Illinois Tops Preseason Top 25 as Florida Challenges for No. 1 After NBA Deadline
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 30
Illinois Tops Preseason Top 25 as Florida Challenges for No. 1 After NBA Deadline
4 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 30
Illinois landed at No. 1 in the updated preseason Top 25, edging Florida after the NBA draft withdrawal deadline largely locked in 2026-27 college basketball rosters.
Four returning starters from a Final Four team and a historically efficient offense drove the Illini’s top billing, with transfer Stefan Vaaks and freshman Quentin Coleman cited as key depth additions.
Florida ranked No. 2 with four starters back from a No. 1-seed caliber core, but its case was clouded by Denzel Aberdeen’s need for an NCAA waiver for a fifth season.
Duke, Arizona and Michigan rounded out the top five, while the ranking still flagged unresolved variables including portal target Milan Momcilovic, international additions and several eligibility questions.
The list is framed as a clearer preseason snapshot than immediate post-championship rankings, though late transfers, NCAA rulings and possible midseason returns could still reshape the field.
Will unresolved issues like eligibility waivers or legal troubles derail a top-ranked team's championship hopes?
As superteams are built via the portal, can a team with returning chemistry still win a national title?