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Countdown to Men’s College Basketball: 100 Things to Know About the 2026 Season
The countdown is on: College basketball is 100 days away.
The 100-day countdown until Villanova and Notre Dame tip off the season in Rome means we’re past the midpoint in the offseason. And while recruiting never stops (more on that later), the majority of the offseason activity is in the books. Coaching changes, hundreds of key transfers and big international and high school additions have shaped the news cycle since April, and it’s hard for even the experts to keep up.
So with just over three months until the ball is tipped on 2026–27, Sports Illustrated is here to give you the rundown on everything you need to know about this wild offseason. We’ve narrowed down all the major storylines of the spring and summer into 100 digestible nuggets to get you ready for men’s college hoops, from the transfer portal winners to the new faces on the sidelines and much, much more. Consider this your cheat sheet to the most chaotic sport in the world right now.
Coaching carousel
In late June, college basketball felt a seismic shift with defending national champion head coach Dusty May (1) departing for the Dallas Mavericks’ head job. How should this move be interpreted? To call it an indictment on the sport goes a bit far; Dallas is a great job with a strong front office and elite young player in tow. But May has not been shy privately talking about the frustrations that came with being a college HC in this era, and he won’t be the last to flee for greener pastures if the sport can’t create more structure around recruiting and roster management.
For now, top aide Mike Boynton (2), who spent seven years as head coach at Oklahoma State, inherits the team. He has some semblance of security thanks to a two-year deal, but that won’t stop Michigan from making a move this spring if things don’t go well.
Otherwise, the biggest change nationally came at North Carolina, where Hubert Davis was ushered out after an embarrassing collapse against VCU in the NCAA tournament. NBA champion head coach Michael Malone (3) replaces him. So far he has largely embraced the grittier parts of college life, a visible presence on the recruiting trail. How does that translate to on-court success? We’ll see starting in November.
Outside of that, the story of this year’s cycle was that of homecomings. That starts with the shocker in Baton Rouge, where Will Wade (4) is back in charge at LSU after ditching NC State one year after taking over the Pack. That long-rumored move came with massive financial investment in making the Tigers relevant in hoops and left NC State fuming that it had been misled. Wanting a true believer, NC State replaced him with a former player in Justin Gainey (5), who played there in the late ’90s and had strong connections to many program alums. Also hunting a return to the good ol’ days: Syracuse, which brings back a legend in Gerry McNamara (6) to change the vibes after a miserable Adrian Autry tenure; Butler, which hired NBA assistant Ronald Nored (7) to bring back a former Brad Stevens guard to lead the program; and Cincinnati, which went out and landed former Bob Huggins student assistant Jerrod Calhoun (8) from Utah State. Also pulling on the heartstrings was Arizona State, which brought Randy Bennett (9) home to the state after an incredible run at Saint Mary’s. A Mesa, Ariz., native, this was one of very few jobs Bennett would’ve considered, and it’s an incredible coup for the Sun Devils to land him.
Other notable movement:
- Luke Murray (10) finally moves into the top chair, taking on the difficult task of rebuilding Boston College after being Dan Hurley’s tactical ace at UConn. If he can’t turn around this moribund program, can anyone?
- Kansas State swung to a near complete opposite of Jerome Tang after his failed tenure with Belmont HC Casey Alexander (11), an elite tactician and player evaluator with an elite track record at Belmont but limited NCAA tournament experience.
- Bryan Hodgson (12) seems like the perfect firebrand personality to thrive at Providence, and his early success at Arkansas State and South Florida is very encouraging for a quick turnaround.
- Longtime mid-major grinder Scott Cross (13) finally has a high-major job at Georgia Tech. His experience at less-resourced gigs will help with the Yellow Jackets, who are playing catchup from an NIL standpoint.
- Greg McDermott stepped aside at Creighton, allowing coach-in-waiting Alan Huss (14) to take the reins. Huss crushed it in two years at High Point and should be a solid successor to McDermott’s incredible tenure.
- And in mid-major land, bet on former Iowa State assistant JR Blount (15) to succeed at San Diego. He’s a rising star who has worked under two really sharp coaches in T.J. Otzelberger and Niko Medved, and San Diego has made some serious investments NIL-wise positioning the Toreros well in the WCC.
Roster retention
The biggest shock returner in college basketball is Thomas Haugh (16), a projected lottery pick who spurned the pros for one more year as the big man on campus at Florida. Haugh and Florida HC Todd Golden have both said this reunion likely doesn’t happen if not for the Gators’ shocking early NCAA tournament exit to Iowa. Instead, he’ll hunt revenge alongside roommate Alex Condon (17), double-double machine Rueben Chinyelu (18) and point guard Boogie Fland (19) in a season of expectations in Gainesville.
The other biggest retention winner of the offseason was Illinois. Keaton Wagler heads to the NBA, but much of the rest of the nucleus returns. David Mirkovic (20) has real All-American potential as a sophomore, with the buzz being he’ll spend more time handling the ball this season. Andrej Stojaković (21) had a big NCAA tournament and seems primed for a Year 2 leap. Bigs Tomislav (22) and Zvonimir Ivišić (23) are unicorns whose ability to stretch the floor opens up so much for the Illini offense. The Illini look like Big Ten favorites.
Seventeen of the sport’s other top returners:
The preseason national player of the year favorite is Jeremy Fears Jr. (24) at Michigan State, who could topple Braden Smith’s all-time assists record when it’s all said and done.
Tyler Tanner (25) took his draft decision to the 11th hour, but after a poor NBA combine showing is back at Vanderbilt and projects as one of the best point guards in the country. The Commodores should have their highest preseason expectations in at least a decade and maybe longer.
March hero Braylon Mullins (26) spurned NBA interest for a second year at UConn, where he has a chance to have one of the top shooting seasons in the sport. Meanwhile, PG Silas Demary Jr. (27) could have a second-year jump similar to what Tristen Newton did.
When on the floor, Patrick Ngongba II (28) has been one of the best bigs in college basketball. He could have a more central offensive role without an ultra-high usage star like Cameron Boozer or Cooper Flagg next to him.
Thijs De Ridder (29) was the most productive international pickup last cycle, leading Virginia to a 30-win season. He’s a fringe All-American candidate in 2026–27.
Michigan may have a new coach and new front line, but its backcourt rotation is largely intact. Final Four Most Outstanding Player Elliot Cadeau (30) will lead the way, but Trey McKenney (31) could lead the Wolverines in scoring after some big performances late last season.
Pryce Sandfort (32), one of the nation’s top shooters, is back to see if Nebraska’s second NCAA tournament act can be even better than its first.
Arizona was loaded in 2025–26, but you could argue its most important player was elite rim protector Motiejus Krivas (33). He’s back in Tucson, as is breakout candidate wing Ivan Kharchenkov (34). That’s an incredible defensive nucleus.
JT Toppin (35) would’ve likely redshirted this season coming off an ACL tear late last season, but the new age-based eligibility rules mean he’ll have a full 2027–28 season regardless and can now try to come back midseason. If he does at full strength, it changes Texas Tech’s ceiling drastically.
Last year, Labaron Philon Jr. exploded from starter to superstar as a sophomore at Alabama. This year, Amari Allen (36) could take a similar leap. The slashing wing is expected to get more on-ball opportunities in the Tide’s guard-friendly offense this season.
It’s easy to admire Josh Hubbard’s (37) loyalty, ready to help Mississippi State bounce back from a rough 2025–26. The Madison, Miss., native will score his 2,000th career point early in November and is on pace for a record-setting career in Starkville.
Braden Huff (38) was one of the most efficient offensive weapons in the country for Gonzaga before a knee injury prematurely ended his season. He averaged 28 points per 40 minutes and could top that number this year.
Matas Vokietaitis (39) had a breakout sophomore year transferring up from FAU to Texas and now looks like an elite big. He’ll also have more help around him this year on a loaded Longhorn roster.
Marquette finally hit the portal for some reinforcements, but the Golden Eagles will go as far as their rising superstar point guard Nigel James Jr. (40) takes them. Retaining him was one of the biggest wins of any team this offseason.
10 teams that won the portal
Indiana (41): The Hoosiers retooled and got bigger and more talented. Aiden Sherrell seems poised for a big junior season after transferring from Alabama, and Markus Burton was one of the ACC’s top bucket-getters at Notre Dame.
Miami (42): The Canes were aggressive in the two most expensive markets: PG and center. Running the show will be Villanova transfer Acaden Lewis, one of the highest-ceiling players in the portal. Up front, Somto Cyril is a physical freak who was a two-way force at the rim for Georgia.
Texas (43): The Longhorns were among the winners of the offseason altogether, but Sean Miller shined most in the portal. Colorado PG transfer Isaiah Johnson is a stud, as is TCU PF David Punch. This group has real national title potential.
Tennessee (44): The Vols went heavy on offense after being a defensive-minded program for years. Terrence Hill Jr. (VCU), Dai Dai Ames (Cal), Juke Harris (Wake Forest) and Jalen Haralson (Notre Dame) can all get buckets. Can they augment each other though in a winning situation?
Louisville (45): Pat Kelsey pushed in the chips this spring and landed some big fish. Center Flory Bidunga moves over from Kansas and should be among the nation’s best big men, and he came in a package deal of sorts with proven high-level PG Jackson Shelstad (Oregon). Add in Alvaro Folgueiras (Iowa), Karter Knox (Arkansas) and De’Shayne Montgomery (Dayton), and expectations are rightfully high.
Duke (46): Winning out for Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell gives the Blue Devils one of the nation’s top scoring guards and might chart a new path for Duke, especially in years without a generational talent incoming from the high school ranks.
UConn (47): The next great UConn big man could well be Najai Hines, who was a force in limited minutes as a freshman at Seton Hall. He’s a monster rim protector and a load to deal with on the block. Former five-star Nik Khamenia comes over from Duke to solidify the PF spot, but has big shoes to fill replacing Alex Karaban.
Kentucky (48): The narrative wasn’t always pretty for the Wildcats after some high-profile misses, but it’s hard to quibble with the finished product. Milan Momcilovic is one of the best players in the country, and high-profile guard pickups Zoom Diallo and Alex Wilkins have real upside.
Michigan (49): The Wolverines almost surely won’t replicate last year’s portal magic of finding three lottery picks, but J.P. Estrella (Tennessee) and Moustapha Thiam (Cincinnati) were two of the best bigs available. Thiam in particular had a monster close to the season that sparked a Cincinnati late-season surge.
Houston (50): Fit is everything in the portal, and the Cougars’ top two pickups are perfect Houston men. PG Dedan Thomas Jr. is a midrange maestro who’ll thrive with the freedom Kelvin Sampson gives his guards, and forward Delrecco Gillespie is the type of rebounding machine Sampson loves up front.
10 top international talents coming to college hoops
The 23-year-old Quinn Ellis (51) got nearly $5 million to leave behind a starting spot in the EuroLeague with Olimpia Milano to run the show for Rick Pitino and St. John’s. He’s a high-level decision-maker who consistently generates paint touches and will be an effective table-setter for a team with lots of scoring talent.
The hype surrounding Noam Yaacov (52) blew up after strong showings in Chicago at the NBA combine and G League Elite Camp, flashing his elite pick-and-roll playmaking ability and flair as a passer. That came after a monster year with Oostende in Belgium. He should be the star of Alex Jensen’s second season as head coach at Utah.
Brice Dessert (53) was as much of a no-brainer overseas as any big. The 23-year-old has extensive experience in some of the top leagues in the world and is an ultra-efficient player around the rim, shooting 77% from the field this season with Anadolu Efes in Turkey. He’s a plug-and-play starter for Will Wade’s LSU Tigers. Wade’s other top international pickup this spring was Saliou Niang (54), a 2025 draft-and-stash second-round pick of the Cavaliers with elite athletic traits at 6'9". While a limited shooter, Niang is a force in transition with elite defensive versatility.
Villanova bet big on 7'4" Italian behemoth Luigi Suigo (55) to solidify its frontcourt. Suigo’s unique skill set with the ability to stretch the floor and protect the rim has put him firmly on NBA radars; a big year could solidify him as a first-round pick in 2027.
Being Wisconsin’s highest-usage guard has been rather lucrative of late (see Nick Boyd and John Tonje). Aussie PG Owen Foxwell (56) could be the latest beneficiary. Turning 23 next month, Foxwell had a terrific year with South East Melbourne in the Australian NBL, averaging 10.8 points and 4.5 assists in a league with tons of former college stars.
Auburn was aggressive in the international market this spring, landing 24-year-old Mantas Rubštavičius (57) as the headliner. He’s a 6'8" wing who’s an excellent shooter and spent this past season at Lithuanian powerhouse Žalgiris. The Tigers also added rebounding machine Narcisse Ngoy (58), who was the best big man in French Pro B and was surprisingly drafted by the Clippers late in the second round of this year’s draft.
On the other end of the spectrum of older pros coming to college basketball is a pair of 17-year-old phenoms: Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje (59) and Nikola Kusturica (60). Boumtje Boumtje will compete for minutes in a loaded Duke frontcourt, but it’s hard to argue with his dominant performances with USA Basketball and Barcelona this spring and summer. Kusturica is off to UCLA after elite scoring performances with the Serbian U-17 team this summer on a two-year deal worth north of $10 million.
10 freshmen who will make an impact
Tyran Stokes (61) is by far the most talented player in this year’s high school class. Maturity issues have concerned some NBA scouts in the last 12 to 18 months, but he’s a dominant two-way force when at his best and should star for Bill Self at Kansas.
Jordan Smith Jr. (62) is the next great freshman guard to suit up for John Calipari. He’s not the elite scorer Darius Acuff Jr. was, but fans will love his intensity on both ends of the floor and how he impacts winning.
Arizona needs a big year from Caleb Holt (63) after losing Jaden Bradley and Brayden Burries from last year’s team. The Alabama native had an outstanding senior season at Prolific Prep and might be the player with the best chance to unseat Stokes as the No. 1 pick in 2027.
Missouri made a splash by signing high-scoring PG Jason Crowe Jr. (64), the program’s highest-rated recruit since Michael Porter Jr. His middling physical tools make his NBA translation more murky, but there’s little doubt he’ll be able to light up the scoreboard in the SEC.
Two point guards in this class could be multiyear college superstars. Miles Sadler (65) was all kinds of fun to watch at Bella Vista Prep and should get the keys early at West Virginia; coaches consistently highlight him as one of biggest winning players in the class. Luke Ertel (66) shredded defenses with Indiana Elite on the Adidas AAU circuit. He has big shoes to fill, potentially replacing Braden Smith at Purdue, but has the talent to be another fixture at the point for the Boilers.
BYU has had top-10 picks in back-to-back years in Egor Demin and AJ Dybantsa. Bruce Branch III (67) has a good chance to be next in line. He’s the prototypical high-lottery wing from a size, athleticism and tools standpoint, but will need to become more consistent to land at the top of draft boards.
Anthony Thompson (68) was a massive in-state recruiting win for Jake Diebler and Ohio State. He has one of the highest ceilings in the class at 6'9" with long arms, an impressive frame and high-level shooting potential.
Brandon McCoy (69) committed to Michigan during the Final Four on a livestream with the Fab Five should play a key role for the Wolverines. If he shows improvement as a shooter, he has one-and-done potential.
It won’t be easy to get on the floor on UConn’s loaded squad, but Colben Landrew (70) should find his way into the mix despite that. Scouts love his versatility with a sturdy 6'6" frame and high-level scoring upside.
Breakout names to know
71. Davis Fogle, Gonzaga: An electric slashing wing who should step into a starting role. The Washington native has a clear NBA ceiling and could benefit from a weak 2027 draft.
72. Chance Mallory, Virginia: A diminutive dynamo at the point who could explode as the Cavaliers’ full-time floor general. Mallory is an elite point-of-attack defender, critical in Ryan Odom’s pressure system.
73. Cayden Boozer, Duke: Boozer made the mistake that defined Duke’s collapse against UConn, but that overshadowed that he had been outstanding down the stretch. Duke’s backcourt is crowded, but Boozer has the ability to emerge as the cream of the crop.
74. Matt Able, North Carolina: His talent popped at times at NC State, but Able couldn’t find the consistency to emerge as a one-and-done. He could be the centerpiece of Malone’s first UNC team though and should have a chance to rapidly climb draft boards.
75. Najai Hines, UConn: At this time last summer, Hines was just wrapping up his final AAU season. He reclassified up, played key minutes at Seton Hall as an 18-year-old and now looks like one of the most promising young bigs in the sport.
76. Tate Sage, Iowa: Sage had plenty of bright moments for Iowa in the Hawkeyes’ run to the Elite Eight. He has elite tools as a wing shooter and playmaker and could take off without Bennett Stirtz dominating the ball.
77. Amare Bynum, Ohio State: Bynum’s an athletic freak who was ahead of schedule as a freshman, providing valuable minutes in the Buckeyes’ frontcourt. He and the aforementioned Thompson could be a potent pairing.
78. Killyan Toure, Iowa State: After earning a key role in the Iowa State backcourt as a freshman thanks to his defensive prowess, Toure could be more of a focal point offensively as a sophomore. Consistency as a shooter could unlock so much for him.
79. Jake West, Northwestern: The Wildcats are in rebuilding mode, but West was a bright spot late last season and Chris Collins seems intent on giving him the keys this year.
80. Sebastian Williams-Adams, Vanderbilt: Playing alongside Tyler Tanner could be rather fruitful for Williams-Adams, a slashing forward who transferred in from Auburn after initially committing to return to the Tigers.
10 early season games to put on your radar
81. Villanova vs. Notre Dame, Nov. 1 in Rome: The game itself is nothing to write home about, but it’s quite cool to have college hoops’ season opening in Rome. Teams will meet Pope Leo XIV, the first American Pope, while there.
82. Gonzaga vs. Purdue and UCLA vs. Arizona, Nov. 2 in Las Vegas: This is a strong opening night doubleheader in Sin City. Purdue opens the post–Braden Smith era with a stiff test from Gonzaga, and an old Pac-12 rivalry gets renewed with UCLA and Arizona opening seasons of expectation in prime time.
83. Michigan vs. UConn, Nov. 6 in Boston: The first week of the regular season is headlined by a national title game rematch. Plenty of new faces on both sides (including a new coach at Michigan), but the PG battle between Demary and Cadeau should be special.
84. Michigan State at Tennessee, Nov. 17: Two of the game’s elder statesmen in Tom Izzo and Rick Barnes face off in Knoxville in a matchup of teams with Final Four aspirations.
85. Indiana vs. Kentucky, Nov. 20 in Indianapolis: This is a big-time rivalry game; so big that the teams have rented out Lucas Oil Stadium (home of the Colts) to accommodate a bigger crowd.
86. Texas at Louisville, Dec. 1: Texas and Louisville were two that pushed the chips in most of anyone this spring. This will be an early litmus test game for both squads’ title aspirations.
87. Duke at Florida, Dec. 1: One of the most anticipated games of the season, and a rematch from what was an outstanding matchup last year at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Expect NBA scouts to flock to Gainesville for this one.
88. UConn vs Illinois, Dec. 4 in Chicago: UConn has owned Illinois of late, including in the Final Four a season ago. Can the Illini change their fortunes in front of a friendly Chicago crowd?
89. Arizona at St. John’s, Dec. 5: Pitino’s St. John’s team took a hit from Donnie Freeman’s season-ending Achilles tear, but expectations are still high with this group. They’ll be tested early with this showdown with Arizona at MSG.
90. Houston vs. Alabama, Dec. 8 in New York: One of the nation’s best offenses annually in Alabama against a perennially stingy defense in Houston. These two teams have been fixtures in the Final Four conversation for much of the 2020s and that should continue this year.
10 predictions
91. This will be the most chaotic August in college hoops history. The lawsuits over the NCAA’s rollout of its age-based eligibility model are coming to a head, with dozens of potential high-major starters looking to return for a fifth year of college if they can get injunctions. Not every school will be in a position financially to reap the benefits, but if widespread eligibility for 2022 high school grads happens it will have a profound impact on the ’26–27 season. Adding potential stars in August will be awkward, but too many schools are in no position to turn down talent like this. A projected top 25 right now might look a lot different in a month.
92. At least one high-major coach will walk away before the season. Bruce Pearl did it last year, Tony Bennett the year before. The sport has become quite well-acquainted with the proverbial “October Surprise,” and there are already rumors of who might be this year’s.
93. Speaking of retirements … this year will be it for Bill Self, Rick Barnes and Mark Few. That’d be quite the run of retirements, but it’s far from impossible this is the last we see from each. Self came close to calling it quits this past spring, Barnes went all-in on this year’s roster in the portal (a sign he might be close to done) and Few will have finished the job of getting Gonzaga settled in the Pac-12. The sport may look very different this time next year.
94. The 17-year-olds will feel some growing pains. There’s plenty of summer excitement about Boumtje Boumtje at Duke, Kusturica at UCLA and Marcus Spears Jr. at Texas. Consider it a win if they provide starting-level value, and calm your jets about potential all-conference production. The jump to high-level college hoops this young is really, really hard.
95. The Big East will experience a revival. Just three NCAA tournament bids in two of the last three seasons set off alarm bells throughout the league. That trend should not continue. Marquette should get back on track after a down year, Xavier has upped its investment substantially. Providence has reasons for optimism under Hodgson. Even DePaul is dreaming big. Expect at least six bids this year.
96. Mark Pope holds off the hot seat … for now. There was a point in the offseason that Pope felt like a dead man walking. Bringing back Malachi Moreno and adding Momcilovic gives Kentucky a good enough roster to quell the angst within Big Blue Nation. Skepticism will remain though until he puts a team at the top of the SEC and in the Final Four.
97. The expanded NCAA tournament field won’t help mid-majors much. Shocker, I know. I’d bet on one added mid-major to the field in exchange for a bunch of middling high-majors also sneaking in. That said …
98. The expanded tournament won’t kill the fun, either. The NCAA has been banking, in part, that regardless of the negative reaction, fans will want to watch once the games actually tip off on Tuesday and Wednesday. I think they’ll be proven right. A nice appetizer of games those days before the 64-team main draw on Thursday will end up being entertaining.
99. David Mirkovic will win national player of the year. He was all kinds of fun as a freshman and by all accounts he has made a major leap this summer. He’ll have the team around him to do it as well. But …
100. UConn wins it all. I reserve the right to change this pick between now and November (and then from November to March), but the Huskies are my early pick. If Hines (as mentioned above) has the type of season I believe he’s capable of, UConn will be the type of elite team on both ends that is always in position to win it all come early April.
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Kevin Sweeney is a staff writer at Sports Illustrated covering college basketball and the NBA draft. He joined the SI staff in July 2021 and also serves host and analyst for The Field of 68. Sweeney is a Naismith Trophy voter and ia member of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. He is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.