Where Alabama Basketball Ranks in 2026-27 Preseason AP Top 25

Alabama basketball is ranked No. 20 in the Preseason AP Top 25.

The Crimson Tide is one of seven teams in the SEC on the poll, trailing No. 1 Florida, No. 7 Texas, No. 8 Tennessee and No. 12 Arkansas, and ahead of No. 23 Kentucky and No. 24 Vanderbilt.

Alabama's roster for the upcoming season looks much different, with nine newcomers in Tuscaloosa. 12 of the 15 players are at least 6-foot-6, which should help in many areas that the Crimson Tide has struggled in.

"You look at some of the losses we had, a lot of those...we just kind of got manhandled on glass," Oats said at SEC Tipoff '27 on Oct. 13. "So, the big point of emphasis for us in the offseason was getting significantly bigger, not just taller, kind of at the two, three and four."

Alabama is predicted to finish fifth in the SEC, with Florida, Texas, Arkansas and Tennessee in front of the Crimson Tide. Guard Amari Allen, who withdrew from the 2026 NBA Draft pool and returned to UA for his sophomore campaign, was also named to the Preseason All-SEC Second Team.

The 2025-26 season ended at the hands of Michigan in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. The Crimson Tide met its expectations. It started the season ranked No. 15 in the AP Top 25 and entered March Madness at the same spot. In terms of the SEC, Alabama was predicted to finish fourth in 2025-26, but ended up tying for second.

The Tide is off to a solid start in the preseason, as it beat Furman and Ole Miss in exhibitions over the past two weeks. Alabama's third and final scrimmage before the regular season will be against Auburn in Birmingham on Oct. 22.

2026-27 Preseason AP Top 25

Rank	Team	Points	First Place Votes
1.	Florida	1,461	47
2.	Duke	1,411	10
3.	Illinois	1,342	2
4.	UConn	1,241	0
5.	Arizona	1,214	0
6.	Michigan State	1,203	0
7.	Texas	1,040	0
8.	Tennessee	932	0
9.	Virginia	874	0
10.	Houston	829	0
11.	Louisville	822	0
12.	Arkansas	760	0
13.	St. John's	669	0
14	Miami (Fla.)	650	0
15.	Gonzaga	637	0
16.	Michigan	605	0
17.	Kansas	504	0
18.	Iowa State	475	0
19.	Texas Tech	466	0
20.	Alabama	374	0
21.	USC	306	0
22.	UCLA	250	0
23.	Kentucky	243	0
24.	Vanderbilt	241	0
25.	BYU	179	0

Others Receiving Votes: Missouri 167, Nebraska 70, Purdue 53, Ohio State 39, North Carolina 20, TCU 17, Saint Louis 13, VCU 12, Iowa 12, Virginia Tech 10, Indiana 8, Texas A&M 6, Villanova 6, Auburn 4, Marquette 3, Nevada 2, Grand Canyon 2, Utah State 2, Santa Clara 1.

Alabama Preseason AP Top 25 History

2026-27: No. 20
2025-26: No. 15
2024-25: No. 2
2023-24: No. 24
2022-23: No. 20
2021-22: No. 14
2011-12: No. 19
2006-07: No. 11
2005-06: No. 15
2004-05: No. 18
2002-03: No. 8
2001-02: No. 24
1994-95: No. 18
1991-92: No. 17
1990-91: No. 7
1986-87: No. 13
1982-83: No. 12
1981-82: No. 20
1978-79: No. 19
1977-78: No. 15
1976-77: No. 13
1975-76: No. 12
1974-75: No. 9
1973-74: No. 18

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