Early CBB top 25: Purdue's vets stand out, St. John's wins portal

The offseason player movement should slow down with the transfer portal now closed and early NBA draft entrants finalized. Although, major names can still return to their respective schools for another year or head elsewhere.

In the meantime, here are our top 25 teams for the 2025-26 campaign as they're currently constructed:

Everything the Boilermakers do starts with returning All-American first team point guard Braden Smith, who will be the heavy favorite to capture all three major Player of the Year awards. The senior guard is set to reignite his pick-and-roll partnership with All-Big Ten forward Trey Kaufman-Renn. Throw in another 7-footer in South Dakota State transfer Oscar Cluff and Matt Painter has the bones of another championship contender.

Houston came agonizingly short of earning its maiden national title last season. The Cougars return two key starters from that squad (Emanuel Sharp, Joseph Tugler) and could get a third if Milos Uzan withdraws from the NBA draft. Creighton transfer Pop Isaacs provides some insurance if Uzan doesn't return. Top-ranked center Chris Cenac Jr. and No. 22 overall recruit Kingston Flemings are also joining the fold.

Rick Pitino's transfer class is far and away the most talented in the nation. The Red Storm brought in three former five-star recruits: North Carolina's Ian Jackson, Cincinnati's Dillon Mitchell, and Arizona State's Joson Sanon. They also snagged one of the Big East's best players, ex-Providence wing Bryce Hopkins, who should be 100% after tearing his left ACL in January 2024 and appearing in only three games during the 2024-25 campaign. It will be shocking if St. John's doesn't have a top-five defensive unit next season.

JT Toppin's return is huge for a program that came one win shy of a Final Four berth last season. Meanwhile, Christian Anderson is expected to take the reins at point guard following a strong finish to his freshman campaign. The loss of Darrion Williams certainly hurts, but Grant McCasland did a great job adding some offensive punch and 3-point shooting in the portal.

Despite losing three of its five starters from last year's squad, Michigan is starting Year 2 under Dusty May in a terrific spot. North Carolina transfer Elliot Cadeau will have the opportunity to run his own squad, while former UAB star Yaxel Lendeborg will likely take over the Danny Wolf role as a playmaking big. With 7-foot-3 Aday Mara from UCLA and top-20 recruit Trey McKenney also on the way, the Wolverines have the makings of a title-winning team.

Georgia transfer Silas Demary Jr. gives UConn a much-needed shotmaker who can defend and create for others at point guard. Five-star freshman Braylon Mullins could also make an instant impact, as he's one of the best shooters in his recruiting class. The Huskies' hopes for a third national title in four years may get a major boost if Alex Karaban comes back for his senior year.

AJ Dybantsa has the talent to put together a Cooper Flagg-like freshman season at BYU. The projected 2026 No. 1 pick is a 6-foot-9 wing who can score from anywhere on the court. Head coach Kevin Young dipped his toe into the portal to snag one of the nation's best scoring guards: Rob Wright from Baylor. Last year's leading scorer, Richie Saunders, announced his return, making the Cougars national-title good.

Louisville has been a major offseason winner. Virginia transfer Isaac McKneely and ex-Kennesaw State guard Adrian Wooley are perfect fits in Pat Kelsey's 3-point-heavy system. Second-ranked point guard and No. 8 overall recruit Mikel Brown Jr. will likely slot into Chucky Hepburn's former spot in the starting lineup.

The day-to-day life of Duke basketball is quite simple: Eat, sleep, nab five-star recruits, repeat. The Blue Devils are bringing in a trio of five stars next season, headlined by Boozer twins Cameron and Cayden. However, the new roster won't lack experience. Isaiah Evans, Caleb Foster, Maliq Brown, and Patrick Ngongba II are all returning.

Arizona has a solid mix of vets and youth. Jaden Bradley returns to lead the backcourt with McDonald's All-American guard Brayden Burries. The frontcourt should be equally stout with five-star forward Koa Peat and elite offensive rebounder Tobe Awaka. Center Motiejus Krivas will also factor into the rotation after being sidelined for most of 2024-25.

If it weren't for Smith at Purdue, incoming New Mexico transfer Donovan Dent would be the Big Ten's premier point guard. He'll team up with the Bruins' top two scorers from last season, Tyler Bilodeau and Eric Dailey Jr. Former five-star recruit Xavier Booker will try to resurrect his career in California after two underwhelming seasons at Michigan State.

Kentucky should be alright in the event leading scorer Otega Oweh keeps his name in the NBA draft. The Wildcats added backcourt insurance in the portal with Jaland Lowe, Kam Williams, and Denzel Aberdeen to go along with four-star recruit Jasper Johnson. The major wild card is Jayden Quaintance, whose defensive versatility would help immensely. However, the Arizona State transfer is recovering from a torn ACL.

Bruce Pearl may have unlocked a unique roster-building formula, focusing on top D-II and JUCO transfers who lack five-star drama. Abdul Bashir and Emeka Opurum were two of the nation's most talented JUCO players and should be immediate impact players. Freshman guard Tahaad Pettiford declared for the draft but is open to returning for a second collegiate season.

It wouldn't be a John Calipari squad without five-star recruits. Arkansas has two of the nation's top-rated freshmen (Darius Acuff, Meleek Thomas) and frontcourt depth with Malique Ewin and Nick Pringle joining the fold. D.J. Wagner is expected to lead the backcourt, while Billy Richmond III might be set for a breakout campaign after some promising postseason showings.

Losing Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin, Will Richard, and Denzel Aberdeen would normally cripple a program. But the defending champs found one of the best point guards, Princeton's Xaivian Lee, in the portal. The Gators will be massive once again, as Thomas Haugh, Micah Handlogten, and Rueben Chenyelu are coming back. If incoming shooting guard Cornelius Ingram Jr. can be an impactful freshman, the Gators should be just fine.

Iowa State lost leading scorers Curtis Jones and Keshon Gilbert, but they have several key pieces returning from last season's 25-win squad. That continuity will keep the Cyclones elite defensively, which has been a common trait of T.J. Otzelberger's teams since his hiring four years ago.

Nate Oats has proven time and again that his NBA-style scheme works at the college level. Star guard Mark Sears exhausted his eligibility, but former five-star recruits Aden Holloway and Jalil Bethea could help recreate his production in the aggregate. If ex-Bucknell star Noah Williamson can adjust to the speed of the SEC, the Tide should be near the top of the conference again.

Rick Barnes essentially replaced Zakai Zeigler and Chaz Lanier with Maryland transfer Ja'Kobi Gillespie and top-five recruit Nate Ament. Ex-Vanderbilt forward Jaylen Carey gives Tennessee some inside scoring it's lacked in recent years. Is that enough offensive production to compliment its exceptional defense?

Doubt Tom Izzo at your own peril. Michigan State isn't dripping with talent, but we've seen this play too many times to not include the Spartans in our top 25. Jeremy Fears Jr. will be given the keys to the offense after Tre Holloman entered the portal and Jase Richardson opted for the draft. Will Coen Carr's insane athleticism finally be unleashed?

Kansas will have an entirely different look next season with Hunter Dickinson, Dajuan Harris Jr., KJ Adams, and Zeke Mayo all moving on. That puts the spotlight squarely on potential future No. 1 pick Darryn Peterson. The freshman guard is a three-level scorer and should form a dynamic inside-out tandem with second-year forward Flory Bidunga. Still, the Jayhawks need more secondary production to put themselves back in the Big 12 mix.

Greg Gard signed a number of underrated players from the portal, including San Diego State's Nick Boyd, Virginia's Andrew Rohde, and Portland's Austin Rapp. Incoming 6-foot-11 Lithuanian freshman Aleksas Bieliauskas may prove to be the Badgers' X-factor.

Oregon has made five Sweet 16 appearances during Dana Altman's 15-year tenure. The Ducks are in good shape for another trip to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament with Jackson Shelstad and Kwame Evans Jr. back for their junior years. Leading scorer Nate Bittle is likely to withdraw from the NBA draft. Altman has a strong track record in the portal, so expect him to find more talented transfers.

Indiana fans are finally being rewarded with modern basketball. Darian DeVries takes over the program after one season in charge of West Virginia and has already overhauled the roster completely. He's bringing along his son and former Mountaineers guard, Tucker, and has signed an impressive transfer class. Lamar Wilkerson and Reed Bailey are capable shooters, while DePaul starter Conor Enright and North Florida standout Jasai Miles should further Indiana's offensive punch.

Gonzaga was the nation's second-highest scoring team last season but lost four of its top six scorers this offseason. Returning forwards Graham Ike and Braden Huff will be relied on heavily to pick up the slack. It may be an uphill climb to reach a 27th straight NCAA Tournament, but Mark Few deserves the benefit of the doubt.

One Ivisic twin wasn't enough for Illinois. Adding Zvonimir Ivisic from Arkansas was Brad Underwood's first big offseason splash. He's since signed forward David Mirkovic and 22-year-old guard Mihailo Petrovic from Europe. Kylan Boswell will likely take on more ball-handling duties with Kasparas Jakucionis declaring for the draft.