Where Alabama Lands in Sports Illustrated's Way-Too-Early College Basketball Top 25

Like the Crimson Tide, the rest of the college basketball world is already looking toward the 2025-26 season.

Alabama Crimson Tide guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. (3) smiles while jogging onto the court Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, during the NCAA men’s basketball game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind. Purdue Boilermakers won 87-78. / Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 2024-25 college basketball season officially concluded on Monday night with Florida defeating Houston in the National Championship.

After falling to Florida in the SEC Tournament quarterfinal, Alabama received the 2-seed in the East Region of the NCAA Tournament and defeated Robert Morris, Saint Mary's and BYU before losing to 1-seed Duke in the Elite Eight. The Crimson Tide finished the season with a 28-9 (13-5 SEC) record.

Alabama finished 2024-25 as the No. 6 team in the AP Top 25 and No. 6 in the Coaches Poll on Tuesday. But like the Crimson Tide, the rest of the college basketball world is already looking toward next season. Plenty of news outlets have come out with their way-too-early rankings for 2025 and Sports Illustrated released its top-25 list for next season.

Sports Illustrated placed Alabama at No. 17 in its rankings, which is lower than most outlets placed Alabama. For example, ESPN has the Crimson Tide at No. 11 while The Athletic has head coach Nate Oats and company at No. 13.

"Nate Oats has built one of the elite programs in the sport, with four trips to at least the second weekend in the last five years," Sports Illustrated's Kevin Sweeney wrote. "It will look different in Tuscaloosa, Ala., without star point guard Mark Sears running the show, but Oats has recruited at a high level around him and should add further reinforcements via the portal. Keeping rising sophomore guard Labaron Philon would be a big step: He showed major flashes as a freshman and is a perfect fit in Oats’ system."

Sports Illustrated's 2025-26 Way-Too-Early Rankings

1. Houston Cougars
2. Purdue Boilermakers
3. Duke Blue Devils
4. UConn Huskies
5. Louisville Cardinals
6. Kansas Jayhawks
7. BYU Cougars
8. St. John’s Red Storm
9. UCLA Bruins
10. Auburn Tigers
11. Florida Gators
12. Michigan Wolverines
13. Wisconsin Badgers
14. Texas Tech Red Raiders
15. Michigan State Spartans
16. Kentucky Wildcats
17. Alabama Crimson Tide
18. Oregon Ducks
19. Arizona Wildcats
20. Arkansas Razorbacks
21. Baylor Bears
22. Gonzaga Bulldogs
23. Iowa State Cyclones
24. Tennessee Volunteers
25. San Diego State Aztecs

Alabama is ranked fourth among the sixth SEC teams on Sports Illustrated's list, as Auburn (No. 10), Florida (No. 11) and Kentucky (No. 16) sit above the Crimson Tide.

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