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College basketball rankings: Kansas, UConn headline way-too-early top 25 2.0
Coming off a disappointing year by his standards, Bill Self has reloaded. Then again, was there any doubt that the Hall of Famer would attack the transfer portal and set aim on being a national title contender again after Kansas underwhelmed this past season following a preseason No. 1 ranking?
After finishing the 2023-24 season with a 23-11 record and a 10-8 mark in Big 12 play – the worst conference record in Self's 21-year tenure at the helm at Kansas – the Jayhawks are poised to respond after a Round of 32 exit in the NCAA Tournament. Self has already brought in two of the top-17 transfers in the portal, according to the 247 Sports rankings, acquiring AJ Storr from Wisconsin and Zeke Mayo from South Dakota State.
Storr was the Badgers' leading scorer this past year, averaging 17 points per game, and is a matchup nightmare on the wing at 6-foot-7. Mayo averaged 19-6-4 for the Jackrabbits and was named Summit League Player of the Year.
With Florida transfer Riley Kugel also in the fold, and the Jayhawks in the mix for Alabama transfer Rylan Griffen, who averaged double-figures for the Crimson Tide last year and has Final Four experience, Self has a great core coming together.
Dajuan Harris and KJ Adams are both pegged to return to Lawrence next season, with the big question for this team coming below.
Will Hunter Dickinson return for the Jayhawks? If he does, that's the cherry on top of the sundae for Self & Co. The 7-foot-2 center can make a lot more NIL money with his college brand than he would in the NBA right now, where he's not projected as a first-round draft prospect. Dickinson averaged 18 points, 11 rebounds and two assists per game this past season, and Self has called him as good of an offensive player as any he's coached. If he does come back to school, the Jayhawks should undoubtedly be the top team in the nation.
Will Alex Karaban come back? Will rising sophomores Solomon Ball and Jaylin Stewart make a leap? How will Hassan Diarra fare as the man leading the backcourt? I expect the Huskies to land five-star incoming freshman Liam McNeeley, who just visited Storrs. He would be a welcome sight offensively for Dan Hurely's back-to-back champions, adding a shotmaker to the equation. I think Karaban returns to form the frontcourt with Samson Johnson, while Michigan transfer Tarris Reed offers a strong reserve option.
The Tar Heels have jumped into the top three because one of the best players in America is returning for another season in Chapel Hill. First-team All-American RJ Davis is planning to come back to North Carolina for a fifth season, multiple sources have confirmed to FOX Sports.
UNC was a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament this past year, and although the Tar Heels got knocked off in the Sweet 16, Davis returning off a season in which he averaged 21.2 points and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 43% from the floor and 40% from 3-point range is huge for Hubert Davis as he enters his fourth year at the helm. Davis, rising sophomore Elliot Cadeau, and top-10 recruit Ian Jackson on the perimeter should make for a lethal combination. Seth Trimble and Jae'Lyn Withers will also be back, while five-star recruit Drake Powell enters the fold to join Jackson in one of the country's top recruiting classes. UNC has a ton of upside, and the best returning guard in the country with Davis.
The reigning Big 12 champions got better on April 13 when Oklahoma transfer Milos Uzan announced he was taking his talents from Norman to Houston. Kelvin Sampson should have an elite perimeter with Uzan, who averaged 9.0 points and 4.4 assists per game this past season and does a great job setting up others. He'll be joining an offense that features an elite sharpshooter in LJ Cryer and another dynamic guard in Emanuel Sharp. With Ja'Vier Francis and J'Wan Roberts pegged to be back as well, that's four of five starters returning.
T.J. Otzelberger already has a great core coming back from a 29-win team this past year, but he's adding to it as well. On Tuesday, the latest addition became official: Saint Mary's transfer Joshua Jefferson, who averaged 10.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game this past season while shooting 47% from the floor. With big men Dishon Jackson (Charlotte) and Brandton Chatfield (Seattle) added to the fold, along with a complementary wing in Nate Heise (Northern Iowa), Iowa State has done a good job identifying pieces to supplement the star power of Tamin Lipsey and Keshon Gilbert. Look for a sizable sophomore leap from the versatile Milan Momcilovic. In a world where many rosters are uncertain, the Cyclones know who they are and have their main core back. Roster continuity is a beautiful thing, and a rarity.
After a ninth consecutive Sweet 16 appearance and a strong finish to the 2023-24 campaign, Mark Few has great roster continuity to surge right into 2024-25. Ryan Nembhard and Nolan Hickman can continue to charge the backcourt, and they got another weapon to supplement the perimeter with Pepperdine transfer Michael Ajayi (17.2 PPG, 9.9 RPG). Ben Gregg and Graham Ike headline the frontcourt, with a solid bench in place as well. I would expect Dusty Stromer and Braden Huff to make a sophomore leap. Depth and experience are in place with one of the best coaches in the sport on the sidelines. The Zags are in a strong position.
Coming off the school's first ever Final Four appearance, Nate Oats and the Crimson Tide charge into 2024-25 with their best recruiting class ever, ranking No. 2 in the nation, according to 247 Sports. Incoming freshmen Derrion Reed and Aiden Sherrell are physically gifted players who should make an immediate impact, with Sherrell standing at 6-10 and having soft hands and shotmaking range that is unique for a guy at his size. Oats' latest splash has come in the transfer portal with former five-star freshman Aden Holloway electing to go from Auburn to the rival Crimson Tide. USF transfer Chris Youngblood, part of the best season for the Bulls in years and a guy with NCAA Tournament experience under Amir Abdur-Rahim, enters the program as well. Will Mark Sears and Grant Nelson return? We shall see, but if they do, watch out. Alabama will rise in these rankings. Latrell Wrightsell announced Tuesday he will be back for a fifth season of college basketball, a year after he posted close to double-figures for Alabama.
Tommy Lloyd got better on Wednesday, bringing in a transfer who should fit the Wildcats perfectly in former Oakland wing Trey Townsend. In a season that saw the Golden Grizzlies shock Kentucky and end the John Calipari era in Lexington, Townsend averaged 17.1 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. His versatility and shotmaking (38% from 3) should allow him to fit nicely into Arizona's system, one that has produced an 88-20 record in the last three years, albeit with disappointing March results. One big question for the Cats: How will they handle the move to the Big 12, where they will have to meet the likes of Kansas, Houston, Iowa State and others?
The Blue Devils will have a completely different look heading into next season, but that's part of life when you usher in the nation's No. 1 recruiting class, and when you have some players who aren't ready for the NBA that could make more elsewhere. Duke's freshman class is headlined by top prospect Cooper Flagg, a 6-9 phenom who is outstanding defensively, but this class goes beyond Flagg. Isaiah Evans is a multi-skilled offensive player stacked with upside, Kon Knueppel is a tough wing who has a good feel for the game and physicality, and the duo of Patrick Ngongba II and Khaman Maluach inside are fascinating. With Mason Gillis transferring in from Purdue and Maliq Brown from Syracuse, Jon Scheyer adds some experience and length. There's more to be done, but the key to the puzzle is if returnees Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster can figure it out and be consistent with the door open and Jeremy Roach gone to Baylor.
The Bluejays are one of the top swing teams in my rankings, depending on what happens with NBA Draft decisions and who stays or goes. Will 7-foot-1 big man Ryan Kalkbrenner return to Omaha for one last ride? Will the tough shotmaker and versatile guard Trey Alexander run it back as well? If that duo returns, it looks as though Steven Ashworth will be back to run the point at the age of 24. Yes, Baylor Scheierman is gone, but Greg McDermott has room to add a transfer. Let's see if he does get a nice boost via the portal. There's no shortage of NIL dollars in Omaha, either. We'll see if this experience does return, but Creighton has a real chance to reach the Sweet 16 for a third straight year and a fourth time in five seasons.
11. Purdue Boilermakers
12. Baylor Bears
13. Auburn Tigers
14. Marquette Golden Eagles
15. Florida Gators
16. Tennessee Volunteers
17. UCLA Bruins
18. Ohio State Buckeyes
19. Mississippi State Bulldogs
20. Maryland Terrapins
21. Miami Hurricanes
22. Clemson Tigers
23. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
24. Xavier Musketeers
25. Indiana Hoosiers
First Five Out:
Oregon Ducks
Texas A&M Aggies
Providence Friars
Cincinnati Bearcats
New Mexico Lobos
John Fanta is a national college basketball broadcaster and writer for FOX Sports. He covers the sport in a variety of capacities, from calling games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to providing commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him on Twitter @John_Fanta.
