the little brother of former Tigers Michael and Jontay, averaged double figures for three seasons in the West Coast Conference. The 7-foot-5 Burns, who redshirted as a freshman, can step out and hit a 3. To borrow an old Fran Fraschilla line, he could be a year away from being a year away, but he’s a fascinating prospect.

Dennis Gates got frontcourt reinforcements from Arizona State transfer Shawn Phillips (a rim protector who was a part-time starter last year) and Oklahoma transfer Luke Northweather (another big who can slide out and make a 3). Outside shooting could be a concern with the graduation of Grill and Tamar Bates, but Mitchell-Mack-Robinson could end up being one of the better trios in the SEC.

25. Ohio State

Projected starters: Bruce Thornton, John Mobley, Devin Royal, Brandon Noel (transfer), Christoph Tilly (transfer)
Notable returners: None
Other newcomers: Joshua Ojianwuna (transfer), Gabe Cupps (transfer), A’mare Bynum, Dorian Jones

This is the only team on this list that didn’t make the 2025 NCAA Tournament, but there’s a lot to like. Ohio State returns three of its top four scorers from a group that showed flashes a year ago, beating Kentucky by 20 at the CBS Sports Classic and winning at Purdue. What the Buckeyes were missing was consistency from the frontcourt, and coach Jake Diebler tried to address that with the additions of Christoph Tilly and Brandon Noel.

Tilly was a second-team All-WCC performer at Santa Clara and one of my favorite bigs in the portal. He’s an efficient scorer who can get buckets both inside and out. Noel averaged 19 points at Wright State and is a career 37.5 percent 3-point shooter. Diebler also got a solid backup center in former Baylor big Joshua Ojianwuna. This feels like the right mix of roster continuity and inbound veteran productivity.

Others under consideration: Tennessee, Iowa, Indiana, NC State, Texas, Ole Miss, Oregon, Wisconsin, Oklahoma.

(Top illustration photos: Elsa, Alex Slitz / Getty Images)

Tarleton State hit the transfer portal gold mine during the off-season. 

Former King University stars Aine Drury, Dianna Holmes, Alexa Garcia, and Alyssa Guardiola followed their former college coach, Jason Moorman, to Stephenville, Texas. And more might be on the way. 

Moorman led King to a 1-9 record during its inaugural 2009-10 season before building a national powerhouse. The Tornado won four WCWA Championships (2014-17) and has placed in the top three at the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships since the tournament began in 2020 (under Moorman).

Here’s the thing: Tarleton State is currently a club program, meaning it can’t compete at the inaugural 2026 NCAA Women’s Wrestling Championships. Drury, a two-time NCWWC All-American and 2024 NCWWC finalist who reached Final X, won’t compete for a college championship if something doesn’t change. 

The recent transfer haul says everything about Moorman and the loyalty he’s built with his athletes, but it also means NCAA women’s college wrestling could be down a few stars. 

Tarleton State has teased the addition of a Division I women’s program, but making this happen is paramount. 

Lehigh and Delaware State recently announced the addition of a women’s wrestling program, bringing the NCAA Division I total to six. Brazel Marquez will lead the Mountain Hawks, but the Hornets — oddly — haven’t hired a coach despite beginning the program this season. 

NCAA D1 Women’s Programs

Tarleton State could be the seventh, but let’s hope they act fast. 

The school moved from Division II to Division I on July 1, 2020, after 26 years. The women’s wrestling team could be in trophy contention out of the gate, immediately making it the most successful program in athletics history. 

And that puts Tarleton State on the map. 

In 1999, Texas became the second state to add girls’ high school wrestling. The talent runs deep there. Moorman has a high school recruiting gold mine if leveraged properly. 

Texas deserves to have a D1 women’s wrestling program. 

Every women’s team is chasing Iowa — a tradition-rich program situated in the heart of wrestling country. There are fewer than 10 teams that can win two or more individual matches against the Hawkeyes at full strength (and that’s generous). 

Lehigh adding this season is a game changer, but Tarleton State is an ace in the hole. 

Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky, recently transitioned from D2 to D1. Men’s wrestling coach Ned Shuck said that the school aims to add a women’s program next season, provided it secures funding.

Shuck recognizes the benefits of this change, despite a possible funding gap for his program. Adding a women’s component swings the spotlight on both teams and brings national attention to both programs. 

He also said that other Division I wrestling coaches are constantly questioned about adding women’s teams — a positive sign that doesn’t get publicized. 

We need programs to compete with Iowa. Watching the Hawkeyes crush underfunded and under-resourced D2 and D3 programs isn’t sustainable.

Every team has an uphill battle against Iowa; still, competitive teams are a step in the right direction. 

Tarleton State can be the hero by making an important step for women’s wrestling.