NCAA Men’s Basketball Preseason Rankings Released
This year, the city of West Lafayette is buzzing with excitement as the Purdue Boilermakers have claimed the number one spot in the AP Top 25 preseason men’s basketball rankings for the 2025-26 season. This is a historic moment for Purdue, marking the first time in the school’s history that they have begun the season at the top of the poll. They secured a whopping 35 first-place votes after coming off a successful previous season with 24 wins and a Sweet 16 appearance, where they faced off against Houston.
Returning stars like Braden Smith, an All-American guard, and Trey Kaufman-Renn, an All-Big Ten forward who averaged an impressive 20.1 points per game, has positioned Purdue as a serious contender for the championship this year.
Houston Cougars will have to settle for second place in the preseason rankings, receiving 16 first-place votes. After a heart-wrenching loss in the national championship game against Florida last season, the Cougars are looking to come back strong with their veteran roster.
In third place, the Florida Gators are starting the season as defending national champions with their highest preseason ranking since the 2006-07 season. With the return of key players like Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh, along with new transfers from Arkansas and Princeton, Florida has high hopes for a championship repeat.
Coming in fourth is UConn, with the remaining two first-place votes, and St. John’s rounds out the top five. St. John’s is looking to Zuby Ejiofor to lead them in what promises to be an exciting Big East season.
Interestingly, two Final Four teams from last year are not included in this year’s top five. Duke just missed out, starting the season at sixth, while Auburn begins at twentieth after their Final Four appearance last season.
The anticipation for the upcoming season is palpable, with fans eager to see how these rankings will play out once games begin. Stay tuned for more updates as teams gear up for the upcoming season!
