Florida Gators top ESPN's 2026-27 men's basketball Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings

10 articles · Updated · KSR · Apr 28

Florida rises to No. 1 after star forward Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon return, with Denzel Aberdeen transferring back and Rueben Chinyelu likely to rejoin despite entering the NBA Draft process.
The Gators are projected to retain their national championship-winning frontcourt and SEC title core, positioning them as preseason favorites with a strong returning lineup and key transfer additions.
Florida's offseason roster retention is widely praised, reflecting the program's culture and NIL advantages, while other contenders like Duke, Michigan, and Illinois round out the top five in ESPN's rankings.

Florida is ranked number one, but can their star-studded roster actually live up to the immense preseason hype?

Which returning star who skipped the NBA draft now faces the most pressure to dominate this season?

With NIL keeping stars in school, is the era of amateurism in college basketball officially over?

Will the NCAA's new one-time transfer limit successfully curb the chaos of the current portal era?

After winning the title, can Michigan's massive transfer haul lead them to a repeat championship?

Does the transfer portal create superteams at the expense of program building and overall parity?