ESPN's preseason top 100 list for the 2026-27 men's college basketball season is, in the writers' words, unlike any they have produced before. It mixes top-tier freshmen, the best returning players in America, rising stars poised to break out, and players whose eligibility could be blocked by a judge.
Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf say no discussion of the season can ignore Tyran Stokes, Jordan Smith Jr. and a loaded freshman class. They also point to Jeremy Fears Jr., Thomas Haugh and Milan Momcilovic, who collected significant NIL fees to return to college basketball, and to Seth Trimble, Mark Mitchell, Robbie Avila and Tamin Lipsey, who are fighting for a fifth season.
The writers have taken the stance that players who graduated high school in 2022 and were excluded by the NCAA's new five-in-five rules remain eligible, despite legal uncertainties. They say they will adjust the rankings if developments point otherwise.
The list begins at No. 100 with Miles Sadler, a six-foot incoming five-star point guard at West Virginia who is quick with the ball and adept at creating for himself and teammates. At No. 99, Johann Grunloh, a 7-footer from Germany, started all 36 games for Virginia as a freshman and ranked among the nation's elite rim protectors, shooting 62% inside the arc and 35% from 3. At No. 98, Trent Perry of UCLA averaged 12.6 points and made 42% of his 3-point attempts in Big Ten play.
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing