The 2026 season has ended with a champion crowned, and the focus has already turned to the next campaign.
As the sport resets for the offseason, a Way-Too-Early Top 25 has been released to frame the conversation around which programs enter next season positioned among the nation’s best. The rankings arrive immediately after the title is decided, reflecting how quickly the calendar moves from postseason celebration to offseason evaluation.
A new set of guidelines
This early Top 25 comes with a few new rules, signaling a revised approach to how teams are assessed at this stage of the year. The rankings are presented as an early snapshot rather than a final verdict, capturing the initial order of the field as the next season begins to take shape.
From championship to offseason
The transition from crowning a champion to evaluating the next season is a familiar rhythm in college basketball. With the postseason complete, the early rankings serve as a starting point for tracking how the national picture develops from here.