2025–26 Men’s College Basketball Landscape Settles as Final Roster Moves Shape National Contenders and Fuel Offseason Championship Buzz
The 2025–26 men’s college basketball season is starting to come into clearer focus as the frenzy of the transfer portal, NBA Draft declarations, and late coaching carousel moves finally slow to a crawl. With rosters now mostly locked in across the country, teams, fans, and analysts are beginning to assess what the new season might look like. While the college basketball calendar is defined by its chaos in March, the offseason may be even more chaotic in today’s era of player mobility and NIL influence. But as the dust settles, clear trends and power structures are emerging, reshaping the national conversation.
Over the last few seasons, the offseason in college basketball has evolved from a quiet period of rest and workouts into one of the most volatile and crucial windows of the year. With the NCAA transfer portal becoming the primary tool for roster building and reloading, and with name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals increasingly influencing decisions, coaches are now general managers as much as they are tacticians.
The past month has provided a sense of finality, or at least pause, as player movement slows to a near stop. With July upon us, most players have already declared their intentions: they’re either in the pros, committed to new schools, or staying put. That means fans and teams finally get a chance to catch their breath — and turn attention toward what the 2025–26 campaign might hold.
Perhaps the biggest headline of this offseason has been the reshuffling of the power conferences, particularly with the Big Ten and SEC once again emerging as the dominant leagues in both size and strength. The Big Ten, which now includes former Pac-12 powerhouses UCLA and Oregon, appears poised to dominate with its blend of tradition and new blood. Oregon brought back key players who flirted with the NBA but chose to return, making them a trendy pick for a Final Four run. Meanwhile, Michigan State, Purdue, and Illinois reloaded rather than rebuilt, cementing the Big Ten as a top-heavy, veteran-laden conference.
The SEC, on the other hand, continues to lean into its identity as the most athletic and explosive conference in college hoops. With Kentucky undergoing a new era under Mark Pope and Alabama retaining enough talent to remain elite, the league is deeper than it’s been in years. Auburn, Arkansas, and Tennessee also return enough key pieces to make noise in March. In this new landscape, the SEC has become more than just a football-first conference — it’s a legitimate basketball powerhouse.
One of the most significant offseason stories has been the comeback of traditional blue bloods. Programs like North Carolina, Kansas, and Duke were active and aggressive on the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal. Duke, after a disappointing early exit in the tournament last season, retooled with a mix of five-star freshmen and experienced transfers. Their projected starting five now includes three former McDonald’s All-Americans, all of whom chose college over the NBA for one more year of development.
Kansas, under the steady hand of Bill Self, built one of the deepest rosters in the country. The Jayhawks brought back upperclassmen while adding elite freshmen and a pair of high-impact transfers. With strong guard play and elite wing defenders, Kansas may be the most complete team entering the season. North Carolina also saw a huge win in retaining their backcourt duo, while bringing in interior depth through the portal to help with rebounding and defense — long-time issues that plagued the Tar Heels.
One under-the-radar storyline has been the continued rise of the mid-majors. Programs like Florida Atlantic, Saint Mary’s, and Dayton refused to be stripped by the portal. Instead, they retained their coaches and cores, signaling a shift in the dynamics of power within the sport. More and more players are opting for stability and development over chasing major conference exposure. This has resulted in deeper, older rosters for mid-majors — the type of teams that no high seed wants to see come March.
In the Big East, the basketball-only league continues to carry pride as a traditionalist’s dream. UConn remains the standard bearer after another deep NCAA Tournament run, and head coach Dan Hurley’s decision to turn down the NBA’s Lakers offer has sent a jolt of confidence through the program. The Huskies’ culture, recruiting momentum, and ability to keep assistants has created a dynasty-like atmosphere in Storrs. Meanwhile, Creighton and Marquette are again locked and loaded, both keeping high-scoring cores intact and embracing offensive spacing and pace.
One of the other developing patterns in college basketball is the increased importance of returning players. Teams with experience — and cohesion — are outperforming squads filled with one-and-done stars. The 2025 NCAA Tournament showed that teams with juniors and seniors who’ve played together for multiple seasons are more consistent and resilient. That lesson wasn’t lost on coaches this offseason. Many prioritized continuity, and it’s reflected in early rankings: teams like Houston, Baylor, Iowa State, and Virginia are all considered threats because of their core returning talent and their buy-in to team culture.
Coaching changes also had a major impact on the landscape this offseason. Louisville made a splash hire, bringing in a respected assistant from the NBA ranks in hopes of finally returning the once-elite program to national relevance. Syracuse’s new era is also gaining momentum as recruiting picks up and the identity of the team evolves away from the 2-3 zone era under Jim Boeheim. Elsewhere, high-profile mid-major coaches took leaps to bigger jobs, and the trend of young, energetic, analytics-savvy coaches continued to grow.
The recruiting battles are intensifying too. NIL has completely changed how high school prospects make their decisions. While some schools remain traditional recruiting powerhouses, others are emerging as serious players due to deep NIL pockets. Collectives have become critical partners to basketball programs, with some even launching “ambassador” roles for current players to help attract future recruits. The race to secure commitments for 2026 and beyond is already underway, and more than ever, off-court strategy is as vital as on-court performance.
Of course, preseason rankings will change as summer workouts and international tours begin. The USA Basketball U19 and Global Academy events have also highlighted several under-the-radar prospects who may make immediate impacts as freshmen. Several teams will use overseas trips this summer not only as bonding opportunities, but to fine-tune rotations and test different lineups in game settings — invaluable experiences that can shape early-season momentum.
Another major theme in the 2025–26 landscape is health. Several star players who missed most of last season are back and healthy, providing their teams with de facto “new additions.” Whether it’s a big man who missed time with a foot injury or a combo guard recovering from ACL surgery, these returns can be season-changing. Already, coaches are emphasizing load management and health science in training camps, with many hiring new performance staff to handle the rigors of a long season.
Finally, the fans are coming back in full force. Attendance numbers dipped across the country in recent years, but ticket sales and student section engagement are trending upward again. Programs are investing in upgraded arenas, game-day experiences, and social media storytelling. In the era of short attention spans, college basketball is figuring out how to stay relevant beyond March — and many believe the 2025–26 season could be one of the most watchable yet.
So now that the major moves are done and rosters are largely set, teams are entering a crucial phase: chemistry building. From July through October, it’s all about putting the pieces together. How well do transfers adjust to new roles? Can star freshmen handle expectations? Will returning veterans lead or plateau? These are the questions that will determine who’s still standing when March Madness returns next spring.
But one thing is certain — after months of chaos, the college basketball world is finally settling. And with the landscape now shaped, the countdown to tip-off begins.
