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NFL Draft grades: These 4 teams earned low marks, but one could turn into an A  EAGAN, MN. – APRIL 2024: The Minnesota Vikings introduce their first-round draft pick, Caleb Banks, University of Florida defensive lineman, at the TCO Performance Center during a press conference at Eagan, Minn. on Friday, April 24, 2026. Left to right are owner Mark Wilf, executive vice president of football operations/interim general manager Rob Brzezinski, Caleb Banks, head coach Kevin O’Connell, owner Zygi Wilf. (Photo by Elizabeth Flores/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images) Star Tribune via Getty Images  #NFL #Draft #grades #teams #earned #marks #turn

NFL Draft grades: These 4 teams earned low marks, but one could turn into an A
Caleb Banks, Minnesota Vikings 2026 first round draft pick, April 24, 2026
Caleb Banks, Minnesota Vikings 2026 first round draft pick, April 24, 2026

EAGAN, MN. – APRIL 2024: The Minnesota Vikings introduce their first-round draft pick, Caleb Banks, University of Florida defensive lineman, at the TCO Performance Center during a press conference at Eagan, Minn. on Friday, April 24, 2026. Left to right are owner Mark Wilf, executive vice president of football operations/interim general manager Rob Brzezinski, Caleb Banks, head coach Kevin O’Connell, owner Zygi Wilf. (Photo by Elizabeth Flores/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images)
Star Tribune via Getty Images

#NFL #Draft #grades #teams #earned #marks #turn

Caleb Banks, Minnesota Vikings 2026 first round draft pick, April 24, 2026

EAGAN, MN. – APRIL 2024: The Minnesota Vikings introduce their first-round draft pick, Caleb Banks, University of Florida defensive lineman, at the TCO Performance Center during a press conference at Eagan, Minn. on Friday, April 24, 2026. Left to right are owner Mark Wilf, executive vice president of football operations/interim general manager Rob Brzezinski, Caleb Banks, head coach Kevin O’Connell, owner Zygi Wilf. (Photo by Elizabeth Flores/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images)
Star Tribune via Getty Images

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Deadspin | Kyle Tucker’s walkoff single caps Dodgers’ rally past Marlins <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28827534.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28827534.jpg" alt="MLB: Miami Marlins at Los Angeles Dodgers" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Apr 27, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Miami Marlins third baseman Connor Norby (1) hits a single against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the third inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images<!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>Kyle Tucker delivered a game-ending two-run single in the bottom of the ninth as the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied for a 5-4 victory over the visiting Miami Marlins on Monday to open a three-game series.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>Shohei Ohtani added a run-scoring ground-rule double in the ninth and scored the game-winning run as the Dodgers won their third consecutive game and six of their last seven home contests.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>Teoscar Hernandez had a two-run single and four Los Angeles relievers held Miami scoreless over the final four innings. Jake Eder (1-0) pitched a scoreless ninth inning for the win.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>Liam Hicks hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning for the Marlins while right-hander Pete Fairbanks (0-2) was charged with three runs in the ninth, while departing with an injury. Jakob Marsee had two hits for Miami.</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>The Dodgers opened the ninth inning with consecutive walks from Andy Pages and Dalton Rushing against Fairbanks. Miguel Rojas popped up a bunt attempt before Ohtani delivered an RBI ground-rule double to right to pull Los Angeles within 4-3.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-6"> <p>After an intentional walk to Freddie Freeman loaded the bases, Fairbanks departed. Right-hander Tyler Phillips struck out Will Smith before Tucker hit an 0-1 splitter into center field for the game-winning runs.</p> </section> <section id="section-7"> <p>Los Angeles got off to a fast start when Ohtani and Freeman opened the bottom of the first inning with consecutive singles. Hernandez came through with a two-out two-run single for the early lead.</p> </section><section id="section-8"> <p>The Marlins cut the deficit in half in the fourth inning when Dodgers shortstop Hyeseong Kim committed an error on a ground ball from Javier Sanoja that allowed Otto Lopez to score.</p> </section><section id="section-9"> <p>After Yamamoto walked both Marsee and Xavier Edwards in the fifth, Hicks hit a two-strike splitter for a three-run home run down the right-field line for a 4-2 lead.</p> </section><section id="section-10"> <p>The Dodgers threatened in the seventh by loading the bases with two outs against left-hander Andrew Nardi before Smith grounded out to second base to end the inning.</p> </section><section id="section-11"> <p>Ohtani had three hits for his second consecutive game after collecting just three total hits over his previous six contests.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-12"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section> </div> #Deadspin #Kyle #Tuckers #walkoff #single #caps #Dodgers #rally #Marlins

Deadspin | Alex Cora to Red Sox fans: ‘Boston, we will miss you’  Feb 22, 2026; Fort Myers, Florida, USA;  Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora (13) looks on during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images   Fired Red Sox manager Alex Cora sent a short farewell note to Boston via social media on Tuesday.  “Boston, we will miss you,” he wrote.   “Gracias for making us part of you. #RedSoxNation, you are the [heart emoji] of that team, keep believing, you really care and that’s what pushes everyone in the @RedSox to give it all day in and day out.  “With respect and love, AC”  Team officials dismissed Cora and five of coaches on Saturday after the Red Sox staggered out of the gate to start the season at 10-17.  While Cora’s firing has been met with some support among fans, posts on social media show they largely place the blame for the team’s woes on management, especially owner John Henry and Craig Breslow, the chief baseball owner.  After serving as bench coach for the 2017 world champion Houston Astros, Cora was hired as manager in Boston in 2018. He led the Red Sox to a franchise-record 108 victories and a World Series title.   However, after the 2019 campaign, Cora was implicated in an MLB investigation involving sign-stealing by the Astros. MLB undertook an investigation into the Red Sox practices, but Cora and the Red Sox mutually agreed to separate before the 2020 season.  Cora, 50, was suspended for the 2020 season for his role in Houston, but returned to Boston as manager in 2021.  After missing the playoffs from 2022-24, the Red Sox returned last season, but lost a American League wild-card series to the New York Yankees.  Cora posted an eight-year regular-season record of 619-541 and postseason mark of 18-10.  Chad Tracy has been elevated from manager at Triple-A Worcester to serve as interim manager of the Red Sox.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Alex #Cora #Red #Sox #fans #BostonFeb 22, 2026; Fort Myers, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora (13) looks on during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Fired Red Sox manager Alex Cora sent a short farewell note to Boston via social media on Tuesday.

“Boston, we will miss you,” he wrote.

“Gracias for making us part of you. #RedSoxNation, you are the [heart emoji] of that team, keep believing, you really care and that’s what pushes everyone in the @RedSox to give it all day in and day out.

“With respect and love, AC”

Team officials dismissed Cora and five of coaches on Saturday after the Red Sox staggered out of the gate to start the season at 10-17.

While Cora’s firing has been met with some support among fans, posts on social media show they largely place the blame for the team’s woes on management, especially owner John Henry and Craig Breslow, the chief baseball owner.


After serving as bench coach for the 2017 world champion Houston Astros, Cora was hired as manager in Boston in 2018. He led the Red Sox to a franchise-record 108 victories and a World Series title.

However, after the 2019 campaign, Cora was implicated in an MLB investigation involving sign-stealing by the Astros. MLB undertook an investigation into the Red Sox practices, but Cora and the Red Sox mutually agreed to separate before the 2020 season.

Cora, 50, was suspended for the 2020 season for his role in Houston, but returned to Boston as manager in 2021.

After missing the playoffs from 2022-24, the Red Sox returned last season, but lost a American League wild-card series to the New York Yankees.

Cora posted an eight-year regular-season record of 619-541 and postseason mark of 18-10.

Chad Tracy has been elevated from manager at Triple-A Worcester to serve as interim manager of the Red Sox.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Alex #Cora #Red #Sox #fans #Boston">Deadspin | Alex Cora to Red Sox fans: ‘Boston, we will miss you’  Feb 22, 2026; Fort Myers, Florida, USA;  Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora (13) looks on during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images   Fired Red Sox manager Alex Cora sent a short farewell note to Boston via social media on Tuesday.  “Boston, we will miss you,” he wrote.   “Gracias for making us part of you. #RedSoxNation, you are the [heart emoji] of that team, keep believing, you really care and that’s what pushes everyone in the @RedSox to give it all day in and day out.  “With respect and love, AC”  Team officials dismissed Cora and five of coaches on Saturday after the Red Sox staggered out of the gate to start the season at 10-17.  While Cora’s firing has been met with some support among fans, posts on social media show they largely place the blame for the team’s woes on management, especially owner John Henry and Craig Breslow, the chief baseball owner.  After serving as bench coach for the 2017 world champion Houston Astros, Cora was hired as manager in Boston in 2018. He led the Red Sox to a franchise-record 108 victories and a World Series title.   However, after the 2019 campaign, Cora was implicated in an MLB investigation involving sign-stealing by the Astros. MLB undertook an investigation into the Red Sox practices, but Cora and the Red Sox mutually agreed to separate before the 2020 season.  Cora, 50, was suspended for the 2020 season for his role in Houston, but returned to Boston as manager in 2021.  After missing the playoffs from 2022-24, the Red Sox returned last season, but lost a American League wild-card series to the New York Yankees.  Cora posted an eight-year regular-season record of 619-541 and postseason mark of 18-10.  Chad Tracy has been elevated from manager at Triple-A Worcester to serve as interim manager of the Red Sox.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Alex #Cora #Red #Sox #fans #Boston

There is still a ton of moving and shaking to take place over the weeks ahead, but for now, we have a decent idea of what the top rosters in college basketball are going to look like heading into the 2026-27 season.

Here are the 25 best … at the moment:

2025-26 Finish: Second Round

Assuming Rueben Chinyelu opts to spurn the NBA and return to school for one more year, Florida will return the same frontcourt that won a national title two seasons ago and earned a No. 1 seed in 2025. Bringing back point guard Boogie Fland — whose emergence in the second half of the season took the Gators from disappointment to legitimate national title contender — and reserve guard Urban Klavzar is enormous as well. Extremely capable two guard Denzel Aberdeen is also back after a season at Kentucky, but he’ll need a waiver to play in 2026-27.

With or without Aberdeen, this is the best roster in college basketball at this point in the offseason, and that seems unlikely to change between now and early November.

2. Illinois Fighting Illini

2025-26 Finish: Final Four

Outside of star freshman guard Keaton Wagler, virtually every key contributor will be back from an Illinois team that took the program to its first Final Four since 2005. The addition of Providence transfer Stefan Vaaks should help alleviate the losses of Wagler and fellow guard Kylan Boswell. If Brad Underwood doesn’t bring in a transfer portal (or European) point guard, the big question for this team will be whether or not incoming freshman Quintin Coleman is good enough to replace Wagler and run the show.

2025-26 Finish: Elite Eight

The last two pursuits of national championships have ended just about as painfully as possible for the Blue Devils, but Jon Scheyer and company figure to be right back in the mix in 2027. Duke will return four of its top six scorers from last year’s No. 1 overall seed, while also adding top-rated Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell, Belmont transfer Drew Scharnowski and five-star freshmen Cameron Williams, Deron Rippey Jr. and Bryson Howard.

2025-26 Finish: National Champions

The reigning national champs have a very real chance to go back-to-back thanks in large part to the returns of top five scorers Morez Johnson Jr., Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney. That core will join forces with an exciting transfer portal class headlined by J.P. Estrella (Tennssee), Moustapha Thiam (Cincinnati) and Jalen Reed (LSU). Dusty May is also bringing in a loaded freshman class highlighted by five-star guard Brandon McCoy Jr.

2025-26 Finish: National Runners-Up

Losing Solo Ball for the year due to wrist surgery is an enormous blow, but it’s one at least partially tempered by the announced returns of Silas Demary, NCAA Tournament hero Braylon Mullins, and Jayden Ross. Transfer portal additions Nikolas Khamenia (Duke), Najai Hines (Seton Hall) and Oskar Giltay (Stanford) should help offset the losses of Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed Jr.

This ranking is assuming that both Billy Richmond and Meleek Thomas eventually choose to pull out of the NBA Draft and return to Fayetteville. If that happens, John Calipari should have his most lethal Razorback team to date, even without departing stars Darius Acuff, Nick Pringle, Trevon Brazile and Karter Knox. Incoming freshman Jordan Smith should be up to the task of assuming the star freshman guard role left behind by Acuff, and he’ll get help from Georgia transfer Jeremiah Wilkinson, who was one of the best pure scorers in the SEC last season.

2025-26 Finish: Final Four

The returns of Motiejus Krivas and Ivan Kharchenkov are big, but Tommy Lloyd’s vaunted frontcourt took a huge hit with the losses of Koa Peat and Tobe Awaka. Replacing star freshman Brayden Burries and Big 12 Player of the Year Jaden Bradley are no small tasks either. Bringing in transfer portal guards Derek Dixon (North Carolina) and JJ Mandaquit (Washington), as well as top-five recruit Caleb Holt should shore up the perimeter, but the Wildcats could still use another capable body inside. At this point, the safe play is trusting Lloyd to make it work and have a squad that’s right back in the national title mix next winter.

2025-26 Finish: Elite Eight

Tennessee loses all five of its starters from a team that played in a third straight regional final, but Rick Barnes has gone out and landed transfer portal pieces that could give him his most offensively gifted squad in Knoxville to date. Tyler Lundblade (Belmont), Dai Dai Ames (Cal), Miles Rubin (Loyola Chicago), Jalen Haralson (Notre Dame) and Terrence Hill Jr. (VCU) are all established bucket-getters. The big question here is whether or not Barnes can get the group to play the same level of defense that UT fans have grown accustomed to seeing.

9. Michigan State Spartans

Roster retention remains the name of the game for Tom Izzo in this brave, new college basketball world. Point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. figures to be a preseason All-American, and returning forward Coen Carr will continue to be the sport’s pre-eminent human highlight reel. Fellow returnees Kur Teng, Jordan Scott and Cam Ward will all have to up their production for this team to be a legitimate national title contender. The addition of Charlotte transfer Anton Bonke and the return of senior forward Kaleb Glenn from injury should also provide a nice boost.

A lot of people are going to take a “believe it when I see it” approach to Texas receiving a preseason top 10 ranking, but on paper, Sean Miller has put together an absolute squad this spring. David Punch (TCU) and Isaiah Johnson (Colorado) were two of the best available players in the transfer portal, and pairing them with returning big man Matas Vokietaitis should form a lethal core. Mikey Lewis (Vanderbilt) and Elyjah Freeman (Auburn) were both underrated adds, and if incoming freshman Austin Goosby is as good as advertised, there’s no reason for this Texas team to finish outside the top three or four in the SEC.

Until Kelvin Sampson gives us a reason to doubt his ability to reload and continue to produce top 10 (or just outside the top 10) caliber teams, we should all probably just assume it’s going to continue to happen. Getting Joseph Tugler back was huge, and there are reasons. to believe that Sampson will be able to get more out of fellow returnees Mercy Miller and Chase McCarty next season. Incoming transfer Dedan Thomas Jr. (LSU) will be asked to shoulder much of the scoring load in his first season as a Cougar.

Iowa State is another “trust the guy who has been getting it done for several years in a row” situation. T.J. Otzelberger loses stars Tamin Lipsey, Joshua Jefferson and Milan Momcilovic, but does return his next three leading scorers in Killyan Toure, Blake Buchanan and Jamarion Bateman. Otzelberger will have to find untapped potential from multiple members of his under-the-radar portal class of Jaquan Johnson (Bradley), Leon Bond III (Northern Iowa), Tre Singleton (Northwestern) and Ryan Prather Jr. (Robert Morris) in order to compete with the best of the best in the Big 12.

2025-26 Finish: Second Round

Pat Kelsey has once again made a push for the title of “portal king” after landing a loaded class highlighted by Flory Bidunga (Kansas), Jackson Shelstad (Oregon), Karter Knox (Arkansas), Alvoro Folgueiras (Iowa) and De’Shayne Montgomery (Dayton). The return of guard Adrian Wooley, who came on late last season when star freshman Mikel Brown Jr. was sidelined with a back injury, hasn’t received as much national attention but could prove to be just as crucial when it comes to Louisville’s chances of making its first NCAA Tournament second weekend since 2015.

2025-26 Finish: Second Round

The Cavaliers are the rarest of rarities these days: A program that nearly a month into the offseason has not lost a player to the transfer portal or added a player from it. That will likely change in the weeks ahead, as UVA has to find some bodies to replace the five players who graduated from last year’s team. Still, a returning core of First Team All-ACC performer Thijs De Ridder, Sam Lewis, Chance Mallory, Johann Gunloh and Elijah Gertrude is enough to justify a top 15 ranking at this juncture.

2025-26 Finish: Second Round

Assuming Braden Huff gets back to full strength after recovering from the knee injury that cut his 2025-26 season short by three months, the Zags should be the team to beat in the first year of the new Pac-12. Mark Few has brought in a couple of nice transfer portal pieces, but could use a really big fish to solidify his squad’s status as a potential top-tier national title contender.

2025-26 Finish: Second Round

In his first season as a head coach, Jai Lucas proved he has what it takes to be one of the next big coaching stars in this sport. After taking Miami from seven wins in 2024-25 to 26 wins and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2025-26, Lucas now has the pieces needed to accomplish even more in year two. Shelton Henderson, Dante Allen and Marcus Allen are all back and will be bolstered by a very good portal class that features Villanova point guard transfer Acaden Lewis as well as DeSean Goode (Robert Morris) and Somto Cyril (Georgia).

17. St. John’s Red Storm

Rick Pitino made sure to immediately land the point guard he was missing last season when he signed Quinn Ellis, a British professional who has spent the last couple of years serving as a floor general in the EuroLeague. He also brings back Ian Jackson and brings in talented Syracuse transfer Donnie Freeman, who has the type of untapped potential that could thrive under the drive demanded by Pitino.

As long as Adel Holloway is permitted to return to the team once his legal troubles are cleared up, Nate Oats should once again have one of the better squads in the SEC. There are some very legitimate questions outside of Holloway’s future, but the pieces from the portal — headlined by Boise State defector Drew Fielder — are plentiful enough to trust Oats to make the most of what he has.

2025-26 Finish: First Round

This is shaping up to be a “prove-it” season for Dennis Gates. Thankfully, he has the pieces to do just that. Bryson Tiller (Kansas), Jamier Jones (Providence) and Jaylen Carey (Tennessee) are an extremely formidable transfer portal trio. They’ll team up with one of the nation’s best recruiting classes, one headlined by McDonald’s All-Americans Jason Crowe Jr. and Toni Bryant.

2025-26 Finish: First Round

What was widely referred to as “the most anticipated season in BYU basketball history” wound up being something of a disappointment, as A.J. Dybantsa (despite being as good as advertised) and company lost 12 times and failed to win a game in the NCAA Tournament. Kevin Young will try to accomplish more without the likely No. 1 pick in this summer’s NBA Draft, and has the chance to it thanks to the return of point guard Rob Wright and the additions of a deep portal class as well as five-star freshman Bruce Branch III.

With the stigma of “only power conference program to have never won an NCAA Tournament game” now gone forever, Fred Hoiberg can now shift his focus to building a consistent contender in Lincoln. The return of All-Big Ten performer Pryce Sandfort and conference Sixth Man of the Year Braden Frager as well as the addition of a solid portal class should give Hoiberg the opportunity to do just that in 2026-27.

22. Vanderbilt Commodores

2025-26 Finish: Second Round

The Commodores are here under the assumption that star guard Tyler Tanner will return to Nashville for the 2026-27 season. If Tanner keeps his name in the NBA Draft, you can go ahead and knock Mark Byington’s team out of these rankings. Even if that happens, expect Byington to prove once again that he’s one of the next big coaching stars in this sport by getting absolute most out of the roster he has.

2025-26 Finish: No Postseason

Darian DeVries didn’t exactly set the world on fire in his first year in Bloomington, but his offseason transfer portal haul has ignited some renewed faith that he could wind up being the long-awaited savior of Indiana basketball. Aiden Sherrell (Alabama), Samet Yigitoglu (SMU), Markus Burton (Notre Dame), Darren Harris (Duke) and Jaeden Mustaf (Georgia Tech) give the Hoosiers one of the three or four best portal classes in the country.

2025-26 Finish: Second Round

Mick Cronin is once again all-in on the transfer portal and has brought in a solid group fronted by Sergej Macura (Mississippi State), Filip Jovic (Auburn), Jaylen Petty (Texas Tech) and Stink Robinson (Butler). If Cronin can reel in Baylor transfer Tounde Yessoufou, you can go ahead and bump the Bruins up a few sports on this list.

2025-26 Finish: No Postseason

Eric Musselman’s first two seasons in Los Angeles have been wildly disappointing, but there are reasons to believe year three will be better. Alijah Arenas is back, as are primary contributors Rodney Rice and Jacob Cofie. Portal additions KJ Lewis (Georgetown), Eric Reibe (UConn) and Jalen Cox (Colgate) are all talented, and don’t figure to bring any of the chemistry issues that Chad Baker-Mazara brought with him from Auburn last season. Toss in a trio of top 25 incoming freshmen, and there will be no excuse if Musselman once again fails to get USC into the field of 68.

26. Saint Louis Billikens
27. Purdue Boilermakers
28. Ohio State Buckeyes
29. Texas A&M Aggies
30. Kansas Jayhawks
31. North Carolina Tar Heels
32. Iowa Hawkeyes
33. Providence Friars
34. Xavier Musketeers
35. Arizona State Sun Devils

#Mens #college #basketball #top #rankings #transfer #portal #closed">Men’s college basketball top 25 rankings for 2026-27 with transfer portal closed  There is still a ton of moving and shaking to take place over the weeks ahead, but for now, we have a decent idea of what the top rosters in college basketball are going to look like heading into the 2026-27 season.Here are the 25 best … at the moment:2025-26 Finish: Second RoundAssuming Rueben Chinyelu opts to spurn the NBA and return to school for one more year, Florida will return the same frontcourt that won a national title two seasons ago and earned a No. 1 seed in 2025. Bringing back point guard Boogie Fland — whose emergence in the second half of the season took the Gators from disappointment to legitimate national title contender — and reserve guard Urban Klavzar is enormous as well. Extremely capable two guard Denzel Aberdeen is also back after a season at Kentucky, but he’ll need a waiver to play in 2026-27.With or without Aberdeen, this is the best roster in college basketball at this point in the offseason, and that seems unlikely to change between now and early November.2. Illinois Fighting Illini 2025-26 Finish: Final FourOutside of star freshman guard Keaton Wagler, virtually every key contributor will be back from an Illinois team that took the program to its first Final Four since 2005. The addition of Providence transfer Stefan Vaaks should help alleviate the losses of Wagler and fellow guard Kylan Boswell. If Brad Underwood doesn’t bring in a transfer portal (or European) point guard, the big question for this team will be whether or not incoming freshman Quintin Coleman is good enough to replace Wagler and run the show.2025-26 Finish: Elite EightThe last two pursuits of national championships have ended just about as painfully as possible for the Blue Devils, but Jon Scheyer and company figure to be right back in the mix in 2027. Duke will return four of its top six scorers from last year’s No. 1 overall seed, while also adding top-rated Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell, Belmont transfer Drew Scharnowski and five-star freshmen Cameron Williams, Deron Rippey Jr. and Bryson Howard.2025-26 Finish: National ChampionsThe reigning national champs have a very real chance to go back-to-back thanks in large part to the returns of top five scorers Morez Johnson Jr., Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney. That core will join forces with an exciting transfer portal class headlined by J.P. Estrella (Tennssee), Moustapha Thiam (Cincinnati) and Jalen Reed (LSU). Dusty May is also bringing in a loaded freshman class highlighted by five-star guard Brandon McCoy Jr.2025-26 Finish: National Runners-UpLosing Solo Ball for the year due to wrist surgery is an enormous blow, but it’s one at least partially tempered by the announced returns of Silas Demary, NCAA Tournament hero Braylon Mullins, and Jayden Ross. Transfer portal additions Nikolas Khamenia (Duke), Najai Hines (Seton Hall) and Oskar Giltay (Stanford) should help offset the losses of Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed Jr.This ranking is assuming that both Billy Richmond and Meleek Thomas eventually choose to pull out of the NBA Draft and return to Fayetteville. If that happens, John Calipari should have his most lethal Razorback team to date, even without departing stars Darius Acuff, Nick Pringle, Trevon Brazile and Karter Knox. Incoming freshman Jordan Smith should be up to the task of assuming the star freshman guard role left behind by Acuff, and he’ll get help from Georgia transfer Jeremiah Wilkinson, who was one of the best pure scorers in the SEC last season.2025-26 Finish: Final FourThe returns of Motiejus Krivas and Ivan Kharchenkov are big, but Tommy Lloyd’s vaunted frontcourt took a huge hit with the losses of Koa Peat and Tobe Awaka. Replacing star freshman Brayden Burries and Big 12 Player of the Year Jaden Bradley are no small tasks either. Bringing in transfer portal guards Derek Dixon (North Carolina) and JJ Mandaquit (Washington), as well as top-five recruit Caleb Holt should shore up the perimeter, but the Wildcats could still use another capable body inside. At this point, the safe play is trusting Lloyd to make it work and have a squad that’s right back in the national title mix next winter.2025-26 Finish: Elite EightTennessee loses all five of its starters from a team that played in a third straight regional final, but Rick Barnes has gone out and landed transfer portal pieces that could give him his most offensively gifted squad in Knoxville to date. Tyler Lundblade (Belmont), Dai Dai Ames (Cal), Miles Rubin (Loyola Chicago), Jalen Haralson (Notre Dame) and Terrence Hill Jr. (VCU) are all established bucket-getters. The big question here is whether or not Barnes can get the group to play the same level of defense that UT fans have grown accustomed to seeing.9. Michigan State Spartans Roster retention remains the name of the game for Tom Izzo in this brave, new college basketball world. Point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. figures to be a preseason All-American, and returning forward Coen Carr will continue to be the sport’s pre-eminent human highlight reel. Fellow returnees Kur Teng, Jordan Scott and Cam Ward will all have to up their production for this team to be a legitimate national title contender. The addition of Charlotte transfer Anton Bonke and the return of senior forward Kaleb Glenn from injury should also provide a nice boost.A lot of people are going to take a “believe it when I see it” approach to Texas receiving a preseason top 10 ranking, but on paper, Sean Miller has put together an absolute squad this spring. David Punch (TCU) and Isaiah Johnson (Colorado) were two of the best available players in the transfer portal, and pairing them with returning big man Matas Vokietaitis should form a lethal core. Mikey Lewis (Vanderbilt) and Elyjah Freeman (Auburn) were both underrated adds, and if incoming freshman Austin Goosby is as good as advertised, there’s no reason for this Texas team to finish outside the top three or four in the SEC.Until Kelvin Sampson gives us a reason to doubt his ability to reload and continue to produce top 10 (or just outside the top 10) caliber teams, we should all probably just assume it’s going to continue to happen. Getting Joseph Tugler back was huge, and there are reasons. to believe that Sampson will be able to get more out of fellow returnees Mercy Miller and Chase McCarty next season. Incoming transfer Dedan Thomas Jr. (LSU) will be asked to shoulder much of the scoring load in his first season as a Cougar.Iowa State is another “trust the guy who has been getting it done for several years in a row” situation. T.J. Otzelberger loses stars Tamin Lipsey, Joshua Jefferson and Milan Momcilovic, but does return his next three leading scorers in Killyan Toure, Blake Buchanan and Jamarion Bateman. Otzelberger will have to find untapped potential from multiple members of his under-the-radar portal class of Jaquan Johnson (Bradley), Leon Bond III (Northern Iowa), Tre Singleton (Northwestern) and Ryan Prather Jr. (Robert Morris) in order to compete with the best of the best in the Big 12.2025-26 Finish: Second RoundPat Kelsey has once again made a push for the title of “portal king” after landing a loaded class highlighted by Flory Bidunga (Kansas), Jackson Shelstad (Oregon), Karter Knox (Arkansas), Alvoro Folgueiras (Iowa) and De’Shayne Montgomery (Dayton). The return of guard Adrian Wooley, who came on late last season when star freshman Mikel Brown Jr. was sidelined with a back injury, hasn’t received as much national attention but could prove to be just as crucial when it comes to Louisville’s chances of making its first NCAA Tournament second weekend since 2015.2025-26 Finish: Second RoundThe Cavaliers are the rarest of rarities these days: A program that nearly a month into the offseason has not lost a player to the transfer portal or added a player from it. That will likely change in the weeks ahead, as UVA has to find some bodies to replace the five players who graduated from last year’s team. Still, a returning core of First Team All-ACC performer Thijs De Ridder, Sam Lewis, Chance Mallory, Johann Gunloh and Elijah Gertrude is enough to justify a top 15 ranking at this juncture.2025-26 Finish: Second RoundAssuming Braden Huff gets back to full strength after recovering from the knee injury that cut his 2025-26 season short by three months, the Zags should be the team to beat in the first year of the new Pac-12. Mark Few has brought in a couple of nice transfer portal pieces, but could use a really big fish to solidify his squad’s status as a potential top-tier national title contender.2025-26 Finish: Second RoundIn his first season as a head coach, Jai Lucas proved he has what it takes to be one of the next big coaching stars in this sport. After taking Miami from seven wins in 2024-25 to 26 wins and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2025-26, Lucas now has the pieces needed to accomplish even more in year two. Shelton Henderson, Dante Allen and Marcus Allen are all back and will be bolstered by a very good portal class that features Villanova point guard transfer Acaden Lewis as well as DeSean Goode (Robert Morris) and Somto Cyril (Georgia).17. St. John’s Red StormRick Pitino made sure to immediately land the point guard he was missing last season when he signed Quinn Ellis, a British professional who has spent the last couple of years serving as a floor general in the EuroLeague. He also brings back Ian Jackson and brings in talented Syracuse transfer Donnie Freeman, who has the type of untapped potential that could thrive under the drive demanded by Pitino.As long as Adel Holloway is permitted to return to the team once his legal troubles are cleared up, Nate Oats should once again have one of the better squads in the SEC. There are some very legitimate questions outside of Holloway’s future, but the pieces from the portal — headlined by Boise State defector Drew Fielder — are plentiful enough to trust Oats to make the most of what he has.2025-26 Finish: First RoundThis is shaping up to be a “prove-it” season for Dennis Gates. Thankfully, he has the pieces to do just that. Bryson Tiller (Kansas), Jamier Jones (Providence) and Jaylen Carey (Tennessee) are an extremely formidable transfer portal trio. They’ll team up with one of the nation’s best recruiting classes, one headlined by McDonald’s All-Americans Jason Crowe Jr. and Toni Bryant.2025-26 Finish: First RoundWhat was widely referred to as “the most anticipated season in BYU basketball history” wound up being something of a disappointment, as A.J. Dybantsa (despite being as good as advertised) and company lost 12 times and failed to win a game in the NCAA Tournament. Kevin Young will try to accomplish more without the likely No. 1 pick in this summer’s NBA Draft, and has the chance to it thanks to the return of point guard Rob Wright and the additions of a deep portal class as well as five-star freshman Bruce Branch III.With the stigma of “only power conference program to have never won an NCAA Tournament game” now gone forever, Fred Hoiberg can now shift his focus to building a consistent contender in Lincoln. The return of All-Big Ten performer Pryce Sandfort and conference Sixth Man of the Year Braden Frager as well as the addition of a solid portal class should give Hoiberg the opportunity to do just that in 2026-27.22. Vanderbilt Commodores 2025-26 Finish: Second RoundThe Commodores are here under the assumption that star guard Tyler Tanner will return to Nashville for the 2026-27 season. If Tanner keeps his name in the NBA Draft, you can go ahead and knock Mark Byington’s team out of these rankings. Even if that happens, expect Byington to prove once again that he’s one of the next big coaching stars in this sport by getting absolute most out of the roster he has.2025-26 Finish: No PostseasonDarian DeVries didn’t exactly set the world on fire in his first year in Bloomington, but his offseason transfer portal haul has ignited some renewed faith that he could wind up being the long-awaited savior of Indiana basketball. Aiden Sherrell (Alabama), Samet Yigitoglu (SMU), Markus Burton (Notre Dame), Darren Harris (Duke) and Jaeden Mustaf (Georgia Tech) give the Hoosiers one of the three or four best portal classes in the country.2025-26 Finish: Second RoundMick Cronin is once again all-in on the transfer portal and has brought in a solid group fronted by Sergej Macura (Mississippi State), Filip Jovic (Auburn), Jaylen Petty (Texas Tech) and Stink Robinson (Butler). If Cronin can reel in Baylor transfer Tounde Yessoufou, you can go ahead and bump the Bruins up a few sports on this list.2025-26 Finish: No PostseasonEric Musselman’s first two seasons in Los Angeles have been wildly disappointing, but there are reasons to believe year three will be better. Alijah Arenas is back, as are primary contributors Rodney Rice and Jacob Cofie. Portal additions KJ Lewis (Georgetown), Eric Reibe (UConn) and Jalen Cox (Colgate) are all talented, and don’t figure to bring any of the chemistry issues that Chad Baker-Mazara brought with him from Auburn last season. Toss in a trio of top 25 incoming freshmen, and there will be no excuse if Musselman once again fails to get USC into the field of 68.26. Saint Louis Billikens27. Purdue Boilermakers28. Ohio State Buckeyes29. Texas A&M Aggies30. Kansas Jayhawks31. North Carolina Tar Heels32. Iowa Hawkeyes33. Providence Friars34. Xavier Musketeers35. Arizona State Sun Devils  #Mens #college #basketball #top #rankings #transfer #portal #closed

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