playJeff BorzelloCloseJeff BorzelloESPN Staff Writer Basketball recruiting insider. Joined ESPN in 2014. Graduate of University of Delaware. and Myron MedcalfCloseMyron MedcalfESPN Staff Writer Covers college basketball Joined ESPN.com in 2011 Graduate of Minnesota State University, MankatoMultiple AuthorsNov 12, 2026, 07:00 AM ETOpen Extended ReactionsTwo weeks into the 2026-27 college basketball season, lessons are already being learned about who the real championship contenders could be and who might be left behind in March. We’re figuring out if all of those offseason legal battles are going to have a meaningful effect on the play on the court and which players could take advantage of opportunities to shine.
There also might be a few coaches who are already feeling their seats warm after subpar starts.Of course, it still has been only two weeks, so it’s not too early to start separating the pretenders from the contenders. Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf examine some the preseason’s most interesting queries and whether the concerns they represent are real or not.There are only three teams that can win the titleVerdict: Not realEntering the season, there was the perception that three teams were in a tier of their own when it came to national title contenders: Florida, Duke and Illinois. Florida still has four key players from a team that won the championship in 2025; Duke has arguably its deepest team of the Jon Scheyer era; and Illinois brought back five of its top eight players from a Final Four team.Two weeks into the season, it looks as if we might have underestimated UConn and Michigan State. Duke and Illinois both lost Tuesday, but both are still very much in the top-tier group.
We just might need to wait longer to see them at their best. (There’s also an argument that Florida is in a tier by itself, but let’s not go down that path just yet.)UConn has perhaps the best backcourt in college basketball in Silas Demary Jr. and Braylon Mullins, while Jayden Ross and Na’jai Hines bring toughness on the defensive end. Nik Khamenia left UConn’s win over Wagner because of an injury, but freshman Colben Landrew looks like a potential star. The Huskies also should get back All-Big East guard Solo Ball, who was initially expected to sit out the season because of a wrist injury.Michigan State will have one of the elite defenses this season, as evidenced by the nightmarish night Duke had in the Champions Classic. The Spartans are big, physical, connected and have game-changers on the defensive end, namely Jordan Scott.
They also have the best point guard in Jeremy Fears Jr., who Scheyer said Tuesday night “controlled the whole game.”Kansas might not be far from the title tier, either, especially if the Jayhawks can stay healthy and eligible. Tyran Stokes is a star, Trey Kaufman-Renn adds a different dimension to the offense and Tre White was fantastic against Kentucky. They can score in the half court or in transition, are unselfish and create mismatches. If White and Kaufman-Renn stay eligible, Bill Self has a Final four contender. — BorzelloThis season’s freshmen won’t be as impactful as last seasonVerdict: RealLast season’s freshman class was the best to grace college basketball in a long time — perhaps ever.
Cameron Boozer swept the player of the year awards. AJ Dybantsa and Darius Acuff Jr. joined him as first-team All-Americans. Caleb Wilson might have also found himself in that group had he not sustained an injury. Keaton Wagler and Kingston Flemings were among the 10 or 15 best players in the sport.
Brayden Burries was the leading scorer for 1-seed Arizona. We haven’t even mentioned Darryn Peterson or Mikel Brown, who showed incredible flashes despite availability questions for much of the season. Nate Ament, Ebuka Okorie, Hannes Steinbach … the list goes on.It was always going to be difficult for the next freshman class to match those credentials — and that already is playing out with inconsistent showings. Kansas’ Stokes showed why he’s the No. 1 prospect against Kentucky, with 23 points and an advanced offensive skill set.
But a game earlier, he had only eight points. Jordan Smith Jr. is averaging 14 points for Arkansas after scoring three points against Robert Morris. Arizona’s Caleb Holt really struggled against UCLA (seven points on 2-for-7 shooting) before scoring 21 against Cal Poly and 17 against Northern Arizona. Missouri’s Jason Crowe Jr. has had predictably high usage, taking at least 16 shots in all three games, and he followed up a poor performance against Saint Louis (3-for-18) with 34 points against SIU Edwardsville.
Bruce Branch III is averaging 14 points through three games for BYU.There are bright spots, of course. Illinois’ Quentin Coleman looks like a top-10 pick, and West Virginia’s Miles Sadler has been one of the most productive point guards in the country. But in general, the star power and consistency of last season’s top freshmen just hasn’t been there so far. — BorzelloThe best NBA prospects in college basketball will declare for the 2027 draftplay1:24Grambling Tigers vs. Texas Longhorns: Game HighlightsVerdict: Not realIt’s becoming increasingly obvious that the three college basketball players with the best long-term NBA potential won’t be eligible for June’s NBA draft.UCLA’s Nikola Kusturica, Duke’s Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje and Texas’ Marcus Spears Jr. will all still be 17 years old when the season ends and have to spend next season in college as well.
But all three have shown why they were so intriguing.Kusturica might be the best NBA prospect in the world, particularly after his performance against North Florida last week: 29 points, 10-for-12 shooting, six rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal. In the opener against Arizona, he totaled five blocks and five steals to go with nine points and five boards. He also had 17 points against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Wednesday. The Serbian forward is 6-foot-9 with plenty of toughness.Boumtje Boumtje, who played in Barcelona’s system last season, is 7-2 with consistent shooting range beyond the 3-point line.
He opened eyes with 19 points in an exhibition game against Belmont, then had 15 points, seven rebounds and three blocks in the regular-season opener against Army. Boumtje Boumtje hasn’t quite replicated that hot start, struggling against Michigan State, but few players in the country can match his combination of size and skill.And then there’s Spears, who was the No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2027 before reclassifying into 2026 in July. The Texas forward has scored in double figures in all three games so far, despite coming off the bench. He’s averaging 12 points on 62% shooting in just over 20 minutes.All three are only going to get better as the season progresses — and should be dominant forces in 2027-28. — BorzelloThe extra eligibility players have shifted the hierarchy of college basketballVerdict: Real-ishEntering the season, the sport was inundated by court cases and decisions by judges that reshaped rosters around the country.
The naysayers — including the NCAA — claimed the addition of players seeking a fifth and even sixth year of eligibility would create unfair advantages for the 2026-27 teams that could attract the players who were legally cleared to play.Although it’s early, the players who were not eligible for the NCAA’s new five-for-five rule have already left their collective mark on some of the top teams in America, beginning with St. John’s standout Keyshawn Hall. The former Auburn star is averaging 19.5 points for Rick Pitino’s undefeated team. Combined with the effort of European prospect Quinn Ellis, no team has benefited from court and NCAA waivers more than the Red Storm.With Denzel Aberdeen returning after a one-year stint at Kentucky, Florida has made nearly 40% of its 3-pointers.
Why does that matter? Because subpar 3-point shooting — 6-for-19 from beyond the arc — doomed the Gators in an NCAA tournament second-
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