Another Media Outlet Ranks Purdue No. 1 in Way-Too-Early College Basketball Top-25

Purdue is ranked as the No. 1 team in the way-too-early 2025-26 college basketball top-25 by another media outlet, with On3 tabbing the Boilers as top dogs.

Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith (3) shoots the ball | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Another media outlet has tabbed Purdue as the top team in the country in its way-too-early rankings for the 2025-26 college basketball season. This week, On3 listed Purdue as the No. 1 team in its top-25 projections for next year.

Earlier this offseason, ESPN ranked Purdue as the No. 1 team in the country when the transfer portal window closed and the NBA Draft declaration deadline passed. The Boilermakers are also an early betting favorite to win the national championship.

Purdue returns Big Ten Player of the Year Braden Smith, first-team All-Big Ten selection Trey Kaufman-Renn and All-Big Ten honorable mention Fletcher Loyer. Additionally, the Boilers bring back freshmen Gicarri Harris, CJ Cox and Raleigh Burgess, and 7-foot-4 center Daniel Jacobsen returns after suffering an injury early in his freshmen campaign.

Coach Matt Painter and his staff also did some big things on the recruiting front and out of the transfer portal in the weeks after the 2024-25 season concluded. Purdue is bringing in 6-foot-11 center Oscar Cluff from South Dakota State, a center who averaged a double-double last season.

The Boilermakers also landed veteran wing and three-point threat Liam Murphy from North Florida.

International star and top-50 prospect Omer Mayer also committed to Purdue as a member of the 2025 recruiting class during the spring. He is one of two players in the class heading to West Lafayette, along with three-star guard Antione West Jr.

Because of the returning talent and the new additions to the roster, Purdue has a great opportunity to make a second Final Four run in the past three seasons.

Here's a look at the top-10 from On3. You can view the complete top-25 here.

1. Purdue Boilermakers
2. St. John's Red Storm
3. UConn Huskies
4. Houston Cougars
5. BYU Cougars
6. Michigan Wolverines
7. Kentucky Wildcats
8. Louisville Cardinals
9. Tennessee Volunteers
10. Texas Tech Red Raiders

Related stories on Purdue basketball

PURDUE NONCONFERENCE SCHEDULE: There's a lot of excitement around the 2025-26 Purdue men's basketball season. Providing updates to this year's schedule when they become available. CLICK HERE

BOILERS SCHEDULE EXHIBITION VS KENTUCKY: Purdue has announced that it will head to Lexington for an exhibition game vs. Kentucky in October. Both teams are expected to be ranked in the top-15. CLICK HERE

PURDUE UNVEILS JERSEY NUMBERS: The jersey numbers for Purdue's four newcomers — Oscar Cluff, Liam Murphy, Omer Mayer and Antione West Jr. — were revealed this week. CLICK HERE