Kansas has captured the top spot in the preseason men’s basketball AP Top 25 poll, securing the No. 1 position on 30 out of 60 ballots from a national media panel. Following closely behind are Alabama and two-time defending champions UConn, who are positioned second and third respectively. Alabama garnered 14 first-place votes, while UConn, aiming to achieve an unprecedented third consecutive title like the legendary UCLA teams coached by John Wooden, received 11 first-place votes.
Coming in fourth is Houston, which received four first-place votes. Iowa State takes the fifth slot, coming off a successful season where its top four scorers are returning after a No. 2 seed finish in the NCAA Tournament. Gonzaga, with a lone first-place vote, rounds out the sixth position. In the top ten, Duke, led by the highly acclaimed recruit Cooper Flagg, is seventh, followed by Baylor, North Carolina, and Arizona.
Kansas’s previous preseason No. 1 ranking last year did not translate into success, as injuries plagued their performance, leading to struggles in the Big 12. The team, featuring All-American center Hunter Dickinson, was upset by Cincinnati in the conference tournament and eliminated by Gonzaga in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
In response to last season’s challenges, Kansas coach Bill Self enhanced the roster during the offseason by acquiring a strong lineup of transfers. Key new players include A.J. Storr from Wisconsin, Zeke Mayo from South Dakota State, and Rylan Griffen from Alabama. Together with returning seniors Dajuan Harris Jr. and KJ Adams Jr., both of whom were part of the 2022 national championship team, Kansas aims to create a more competitive and skilled squad.
“We embrace being No. 1 at this stage, especially with our returning stars like Hunter, Dajuan, and KJ, in addition to our new additions,” said Self. He emphasized that the ultimate goal is to maintain the No. 1 status at the conclusion of the season, and that this early acknowledgment does not equate to a victory lap.
The reshaped Big 12 conference, which has lost Oklahoma and Texas but welcomed new teams like Arizona, Arizona State, Utah, and Colorado, boasts three teams in the top five and five in the top ten in the preseason AP poll. Comparatively, the SEC leads with nine teams ranked in the Top 25.
Self noted, “Having three teams from the Big 12 in the top five and five in the top ten highlights the competitive nature of our league. We often refer to the Big 12 as the toughest conference in the nation, and with the new teams joining, it has undeniably strengthened.”
Auburn, Tennessee, and Texas A&M sit at No. 11, with Purdue and Creighton following. Arkansas, under coach John Calipari, is ranked 16th, along with Indiana, Marquette, Texas, and Cincinnati, which is making a comeback to the poll for the first time since 2019, rounding out the top 20.
Purdue aims for a third consecutive Big Ten title, even after the departure of last season’s player of the year, Zach Edey. Coach Matt Painter expressed enthusiasm about the upcoming season, acknowledging the return of three starters from a Final Four team along with five freshmen, indicating a strong foundation of experience outside the core group.
Florida, UCLA, Kentucky, Ole Miss, and Rutgers complete the preseason Top 25. Steve Pikiell, the coach of Rutgers, expressed excitement about the expectations, highlighting that this is the first time the team has made it into the preseason poll since 1978. Pikiell noted the pressure of high expectations, particularly in a robust league with 18 teams and excellent coaches.
In terms of teams just missing the cut, Illinois stands at the forefront among those receiving votes after a strong Elite Eight appearance. St. John’s, under Rick Pitino, along with Xavier, Texas Tech, and Wake Forest are also near the top of the rankings for consideration. The first regular-season poll is set to be released on November 11.
Additionally, four schools that have not previously appeared in the Top 25 have garnered preseason votes, with McNeese State leading the way after returning to the NCAA Tournament last season. Little Rock, Grand Canyon, and High Point are also among those that received votes.
Statistically, Kansas’s preseason ranking marks the fifth time it has achieved this distinction, placing it behind only North Carolina, Duke, and UCLA, who have led more frequently since the inception of preseason rankings in 1962. Meanwhile, Houston boasts the longest active streak in the Top 25 at 86 weeks, with Kansas trailing at 65 weeks. Iowa State is celebrating its highest-ever preseason ranking, while Texas A&M matches its best standing. Kentucky continues to set records, featuring in the preseason poll for the 57th time, and North Carolina marks its 55th appearance.
