With a month behind us since the end of the college basketball season, ESPN is looking ahead to the 2025-26 campaign. Jeff Borzello has updated his early Top 25 rankings in a big way.
The sport is in a fascinating place, with the transfer portal having a gigantic impact on the Top 25 after March Madness came to a close. While it’s certainly subject to change, Borzello has a pretty good idea regarding which teams will be contending for it all next season.
With that in mind, let’s dive into ESPN’s latest Top 25 rankings. Expect them to fluctuate over the next couple of months, but Borzello has provided a nice baseline for where we stand in May.
1. Purdue
Purdue made a bit of a run during the 2025 Men’s NCAA Tournament. While they fell short of their ultimate goal, they have the team to make some major noise this coming season, and it’s evident ESPN is a believer in the Boilermakers at the moment.
Borzello: “There’s a chance Purdue has the preseason Wooden Award favorite and two All-Americans on its roster next season. Braden Smith will start the season as the best guard in the country after taking the next step in his development this past campaign, while Trey Kaufman-Renn is a dominant paint force.”
