100 days before the Nov. 1 opener in Rome, Sports Illustrated published a 100-point cheat sheet framing the 2026-27 men’s college basketball season after a transfer- and coaching-heavy offseason.
The preview says late roster churn and coaching moves have reshaped the landscape, highlighted by Dusty May’s jump to the Dallas Mavericks, Michael Malone’s arrival at North Carolina and Will Wade’s return to LSU.
Roster continuity and portal wins anchor SI’s early contenders, with Florida keeping projected lottery pick Thomas Haugh, Illinois returning most of its core, and Texas, Louisville, Duke and Houston among portal standouts.
SI also flags a wave of international and freshman talent, including 23-year-old Quinn Ellis at St. John’s and 17-year-old Nikola Kusturica at UCLA, as key variables before the season tips.
Looking ahead, the preview predicts an unusually chaotic August because of age-based eligibility lawsuits, projects a Big East rebound, names Illinois’ David Mirkovic national player of the year and picks UConn to win the title.