With a freshman group featuring Rickard, Taylor, Simpson and Washington, the potential is oozing from this team with the possibility of their first conference title in just their second year in the league.

At a dinner in Miami back in August, across the street from the arena where the Heat play their games, USA Basketball men's national team managing director Grant Hill had a question for Erik Spoelstra.

The 2025-26 college basketball season is almost here. Here's a look at what the preseason USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll and AP Top 25 look like:

Michigan joins Matt Painter 's Purdue in the top 10 from the Big Ten Conference, while UCLA, Illinois, Michigan State and Wisconsin are among the other teams from the conference in the top 25 to start the season. Led by Braden Smith, the Boilermakers are the early favorite for not only the national championship but also for the Big Ten Conference.

The Florida Gators men's basketball team begins the season among the top-ranked teams in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.

The Preseason USA TODAY Men's Basketball Coaches Poll is live, and Arkansas is a consensus top-15 team in Year 2 under John Calipari.

The preseason USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll was released on Wednesday. Tennessee is ranked No. 17. Follow Vols Wire on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).

In the first of two installments, The Dispatch unveils its 2025-26 Ohio State men's basketball power rankings, starting with Nos. 14-8.

The past seven NCAA tournament berths from the Big Sky have been claimed by Montana, Montana State and Eastern Washington. This season, the conference might have to make room for a trio of teams looking to snap some long NCAA tournament droughts: Portland State (last in 2009), Northern Colorado (2011) and Idaho (1990).