Men's College Basketball: Season Outlook 2025–26

The wait is over college basketball is finally back! The 2025–26 season feels wide open, and the season begins with a familiar question:  which program will rise through the noise and chaos to cut down the nets in April? Before the madness begins, here’s how I see the season shaping up:

Can Florida repeat?  The short answer is yes. Repeating in college basketball is not impossible, but it’s very hard to accomplish. The Gators had one of the best front courts in the country last season, and with every piece returning, it’s looking to be just as dominant. With a solid starting five in returners Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh, Reuben Chinyelu, and transfers Boogie Fland and Xavian Lee, the talent is proven to be there. However, questions are raised about how this group will adjust to the absence of Walter Clayton Jr, Alijah Martian, and Will Richard, who all got drafted into the NBA. This trio was a huge part of Florida’s success and national championship run, so it will be interesting to see which players step up this season.

Best incoming freshman: Straight out of the DME Academy and Overtime Elite, Mikel Brown Jr. enters the 2025–26 season as one of the most highly anticipated freshmen in college basketball. The five-star guard chose Louisville over a host of top programs, becoming the first elite recruit under coach Pat Kelsey and instantly started raising expectations for the Cardinals. During his high school career, Brown won the 3-point contest at the McDonald’s All-American Games, was one of the top three scorers in the state of Florida in his senior season, averaging 29.6 points per game, and was a semifinalist for the Naismith Trophy Boys High School Player of the Year. However, it may take time for Brown to adjust to the college basketball landscape, as it does for most freshmen. 

Best Mid Major:  The Liberty Flames have always been a good mid-major basketball team and have made respectable runs before including a conference including a conference championship this past season. The Flames are hopeful that they can keep this momentum up with Forward Zach Clevand returning, bringing in 11 points and 6.3 rebounds from last season. The Liberty has a range of experience in years and has a side advantage. 

Player of the year:  Kansas State guard P.J. Haggerty will be a player to watch this year. Haggerty made three stops at different schools before finding his way to the Wildcats. He averages 21.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and shoots  47.6% from the field. He can be hard to stop when he finds his rhythm, and he gets hot fast.