Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner is one of Jay Bilas’ preseason All-America picks. Carly Mackler/Getty ImagesJay BilasOct 21, 2026, 08:30 AM ETClose College basketball analyst for ESPN and ESPN Insider Played and coached at Duke Practicing attorneyMultiple AuthorsOpen Extended ReactionsDo you remember the players who were honored with Preseason All-America last season? And, please — don’t cheat and look at the walls of the arena for the elaborate Preseason All-America plaques or the Preseason All-America banners hanging from the rafters.You can’t, and neither can I — and I named the team myself.The last player selected in the NFL draft is called Mr. Irrelevant. (Of course, that is ridiculous. Those undrafted should be considered far more irrelevant, but I digress.) In that vein, perhaps Preseason All-America picks should be rebranded as Irrelevant All-America.
Ugh. That sounds like a tough sell.Look, I get it. The naming of this team is part prognostication, part primer for an exciting upcoming season and part sales vehicle. It is the player equivalent of the preseason Top 25, a projection that doesn’t mean anything beyond our excitement and anticipation of the great things to come in a couple of short weeks.
It’s just fun.This has the chance to be an extraordinary college basketball season. Over the past several years, the level of play and the overall talent in the game have never been better. While those “in charge” are on Capitol Hill crying chaos over conditions surrounding the game that are all of their own making through rules they have passed or their own negligence, the college game has never been healthier, better across the board or more popular and higher rated among fans. If this is chaos, bring on more of it.
Players are staying in school longer and the talent level continues to be jaw-dropping.So, as the drum roll begins and craftspeople around the country ready themselves to carve these names into stone for posterity, here are my 2027 Preseason All-America teams.., Michigan StateKey stat: Recorded 328 assists last year, the sixth-best mark in college basketball history.Tyler Tanner, VanderbiltKey stat: Only player in the nation to average 19 PPG, 5.0 APG and 2.0 SPG.Tyran Stokes, KansasKey stat: Recorded 12 points, three assists, two blocked shots and a game-high nine rebounds at McDonald’s All American Game.Thomas Haugh, FloridaKey stat: Scored at least 20 points 13 times last season, including 27 in the season opener against Arizona and against Auburn in January.Flory Bidunga, LouisvilleKey stat: Led the Big 12 in blocks (91) and blocks per game (2.6), ranking fourth and fifth in the country.Second teamJT Toppin, Texas TechBraylon Mullins, UConnPJ Haggerty, Texas A&MRobert Wright III, BYUJoaquim Boumtje Boumtje, DukeThird teamElliot Cadeau, MichiganSilas Demary Jr., UConnJohn Blackwell, DukeJuke Harris, TennesseePryce Sandfort, NebraskaHonorable mentionsDavid Mirkovic, IllinoisTrey McKenney, MichiganThijs De Ridder, VirginiaJoseph Tugler, HoustonJosh Hubbard, Mississippi StateMotiejus Krivas, ArizonaJordan Smith Jr., ArkansasNigel James Jr., MarquetteBraden Huff, GonzagaPreseason All-Defensive picksJoseph Tugler, Houston Ivan Kharchenkov, Arizona Flory Bidunga, Louisville Dame Sarr, Duke Rueben Chinyelu, Florida Killyan Toure, Iowa State Silas Demary Jr., UConnPreseason All-Freshman picksTyran Stokes, Kansas Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje, Duke Jordan Smith Jr., Arkansas Caleb Holt, Arizona Marcus Spears Jr., Texas Bruce Branch III, BYU Quentin Coleman, IllinoisPreseason All-Transfer picksMilan Momcilovic, Kentucky John Blackwell, Duke PJ Haggerty, Texas A&M Flory Bidunga, Louisville Juke Harris, Tennessee Tounde Yessoufou, St. John’s Terrence Brown, North CarolinaAll-Coach Newcomer picksLuke Murray, Boston College Michael Malone, North Carolina Bryan Hodgson, Providence Ronald Nored, Butler Alan Huss, Creighton Randy Bennett, Arizona State Ben Jacobson, Utah State
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