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Men’s College Hoops Way-Too-Early Top 25: Projected Starting Lineups After Portal Chaos
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There’s nothing like March Madness, but the chaos of April’s roster movement in college basketball is almost as wild. Over the last few weeks, rosters have been completely revamped thanks to transfer portal pickups, NBA draft decisions and some lingering high school and international commitments. While rosters aren’t fully set as some players test the draft waters and a handful of top portal prospects remain uncommitted, it’s a good time for Sports Illustrated to reset its top 25 rankings for an early look at some of the best teams in college basketball for the 2026–27 season.
Who are the early favorites to cut down the nets in Detroit next April? And which teams have done the best to reload their rosters this spring? Here’s a sneak peek at what’s to come next fall and winter:
1. Florida Gators
Projected Lineup
- PG Boogie Fland
- SG Urban Klavzar
- SF Thomas Haugh
- PF Alex Condon
- C Rueben Chinyelu
You couldn’t have scripted a much better offseason for the Gators. The surprise return of projected lottery pick Thomas Haugh is a game-changer, one that vaults Florida into the top spot of our preseason rankings. Assuming that starting center Rueben Chinyelu withdraws from the draft, the Gators will return more than 80% of their scoring from a team that earned a No. 1 seed and won the SEC by three games a year ago. The frontcourt with Haugh, Chinyelu and another potential first-rounder in Alex Condon is the best in America. Plus, the roster could look even better by November if Denzel Aberdeen’s waiver for a fifth season of eligibility is approved by the NCAA, buoying a backcourt currently anchored by Boogie Fland and Urban Klavzar.
2. Michigan Wolverines
Projected Lineup
- PG Elliot Cadeau
- SG Trey McKenney
- SF Brandon McCoy
- PF J.P. Estrella
- C Moustapha Thiam
The defending champion Wolverines have retooled well this offseason to position themselves for contention again. The portal activity to date has been heavily focused on the frontcourt: Transfers Moustapha Thiam (Cincinnati), J.P. Estrella (Tennessee) and Jalen Reed (LSU) give the Wolverines the size and diverse skill sets to play a system similar to last season’s dominant group. Plus, the Elliot Cadeau/Trey McKenney duo is as potent as any backcourt combo in the country. One more splash on the wing (Michigan has been involved with Wake Forest transfer Juke Harris) and this group has a legitimate case for No. 1.
3. UConn Huskies
Projected Lineup
- PG Silas Demary Jr.
- SG Braylon Mullins
- SF Jayden Ross
- PF Nik Khamenia
- C Najai Hines
The Huskies have been to three of the last four national title games and have the talent to make a legitimate push for another championship this season. March hero Braylon Mullins spurned the NBA for a second year in college, a decision that could pay off big time if he has the type of sophomore season many expect. Mullins and Silas Demary Jr. are an elite backcourt duo, even with Solo Ball redshirting after wrist surgery. Seton Hall transfer Najai Hines could explode with a year of Dan Hurley’s player development. Hines ranked second in the country in block rate as a freshman and is a force down low offensively, as well.
4. Illinois Fighting Illini
Projected Lineup
- PG Quentin Coleman
- SG Stefan Vaaks
- SF Andrej Stojaković
- PF David Mirković
- C Tomislav Ivišić
Illinois’s offseason goals focused largely around retaining the core of its Final Four team, and Brad Underwood’s staff executed that nicely. PF David Mirković could blossom into a superstar after a strong freshman season, while healthier offseasons for Andrej Stojaković and Tomislav Ivišić could catalyze breakout campaigns. In the backcourt, Providence transfer Stefan Vaaks and Quentin Coleman provide high-upside shotmaking and facilitating prowess.
5. Texas Longhorns
Projected Lineup
- PG Isaiah Johnson
- SG Austin Goosby
- SF Elyjah Freeman
- PF David Punch
- C Matas Vokietaitis
One of the big offseason winners to date has been Texas. The Longhorns have crushed it in the transfer portal, but most importantly kept 7-footer Matas Vokietaitis up front after a monster sophomore season. Pairing Vokietaitis with TCU transfer David Punch should form one of the strongest big man duos in the sport next season and give this group a high floor. In the backcourt, Isaiah Johnson (Colorado), Mikey Lewis (Saint Mary’s) and Elyjah Freeman (Auburn) were all strong pickups, though the x-factor may be potential one-and-done freshman Austin Goosby. If Goosby pops early, the Horns may be Florida’s biggest threat in the SEC.
6. Duke Blue Devils
Projected Lineup
- PG Caleb Foster
- SG John Blackwell
- SF Dame Sarr
- PF Cam Williams
- C Patrick Ngongba II
The Blue Devils have three top-15 freshmen committed, but the story for Duke in 2026–27 will largely be written by older pieces. With center Patrick Ngongba II, wing Dame Sarr and guards Caleb Foster and Cayden Boozer back, the Blue Devils have strong retention from last season’s overall No. 1 seed team. John Blackwell (Wisconsin) was a massive portal pickup to give them a go-to scorer in the backcourt, while Belmont’s Drew Scharnowski is a skilled and versatile frontcourt piece.
7. Houston Cougars
Projected Lineup
- PG Dedan Thomas Jr.
- SG Mercy Miller
- SF Chase McCarty
- PF Joseph Tugler
- C Delrecco Gillespie
Houston hasn’t finished outside KenPom’s top five since before the COVID-19 pandemic, a remarkable run of consistent success that has seen the Cougars average nearly 32 wins per year in the last six seasons. The reload looks strong on paper: LSU transfer PG Dedan Thomas Jr. and Kent State transfer big Delrecco Gillespie look like elite fits for the Cougars’ system, while freshman Arafan Diane and Ikenna Alozie add upside off the bench.
8. Michigan State Spartans
Projected Lineup
- PG Jeremy Fears Jr.
- SG Kur Teng
- SF Jordan Scott
- PF Coen Carr
- C Anton Bonke
The reasons for optimism in East Lansing start with star point guard Jeremy Fears Jr., arguably the best floor general in college basketball for 2026–27 after leading the country in assists per game as a sophomore. He elevates everyone around him, and Michigan State has a strong nucleus in place with athletic wings Coen Carr and Jordan Scott. The frontcourt is green though with the graduations of Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper. Charlotte transfer Anton Bonke has elite size, while youngsters Cam Ward and Jesse McCulloch could take on bigger roles.
9. St. John’s Red Storm
Projected Lineup
- PG Quinn Ellis
- SG Ian Jackson
- SF Lefteris Liotopoulos
- PF Donnie Freeman
- C Ruben Prey
Back-to-back 30-win seasons and Big East titles is quite the two-year run for Rick Pitino and the Red Storm. And while it won’t be easy to replicate what star big man Zuby Ejiofor brought to the table, Pitino has retooled the roster nicely this spring. PG Quinn Ellis is 23 years old and has been a starter this season for Milano in the Euroleague, the best league in the world outside of the NBA. He should solidify the point guard spot, which was a problem in 2025–26. Landing Arizona State transfer Massamba Diop, who visited this weekend, would provide a major boost at center to a frontcourt that already has Donnie Freeman (Syracuse) and Ruben Prey.
10. Arkansas Razorbacks
Projected Lineup
- PG Jordan Smith Jr.
- SG Jeremiah Wilkinson
- SF Billy Richmond
- PF Miikka Muurinen
- C Cooper Bowser
There’s plenty to be excited about in the backcourt for the Razorbacks, with elite scorer Jeremiah Wilkinson joining from the portal, slasher Billy Richmond back and freshman studs Jordan Smith Jr., JJ Andrews and Abdou Toure joining the fray. That unit could get even better if Meleek Thomas elects to return after testing the draft waters, but even without him the amount of athleticism, speed and rim pressure this group could generate should be fun to watch. Miikka Muurinen is the x-factor, a talented 6' 11" forward who has bounced around multiple prep schools before spending this season overseas with Partizan in Serbia. If he puts it all together, he adds another NBA-level talent to the Hogs’ rotation.
11. Arizona Wildcats
Projected Lineup
- PG Derek Dixon
- SG Caleb Holt
- SF Cameron Holmes
- PF Ivan Kharchenkov
- C Motiejus Krivas
The Wildcats have been consistently elite in the Tommy Lloyd era and should be again even with their top three scorers departing for the pro ranks. Center Motiejus Krivas and forward Ivan Kharchenkov return as the backbone of what should be an elite defense in 2026–27, with Kharchenkov a potential breakout guy on the offensive end as well after a strong freshman season. In the backcourt, the PG battle between North Carolina transfer Derek Dixon and Washington transfer JJ Mandaquit will be intriguing to monitor, but five-star Caleb Holt should score at a high level next to whoever wins the job.
12. Vanderbilt Commodores
Projected Lineup
- PG Tyler Tanner
- SG Ace Glass
- SF Sebastian Williams-Adams
- PF Berke Büyüktuncel
- C Bangot Dak
This ranking is fairly heavily predicated upon star point guard Tyler Tanner withdrawing from the NBA draft next month. If he does, there’s so much to like with the Commodores. The frontcourt has an intriguing mix of skill sets with the athletic Sebastian Williams-Adams, skilled Bangot Dak and tough Berke Büyüktuncel, giving Mark Byington tons of flexibility with how he builds his lineups. Without Tanner, the Dores would likely go to a backcourt of Mizzou transfer T.O. Barrett and Washington State transfer Ace Glass, a former Texas A&M commit.
13. Tennessee Volunteers
Projected Lineup
- PG Terrence Hill Jr.
- SG Dai Dai Ames
- SF Tyler Lundblade
- PF Jalen Haralson
- C Miles Rubin
With just two returning players (both rising sophomores), this is a roster reset unlike any we’ve seen from a Rick Barnes team in Knoxville. It’s hard not to be intrigued by the talent though: Terrence Hill Jr. and Dai Dai Ames are elite bucket-getters, and former five-star Jalen Haralson could explode in his second year of college with more talent around him than he had at Notre Dame. There are some questions defensively from a personnel perspective with a smaller roster than the Vols are used to, but Barnes’s teams have essentially always been elite on that end of the floor.
14. Miami Hurricanes
Projected Lineup
- PG Acaden Lewis
- SG Dante Allen
- SF Shelton Henderson
- PF DeSean Goode
- C Somto Cyril
Jai Lucas has continued the momentum from a strong first season with a big portal class, adding former Villanova PG Acaden Lewis and former Georgia C Somto Cyril to headline the Hurricanes’ 2026–27 roster. That could turn into an elite pick-and-roll duo in time, and talented wing Shelton Henderson could blossom into one of the ACC’s best players after a strong freshman season.
15. Louisville Cardinals
Projected Lineup
- PG Jackson Shelstad
- SG De’Shayne Montgomery
- SF Karter Knox
- PF Alvaro Folgueiras
- C Flory Bidunga
The Cardinals have been as aggressive as any team in the country in the portal. The biggest splash was former Kansas center Flory Bidunga, a freak athlete who can be a two-way force around the rim and perhaps the top transfer to change teams this offseason. But even beyond Bidunga, it has been impressive to see Pat Kelsey add proven high-major producers who still might have another gear to hit. The pressure will be on to deliver big-time results though after Kelsey’s teams have bounced out of the NCAA tournament in the first weekend in each of his first two seasons on the job.
16. Virginia Cavaliers
Projected Lineup
- PG Chance Mallory
- SG Jurian Dixon
- SF Sam Lewis
- PF Thijs De Ridder
- C Johann Grünloh
Virginia has one of the strongest returning cores in the country, with four starting-caliber pieces back. The headliner is power forward Thijs De Ridder, a potential All-American, but rising sophomore PG Chance Mallory could be one of the breakout stars in the sport after a strong finish to his freshman campaign in Charlottesville. That said, Virginia has been quiet in the portal, its only pickup being the recent addition of UC Irvine transfer Jurian Dixon who could slot in as a fifth starter. Another scorer in the backcourt and some depth up front look like priorities as it rounds out the roster.
17. Gonzaga Bulldogs
Projected Lineup
- PG Mario Saint-Supéry
- SG Jack Kayil
- SF Isiah Harwell
- PF Davis Fogle
- C Braden Huff
Gonzaga wasn’t the same last season after star forward Braden Huff went down with a knee injury in January that eventually ended his season. Huff’s return for his senior season in Spokane gives the Bulldogs an elite offensive weapon to lead the way, and sophomores Mario Saint-Supéry and Davis Fogle could explode in their second year in the system. The Bulldogs could use another big to allow Huff to slide between the four and the five. They’re involved with Arizona State transfer Massamba Diop, though St. John’s got the most recent visit.
18. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Projected Lineup
- PG Trevan Leonhardt
- SG Braden Frager
- SF Pryce Sandfort
- PF Sam Orme
- C Boden Kapke
The Cornhuskers finally logged their first-ever NCAA tournament wins in 2026 as part of a dream season that included a 20–0 start and a trip to the Sweet 16. Fred Hoiberg’s team suffered some key losses, but sharpshooting wings Pryce Sandfort and Braden Frager are big-time building blocks and the Huskers have added a ton of shooting in the portal. The frontcourt duo of Sam Orme (Belmont) and Boden Kapke (Boston College) combined to make 77 threes last season.
19. Alabama Crimson Tide
Projected Lineup
- PG Aden Holloway
- SG Amari Allen
- SF Cole Cloer
- PF Drew Fielder
- C Brandon Garrison
Nate Oats said after the Tide’s season-ending loss to Michigan that his roster needed to get bigger, and Alabama has certainly done that this offseason. Three of Alabama’s four portal pickups have been 6' 10" or taller, the lone exception being 6' 7" versatile forward Cole Cloer. Sharpshooting guard Aden Holloway could have a monster year as the primary ballhandler in the Tide’s guard-friendly offense after sharing the backcourt with Labaron Philon Jr. and Mark Sears in his first two years in Tuscaloosa.
20. Iowa State Cyclones
Projected Lineup
- PG Jaquan Johnson
- SG Killyan Toure
- SF Leon Bond III
- PF Tre Singleton
- C Blake Buchanan
T.J. Otzelberger has built a consistent winner at the top of the Big 12 in Ames. And while things will look different without Tamin Lipsey, Milan Momcilovic and Joshua Jefferson, the Cyclones are well positioned to keep winning in 2026–27. Bradley transfer Jaquan Johnson is the perfect Otzelberger point guard, and the defensive potential of a backcourt with him, Killyan Toure and Leon Bond III (Northern Iowa) is elite. Northwestern transfer forward Tre Singleton has real upside in a Jefferson-like role long-term as well.
21. USC Trojans
Projected Lineup
- PG Rodney Rice
- SG KJ Lewis
- SF Christian Collins
- PF Jacob Cofie
- C Eric Reibe
Eric Musselman hasn’t gotten things rolling quite as quickly as hoped with the Trojans, but this roster looks incredibly promising. A backcourt duo of Rodney Rice and KJ Lewis is very intriguing, and skilled center Eric Reibe transfers in from UConn to bolster an already talented frontcourt next to Jacob Cofie. Add in three McDonald’s All-Americans, and this group looks like one of the most talented in the Big Ten.
22. Purdue Boilermakers
Projected Lineup
- PG Omer Mayer
- SG C.J. Cox
- SF Jack Benter
- PF Caden Pierce
- C Daniel Jacobsen
It’s a new era at Purdue with Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn all out of eligibility. This roster isn’t bereft of talent though. The backcourt has plenty of intriguing pieces like junior C.J. Cox, breakout sophomore Omer Mayer, freshman floor general Luke Ertel and intriguing redshirt freshman Antione West Jr., who received rave reviews last fall in practice. The frontcourt is where there are questions: Is 7-footer Daniel Jacobsen ready to take a big leap? And can Princeton transfer Caden Pierce scale his game up to the Big Ten?
23. Texas A&M Aggies
Projected Lineup
- PG PJ Haggerty
- SG Bryson Warren
- SF Mackenzie Mgbako
- PF Cade Phillips
- C Zach Clemence
The Aggies likely aren’t getting quite enough attention for the work they’ve done so far this offseason. Between PJ Haggerty (23.4 points per game at Kansas State) and Bryson Warren (18.8 points per game in the G League with Westchester), Bucky McMillan has added a pair of elite scorers in the backcourt, while Mackenzie Mgbako could have a big season after an injury-plagued 2025–26. They’ve also built quality depth, allowing the Aggies to play McMillan’s preferred high-pressure defense effectively.
24. Indiana Hoosiers
Projected Lineup
- PG Markus Burton
- SG Bryce Lindsay
- SF Jaeden Mustaf
- PF Aiden Sherrell
- C Samet Yigitoglu
The Hoosiers were very aggressive in the portal, landing six commits in a three-day stretch earlier in April that completely reshaped the roster. The biggest expenditures came up front, where Darian DeVries is betting big on Aiden Sherrell and Samet Yigitoglu to bolster a unit that simply wasn’t good enough in DeVries’s first season. PG Markus Burton was also a big-time pickup; he led the ACC in scoring in 2024–25 before an injury-riddled ’25–26 season.
25. Iowa Hawkeyes
Projected Lineup
- PG Ty’Reek Coleman
- SG Kael Combs
- SF Tate Sage
- PF Cooper Koch
- C Andrew McKeever
The Iowa program has all kinds of momentum after its run to the Elite Eight. The Hawkeyes lose star PG Bennett Stirtz, but return lots of production from that squad. Wings Tate Sage and Cooper Koch shined in March, while Kael Combs and Cam Manyawu are proven starting-level pieces. Saint Mary’s transfer big man Andrew McKeever gives them size at 7' 3" that the Hawkeyes didn’t come close to having a year ago and should help a lot on the defensive end. The question is whether they have the type of elite shotmaker to bail out the offense when things aren’t going well in the half court. Illinois State transfer Ty’Reek Coleman is talented, but it’d be a big jump for him to carry the load in the Big Ten as a sophomore.
Also Considered
- UCLA Bruins
- Saint Louis Billikens
- Kentucky Wildcats
- Kansas Jayhawks
- Ohio State Buckeyes
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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.