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Now is usually the point in the men’s college basketball offseason when we talk about how much things are slowing down and how the landscape is finally taking shape. And, to be fair, the roster machinations have certainly decreased in recent weeks.
But it’s hard to say things are truly slowing when the sport had a seismic, landscape-shifting move just last week, as Dusty May, the head coach of the reigning national champions and a Way-Too-Early top-five Michigan team, left the college game to take over the Dallas Mavericks. We’re still waiting to see if any dominos fall as a result of May’s departure; as of this report, zero players have revealed their intentions to transfer.
So, the top 25 remains fairly static since June’s report, with Michigan dropping a couple of spots and some small shuffling elsewhere. Villanova’s addition of international center Luigi Suigo does have Kevin Willard’s team knocking on the door of the top 25, but the Wildcats aren’t all the way in yet.
With all that in mind, we’ve decided to pick a theme for each of the next few Way-Too-Early Top 25 updates. This month’s: The most impactful newcomer for each team.
Previous ranking: 1
Impact newcomer: Denzel Aberdeen
This one comes with an asterisk, as Aberdeen will need to be granted an additional year of eligibility by the NCAA. There’s no clear argument for a redshirt year, so his path to playing for the Gators again is unclear. But coach Todd Golden didn’t need much in the way of newcomers, as he brought back four starters and his sixth man from a team that won the SEC and earned a 1-seed. International forwards Arturas Butajevas and Domen Petrovic would be the other candidates.
Projected starting lineup
Boogie Fland (11.7 PPG)
Urban Klavzar (9.7 PPG)
Thomas Haugh (17.1 PPG)
Alex Condon (14.9 PPG)
Rueben Chinyelu (11.2 PPG)
Previous ranking: 2
Editor’s Picks
Impact newcomer: John Blackwell
Coach Jon Scheyer brings in the No. 2-ranked recruiting class in the country next season, headlined by a trio of top-25 recruits. But it’s Blackwell who should make the most immediate impact for the Blue Devils. He was an All-Big Ten player at Wisconsin last season, averaging 19.1 points and 5.1 rebounds while shooting 39% from 3. Duke lacked a big-time perimeter scorer last season, and Blackwell should step up as the go-to guy right away.
Projected starting lineup
Caleb Foster (8.5 PPG)
John Blackwell (19.1 PPG at Wisconsin)
Dame Sarr (6.4 PPG)
Cameron Williams (No. 4 in SC Next 100)
Patrick Ngongba II (10.5 PPG)
Previous ranking: 4
Impact newcomer: Stefan Vaaks
Coach Brad Underwood will be wholly reliant on his incoming group on the perimeter, with Vaaks and five-star freshman Quentin Coleman manning the backcourt. Both players are capable of playing on or off the ball, but Vaaks showed real playmaking chops during his freshman season at Providence. He had 20-plus points against St. John’s twice and Villanova twice, and his 6-foot-7 size causes issues for defenders.
Projected starting lineup
Quentin Coleman (No. 23 in SC Next 100)
Stefan Vaaks (15.8 PPG at Providence)
Andrej Stojakovic (13.5 PPG)
David Mirkovic (13.6 PPG)
Tomislav Ivisic (10.2 PPG)
Previous ranking: 5
Impact newcomer: Najai Hines
Coach Dan Hurley landed two transfers that probably will need to enter the starting lineup from day one in Hines and former Duke forward Nikolas Khamenia, but the former might need to make a bigger impact — especially on the defensive end. He was incredibly efficient last season at Seton Hall, averaging 5.5 rebounds and 2.2 rebounds in only 18 minutes per game. He’ll be Tarris Reed Jr.’s replacement and will be tasked with rebounding and finishing.
Projected starting lineup
Silas Demary Jr. (10.6 PPG)
Braylon Mullins (12.0 PPG)
Jayden Ross (4.8 PPG)
Nikolas Khamenia (5.7 PPG at Duke)
Najai Hines (6.5 PPG at Seton Hall)
Previous ranking: 3
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Impact newcomer: Moustapha Thiam
Assuming Thiam stays after May’s departure, he could take a huge step in his development, in Ann Arbor. He was terrific down the stretch of the past season, averaging 18.0 points, 10.4 rebounds and 1.9 blocks over his final eight games at Cincinnati, and was dominant against Kansas and Texas Tech in February. Given the jumps Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara took during their lone season in Ann Arbor, there should be plenty of optimism for Thiam.
Projected starting lineup
Elliot Cadeau (10.1 PPG)
Brandon McCoy (No. 18 in SC Next 100)
Trey McKenney (9.5 PPG)
J.P. Estrella (10.0 PPG at Tennessee)
Moustapha Thiam (12.8 PPG at Cincinnati)
Previous ranking: 6
Impact newcomer: Juke Harris
Tennessee landed a terrific transfer class, with Harris as the headliner. He was one of the nation’s best scorers last season, averaging 21.4 points as a sophomore at Wake Forest. He went for 38 points against Boston College and had 30-plus points three times. Coach Rick Barnes clearly wanted an offensive upgrade from the transfer portal after some of the Vols’ issues at that end of the court, and Harris probably will have every chance to be the go-to guy.
Projected starting lineup
Terrence Hill Jr. (15.0 PPG at VCU)
Tyler Lundblade (15.6 PPG at Belmont)
Juke Harris (21.4 PPG at Wake Forest)
Jalen Haralson (16.2 PPG at Notre Dame)
Miles Rubin (11.3 PPG at Loyola Chicago)
Previous ranking: 9
Impact newcomer: David Punch
Another team with an elite transfer class, Texas probably will start at least three players from the portal. Punch provides toughness, physicality and terrific defensive playmaking ability. During his breakout sophomore season at TCU, he posted 14.1 points and 6.8 rebounds and posed matchup problems for a long list of defenders. He should provide balance next to Matas Vokietaitis.
Projected starting lineup
Isaiah Johnson (16.9 PPG at Colorado)
Austin Goosby (No. 20 in SC Next 100)
Elyjah Freeman (9.2 PPG at Auburn)
David Punch (14.1 PPG at TCU)
Matas Vokietaitis (15.7 PPG)
Previous ranking: 7
Impact newcomer: Tounde Yessoufou
The Red Storm landed Yessoufou on the night of the NBA draft early-entry withdrawal deadline, dramatically changing their outlook for the 2026-27 season. Yessoufou is one of the most gifted scorers in college basketball and averaged nearly 18 points as a freshman at Baylor last season. Coach Rick Pitino has had plenty of success in the transfer portal since moving to St. John’s, and Yessoufou should be next on that list.
Projected starting lineup
Quinn Ellis (8.4 PPG for Olimpia Milano)
Ian Jackson (9.6 PPG)
Tounde Yessoufou (17.8 PPG at Baylor)
Donnie Freeman (16.5 PPG at Syracuse)
Ruben Prey (4.1 PPG)
Previous ranking: 8
Impact newcomer: Anton Bonke
Michigan State is bringing in an outstanding recruiting class that features four SC Next 100 prospects — but the Spartans also made it a priority to upgrade at the center spot via the transfer portal, which lends credence to the idea Bonke will earn major minutes right off the bat, and probably even start. He averaged 10.6 points and 8.3 rebounds and showed flashes of his high potential at Charlotte, including a 25-point night against Temple.
Projected starting lineup
Jeremy Fears Jr. (15.3 PPG)
Kur Teng (7.5 PPG)
Jordan Scott (5.9 PPG)
Coen Carr (12.0 PPG)
Anton Bonke (10.6 PPG at Charlotte)
Previous ranking: 10
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Impact newcomer: Caleb Holt
While Duke has received most of the adulation and attention for winning with freshman-heavy teams, Arizona started three freshmen last season on the way to winning the Big 12 and earning a 1-seed. Coach Tommy Lloyd is ready to rely on a first-year player again this season with Holt, one of the elite guards in the 2026 class. He’s a two-way player and a proven winner, and his physical tools make him difficult to stop when playing downhill or in transition.
Projected starting lineup
Derek Dixon (8.5 PPG at North Carolina)
Caleb Holt (No. 3 in SC Next 100)
Cameron Holmes (No. 53 in SC Next 100)
Ivan Kharchenkov (10.2 PPG)
Motiejus Krivas (10.4 PPG)
Previous ranking: 11
Impact newcomer: Jordan Smith
Coach John Calipari landed the nation’s top-ranked recruiting class in 2026, and Smith is the best of the group, the No. 1 guard in the country. He’s an outstanding defender and impacts the game in a variety of ways — most notably ranking in the top 10 on the Nike EYBL circuit in points, assists, steals and blocks. He’s aggressive getting to the rim but can also create for his teammates playing off the bounce. Smith will have the ball in his hands from day one.
Projected starting lineup
Jordan Smith (No. 2 in SC Next 100)
Jeremiah Wilkinson (17.4 PPG at Georgia)
Billy Richmond III (11.1 PPG)
Miikka Muurinen (five-star)
Cooper Bowser (13.8 PPG at Furman)
Previous ranking: 12
Impact newcomer: KJ Lewis
There are plenty of options for this spot. The Trojans bring in three McDonald’s All Americans in Christian Collins, Adonis Ratliff and Darius Ratliff, while also adding a fourth in UConn transfer Eric Reibe. But Lewis might be the biggest X factor. One, Lewis sat out the final month of the last season at Georgetown because of an ankle injury, and it was stated last week that he hasn’t suited up in early practices yet. Two, Lewis isn’t an elite shooter by any stretch, but he provides outside shooting on a team that doesn’t have a ton of it.
Projected starting lineup
Rodney Rice (20.3 PPG)
KJ Lewis (14.9 PPG at Georgetown)
Christian Collins (No. 5 in SC Next 100)
Jacob Cofie (9.9 PPG)
Eric Reibe (5.9 PPG at UConn)
Previous ranking: 13
Impact newcomer: Flory Bidunga
Bidunga was the best big man in the portal and our No. 2 overall transfer after a breakout sophomore season at Kansas, where he earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors and averaged 13.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.6 blocks while shooting 64% from the field. He’s immediately the best post defender in the ACC upon arrival and should be poised for an All-American caliber season.
Projected starting lineup
Jackson Shelstad (15.6 PPG at Oregon)
Adrian Wooley (8.7 PPG)
Karter Knox (8.1 PPG at Arkansas)
Alvaro Folgueiras (8.4 PPG at Iowa)
Flory Bidunga (13.3 PPG at Kansas)
Previous ranking: 14
Impact newcomer: Jurian Dixon
Coach Ryan Odom is bringing back four key players from last season’s 30-win team, but the Cavaliers entered the offseason without a reliable shooting guard. Odom took three different shots at filling the position, adding Dixon (UC Irvine), Christian Harmon (Arkansas State) and Jan Vide (Loyola Marymount). But Dixon should be the best of the trio. He averaged 15.9 points as a sophomore, shooting 38.5% from 3-point range on more than five attempts per game.
Projected starting lineup
Chance Mallory (9.3 PPG)
Jurian Dixon (15.7 PPG at UC Irvine)
Sam Lewis (10.6 PPG)
Thijs De Ridder (15.6 PPG)
Johann Grunloh (7.1 PPG)
Previous ranking: 15
Impact newcomer: Jaxon Richardson
Coach Nate Oats arguably needs the most from former Kentucky big man Brandon Garrison, but the biggest impact should come from elsewhere. Transfers Drew Fielder (Boise State) and Cole Cloer (NC State) are options, as is top-25 recruit Qayden Samuels. But Richardson is a tremendous athlete with high-level two-way ability. He’s the younger brother of Jase Richardson and the son of Jason Richardson and his explosiveness will provide an immediate impact.
Projected starting lineup
Aden Holloway (16.8 PPG)
Jaxon Richardson (No. 19 in SC Next 100)
Amari Allen (11.4 PPG)
Drew Fielder (14.7 PPG at Boise State)
Brandon Garrison (4.7 PPG at Kentucky)
Previous ranking: 16
Impact newcomer: Dedan Thomas Jr.
There was an exodus of experience and talent from the Cougars’ program this spring; even so, coach Kelvin Sampson finds a way to produce national contenders every season — which makes this ranking too low, in all likelihood. Thomas could be the key for this upcoming season. He has been one of the more productive point guards in the country the past three seasons, first at UNLV and then at LSU. He’s a terrific distributor but will have to adjust defensively to truly replace top-10 draft pick Kingston Flemings.
Projected starting lineup
Dedan Thomas Jr. (15.3 PPG at LSU)
Mercy Miller (5.2 PPG)
Chase McCarty (4.0 PPG)
Joseph Tugler (8.5 PPG)
Delrecco Gillespie (17.7 PPG at Kent State)
Previous ranking: 17
Impact newcomer: Milan Momcilovic
Momcilovic was the best transfer in the portal, after a season in which he established himself as the best shooter in college basketball. The 6-8 forward withdrew from the NBA draft on the night of the deadline, committing to coach Mark Pope’s team a few days later after also being pursued by Louisville and Arizona. He’s immediately an All-America contender and the most dangerous player on the Wildcats’ roster, after averaging 16.9 points and shooting 48.7% from 3 last season.
Projected starting lineup
Zoom Diallo (15.7 PPG at Washington)
Alex Wilkins (17.8 PPG at Furman)
Milan Momcilovic (16.9 PPG at Iowa State)
Ousmane N’Diaye (9.8 PPG for Cremona in Serie A)
Malachi Moreno (7.8 PPG)
Previous ranking: 20
Impact newcomer: Acaden Lewis
Coach Jai Lucas had tremendous success in the transfer portal in his first offseason in Coral Gables, and is hoping for a repeat of the talent that Tre Donaldson and Malik Reneau brought. Leading the way with this new group is Lewis, one of the best freshman point guards in the country last season at Villanova. He averaged 12.2 points, 5.3 assists and 1.9 steals, consistently making plays at both ends of the court.
Projected starting lineup
Acaden Lewis (12.2 PPG at Villanova)
Dante Allen (6.6 PPG)
Shelton Henderson (13.8 PPG)
Caleb Gaskins (No. 11 in SC Next 100)
Somtochukwu Cyril (9.3 PPG at Georgia)
Previous ranking: 18
Impact newcomer: Massamba Diop
The duo of Diop and Braden Huff should be one of the elite frontcourt tandems in college basketball next season, and it will be interesting to watch how the two players coexist and create matchup problems up front. Diop showed an extremely high ceiling during his lone season at Arizona State, averaging 13.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks — including a three-game stretch in Big 12 play in which he posted 21.0 points and 8.0 rebounds.
Projected starting lineup
Mario Saint-Supery (8.6 PPG)
Isiah Harwell (3.6 PPG at Houston)
Davis Fogle (8.6 PPG)
Braden Huff (17.8 PPG)
Massamba Diop (13.6 PPG at Arizona State)
Previous ranking: 19
Impact newcomer: Sebastian Williams-Adams
Coach Mark Byington brought in a deep portal class and could start four transfers alongside preseason All-American Tyler Tanner. Ace Glass, T.O. Barrett, Bangot Dak and Berke Buyuktuncel are all viable options for having the highest impact, but Williams-Adams is a floor-raiser in the frontcourt. The former Auburn forward is the ideal glue guy and versatile role player for the Commodores, someone who can make plays defensively, get to the free throw line — and he’s also accustomed to the league.
Projected starting lineup
Tyler Tanner (19.5 PPG)
Ace Glass (16.4 PPG at Washington State)
T.O. Barrett (8.6 PPG at Missouri)
Sebastian Williams-Adams (7.0 PPG at Auburn)
Bangot Dak (11.5 PPG at Colorado)
Previous ranking: 21
Impact newcomer: Jason Crowe
Missouri is loaded from a talent perspective, but Crowe is going to be given the keys to the offense from day one as the primary playmaker and scorer. He was one of the most electric players in the 2026 high school class, and could make a strong case as its best scorer as well. He’s also inside the top 10 of ESPN’s early 2027 mock draft — and if he can be the best player on a top-25 team as we’re projecting, he should stay there.
Projected starting lineup
Jason Crowe (No. 7 in SC Next 100)
Jamier Jones (11.9 PPG at Providence)
Trent Pierce (10.4 PPG)
Toni Bryant (No. 14 in SC Next 100)
Bryson Tiller (7.9 PPG at Kansas)
Previous ranking: 22
Impact newcomer: Trevan Leonhardt
We’ve written a couple of times this offseason about coach Fred Hoiberg’s transfer class being a bit underrated, and Leonhardt is a prime example. He was a first-team All-WAC selection at Utah Valley and brings an intriguing profile to Lincoln: 6-4 point guard who averaged 6.0 assists and 2.1 steals while shooting nearly 37% from 3-point range. He should rack up a slew of easy assists with Pryce Sandfort and Braden Frager next to him.
Projected starting lineup
Trevan Leonhardt (11.9 PPG at Utah Valley)
Braden Frager (11.7 PPG)
Pryce Sandfort (17.9 PPG)
Sam Orme (12.7 PPG at Belmont)
Boden Kapke (10.6 PPG at Boston College)
Previous ranking: 23
Impact newcomer: Tyran Stokes
Stokes is expected to make the biggest impact of any incoming freshman in college basketball. The No. 1 prospect in the 2026 class and the projected No. 1 pick in the 2027 draft, he’s a nightmare to stop with the ball in his hands. He’s strong, he’s physical, he’s a menace in transition, he has great positional size — and he creates matchup problems because of his point-forward and playmaking ability. Coach Bill Self will give him every chance to carry the Kansas offense.
Projected starting lineup
Leroy Blyden Jr. (16.5 PPG at Toledo)
Taylen Kinney (No. 21 in SC Next 100)
Tyran Stokes (No. 1 in SC Next 100)
Keanu Dawes (12.5 PPG at Utah)
Christian Reeves (11.1 PPG at Charleston)
Previous ranking: 24
Impact newcomer: Jaquan Johnson
Iowa State landed five transfers the week after the transfer portal opened, as coach T.J. Otzelberger and his staff pinpointed which players they wanted and closed those deals very quickly. Johnson in particular seems like an ideal fit for Iowa State and the Cyclones’ aggressive, physical defensive mentality. He really guards, racking up 2.5 steals per game at Bradley last season, while also posting 16.9 points, 3.6 assists and shooting 38.3% from 3.
Projected starting lineup
Jaquan Johnson (16.9 PPG at Bradley)
Killyan Toure (8.6 PPG)
Jamarion Batemon (6.6 PPG)
Tre Singleton (7.6 PPG at Northwestern)
Blake Buchanan (8.5 PPG)
Previous ranking: 25
Impact newcomer: Matt Able
Neoklis Avdalas was ranked higher in our transfer rankings and Terrence Brown was one of the top power-conference scorers in the country last season, but we’re going with Able as the player to watch. He’s a former top-25 recruit who averaged only 8.8 points at NC State as a freshman but was still knocking on the door of the draft’s first round because of his size, potential and shooting ability. We’re betting on him taking the next step under coach Michael Malone.
Projected starting lineup
Terrence Brown (19.9 PPG at Utah)
Matt Able (8.8 PPG at NC State)
Neoklis Avdalas (12.1 PPG at Virginia Tech)
Jarin Stevenson (8.1 PPG)
Alex Samodurov (international)
Next five
Villanova Wildcats
Purdue Boilermakers
Saint Louis Billikens
Indiana Hoosiers
BYU Cougars
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