Final season can be arduous to prime for the SEC, which positioned 14 of its 16 groups within the 2025 NCAA Event. That was a report, each when it comes to complete variety of groups and proportion of groups. As soon as the event started, the league delivered once more.
Half of the convention’s 14 Massive Dance representatives reached the Candy 16, which set one other report. 4 reached the Elite Eight, and in the long run, an SEC crew (Florida) minimize down the nets for the primary time since Kentucky in 2012.
However after 13 SEC gamers have been taken within the 2025 NBA Draft and three teaching jobs modified palms, the convention has a brand new really feel coming into the 2025-26 marketing campaign. A whopping 26 of final season’s prime 30 scorers from the SEC are gone, which opens the door for a brand new wave of stars to take over the convention.
Sustaining its stranglehold on convention supremacy can be a problem for the SEC, however the early indications are that it’s going to have an opportunity. In KenPom’s preseason rankings, 11 of the highest 35 are from the league.
In opposition to that backdrop, it is time to dive in and take inventory of the league, together with a rundown of the star gamers and our professional predictions for the way the SEC will shake out.
SEC Preseason Participant of the 12 months
Otega Oweh | Kentucky | G
Amid a season of seismic transition at Kentucky, Oweh was a mannequin of stability in 2024-25, as he reached double figures in 34 of 36 video games. Now, after flirting with the NBA Draft, the bruising capturing guard is again for a ultimate spin by the faculty sport. Oweh is constructed like a working again, and that physicality makes him an elite perimeter defender and unstoppable driver of the basketball.
SEC Preseason Freshman of the 12 months
Nate Ament | Tennessee | F
There isn’t a doubt over Ament’s long-term potential as a 6-10 wing. He’s anticipated to be a 2026 NBA Draft lottery decide and has the long-term upside to turn into an All-Star. The query is: how a lot can Tennessee coax from Ament instantly? If he is able to be a star, the remainder of the items are in place round him to make Tennessee a nationwide championship contender.
4 extra gamers to look at
Boogie Fland | Arkansas | G: Florida is changing its prime 4 guards from a national-title crew, which makes Fland an extremely necessary piece of the puzzle if the Gators need to have any likelihood of repeating. When wholesome for Arkansas final season, Fland appeared like the most effective gamers within the SEC. Given how a lot expertise is departing from the league, his sophomore yr leap might be seismic.
Labaron Philon | Alabama | G: With Mark Sears and Chris Youngblood gone, the door is open for Philon to tackle an excellent larger function. If the 2025 SEC all-Freshman performer can enhance upon his 31.5% 3-point proportion, the sky is the restrict for him in Nate Oats’ offensive system. He is an ideal ball-handler and expert attacker who continues to be including to his sport.
Josh Hubbard | Mississippi State | G: Hubbard reached 20 factors 27 occasions throughout his first two seasons and has gone off for 30+ on 4 events. The undersized offensive dynamo will be completely electrical. With mainly limitless vary and an ever-present inexperienced gentle from coach Chris Jans, Hubbard is about for one more big season.
Tahaad Pettiford | Auburn | G: Pettiford flirted with the NBA Draft earlier than returning to Auburn to construct on a powerful freshman season. Final yr, put up participant Johni Broome was the Tigers’ engine. This yr, Pettiford might be that man. He’s a fearless playmaker who produced consecutive 20-point video games within the NCAA Event final season.
Predicted order of end
1. Florida
Breakdown: The nation’s fiercest entrance court docket returns totally intact as Florida begins its nationwide title protection. Count on to see Thomas Haugh enjoying extra at small ahead after the Gators deployed him on the 4 final season. If Florida can keep its flooring spacing with Haugh on the wing, they may bludgeon opponents with their dimension and rebounding. Changing the crew’s prime 4 guards is the plain problem for fourth-year coach Todd Golden. A lot of that accountability will fall on Princeton switch Xaivian Lee and Arkansas switch Boogie Fland. Each are robust off the dribble.
2. Kentucky
Breakdown: The 2025-26 Kentucky Wildcats lack nothing on paper. Excessive-level distributor? Pitt switch Jaland Lowe checks that field. A downhill driver who can assault shut outs? Otega Oweh has you coated. A spot-up shooter with the size to tear it overtop the protection? Tulane switch Kam Williams matches the invoice. An elite rim protector? As soon as Arizona State switch Jayden Quaintance is again from a knee damage, that is what he’ll be. There may be depth, too. Returners Brandon Garrison, Collin Chandler and Trent Noah earned priceless expertise off the bench throughout coach Mark Pope’s first season. Ex-Florida guard Denzel Aberdeen simply performed an enormous function for a nationwide championship crew. Oh, and the Wildcats have not deserted conventional recruiting. Pope is welcoming the nation’s No. 6 freshman class to campus.
3. Alabama
Breakdown: Two-time All-American Mark Sears is gone, however Alabama nonetheless has loads of firepower at guard. Labaron Philon and Aden Holloway are every potential all-SEC performers able to filling the offensive void left by Sears. The Crimson Tide additionally get 3-point marksman Latrell Wrightsell Jr. again following a medical redshirt season. The larger query is how Bama will exchange most of its entrance court docket from final yr’s Elite Eight squad. Whereas the specifics of that quest stays to be seen, 6-10 Florida State switch Taylor Bol Bowen, 6-10 sophomore returner Aiden Sherrell and 7-foot Bucknell switch Noah Williamson are every succesful exterior shooters, which ought to assist be sure that Bama’s offense stays a easy operation.
4. Arkansas
Breakdown: A crew coached by John Calipari can be relying closely on a five-star freshman guard. What else is new? Darius Acuff Jr. will play a featured function, teaming up with junior D.J. Wagner to present the Razorbacks a formidable little bit of perimeter playmaking. As per common, Calipari has assembled a gifted core nucleus. Nevertheless, the Razorbacks must show they’ve sufficient exterior capturing and rim safety to maintain up within the SEC. Florida State switch Malique Ewin and South Carolina switch Nick Pringle are confirmed inside gamers, however neither matches the profile of a defensive enforcer. Nobody is mistaking this for one in all Calipari’s nice Kentucky groups, however the Hogs have sufficient to be harmful.
5. Tennessee
Breakdown: Tennessee misplaced a part of its soul when Zakai Zeigler and Jahmai Mashack exhausted their eligibility in an Elite Eight loss to Houston. However with a lifetime contract now in hand, 71-year previous Rick Barnes reloaded impressively nicely. Maryland switch guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie is an ideal match with Barnes and brings All-American potential. On the wing, five-star freshman Nate Ament is poised to develop into Barnes’ newest one-and-done prospect. Coping with Tennessee’s physicality can be a chore as soon as once more, as premier rim protector Felix Okpara returns. All of the items of one other fierce defensive unit are right here. If complimentary scorers step up round Gillespie and Ament, the Vols can be proper again within the league title hunt.
6. Auburn
Breakdown: Changing a legend isn’t simple. When that legend is your father? It is much more difficult. However after enjoying an lively function in bringing in regards to the best period in Auburn basketball historical past, Steven Pearl is now accountable for this system. He is by no means been a head coach earlier than, however his first rodeo can be aided by a gifted core. The headliner is electrical sophomore guard Tahaad Pettiford, who spurned the NBA Draft to return for what needs to be an enormous sophomore season. UCF switch Keyshawn Corridor could also be simply as necessary after main the Massive 12 in scoring final season. He’ll crew with Division II switch Elyjah Freeman to present the Tigers some pop on the wing. The Tigers’ depth will come from a mix of freshmen, junior school transfers and Serbian addition Filip Jovic.
7. Missouri
Breakdown: Missouri accomplished a outstanding turnaround final season by going from 0-18 within the SEC to 10-8 on the best way to incomes a No. 6 seed within the NCAA Event. The Tigers’ prime two 3-point shooters — Caleb Grill and Tamar Bates — are gone, however fourth-year coach Dennis Gates returns 4 rotation gamers. An important one is Mark Mitchell, a former Duke ahead who shined in his first season with Mizzou. Now a senior, Mitchell is poised to be one of many convention’s prime gamers. Junior guard Anthony Robinson II is already an elite defender, and his promising offensive trajectory portends an enormous season.
8. Ole Miss
Breakdown: To the shock of nobody who has adopted his profession, Chris Beard wanted simply two seasons to take Ole Miss to its first Candy 16 since 2001. The Rebels misplaced a whopping 5 double-figure scorers from that crew, however a possible all-SEC performer is again in Malik Dia. He is huge, athletic and a matchup downside for opponents. Essentially the most fascinating newcomer is former Kansas, Wisconsin and St. John’s wing AJ Storr. An all-Massive Ten performer in 2024 for the Badgers, Storr flopped with Kansas final season. If he performs as much as his potential, the Rebels can construct on the momentum established final season.
9. Mississippi State
Breakdown: Josh Hubbard is again for extra. The undersized flamethrower is already a two-time all-SEC performer who has twice gotten Mississippi State to the NCAA Event. Now, as a junior, he’ll be surrounded by a largely new supporting forged as Chris Jans seems to achieve the Massive Dance for the fourth time in 4 years on the job. Georgetown switch guard Jayden Epps is a vital piece to the puzzle who might alleviate among the strain on Hubbard. The Bulldogs must also have one of many league’s greatest rim protectors with Wichita State switch Quincy Ballard patrolling the paint after main the American with 1.9 blocks per sport final season.
10. Texas
Breakdown: There’s a new face on the sideline in Sean Miller, who ditched his Xavier reunion tour after three seasons to strive his hand within the SEC. Regardless of the teaching change, three guards who performed 20+ minutes a sport (when wholesome) for the Longhorns final season are again. Jordan Pope and Tramon Mark every averaged double figures as starters, whereas Chendall Weaver is a gritty intangibles man. The inside heft is new, as seven-footer Matas Vokietaitis arrives from FAU after successful AAC Rookie of the 12 months honors. On the wing, Purdue switch Cam Heide is one other face school hoops followers will acknowledge after his 75 look with the Boilermakers the previous two seasons.
11. Vanderbilt
Breakdown: Mark Byington inherited a 9-win program and took it to the NCAA Event for the primary time since 2017 final season. The Commodores have been previous and deep however woefully undersized and too depending on Jason Edwards for scoring. Vandy can be previous and deep once more, however it is going to be greater and have multiple offensive engine. Stretch forwards Tyler Nickel and Devin McGlockton are again and able to pop it from the skin, and sophomore guard Tyler Tanner is poised for a sophomore yr soar after a powerful freshman marketing campaign. 5 of the transfers deliver important high-major expertise, which ought to assist guarantee a excessive flooring for the ‘Dores.
12. Oklahoma
Breakdown: Oklahoma rode the electrical playmaking of one-and-done star Jeremiah Fears to its first NCAA Event since 2021 final season. The Sooners must reinvent themselves in 2025-26, however level guard play ought to once more be a energy. Philadelphia native and former Saint Joseph’s star Xzayvier Brown has arrived after rating because the nation’s No. 30 switch, per 247Sports. He’ll crew with sixth-year senior sharpshooter Nijel Pack to present fourth-year coach Porter Moser an offensively potent backcourt. Switch forwards Derrion Reid (Alabama) and Tae Davis (Notre Dame) deliver an excellent mixture of manufacturing and dimension on the ahead spots, and Mohamed Wague returns to bruise on the block. It seems to be a formidable beginning 5. Past that’s the place the thriller lies.
13. Texas A&M
Breakdown: Bucky McMillan has already efficiently made one seismic soar in his teaching profession, as he turned Samford right into a perennial SoCon energy after being employed from a neighborhood highschool. Now he’s going from a small non-public college with an enrollment of underneath 10,000 to Texas A&M, which has over 70,000 college students. He’s bringing his patented “Buckyball” system with him, which means the Aggies are going to play quick, press all the time and hoist 3-pointers. He is assembled a powerful first roster headlined by big-name high-major transfers like Pop Isaacs (Creighton), Rylan Griffen (Kansas) and Mackenzie Mgbako (Indiana).
14. Georgia
Breakdown: Georgia snapped a 9-year NCAA Event drought final season in coach Mike White’s third yr. After a first-round exit, the Bulldogs are craving for extra with what White known as “probably the most expert passing crew that I’ve had the chance to teach in years.” That improve in passing comes with the addition of 4 switch guards. Although one-and-done star Asa Newell is gone after main the crew in scoring, the entrance court docket ought to nonetheless be robust. Towering sophomore Somto Cyril can be one of many league’s prime rim protectors, and BYU switch ahead Kanon Catchings is of curiosity to NBA scouts at ahead.
15. LSU
Breakdown: LSU’s quest to achieve the NCAA Event for the primary time since 2022 can be aided by one of many convention’s splashiest switch additions, because the Tigers scooped up two-time all-Mountain West performer Dedan Thomas Jr. to run the purpose. Thomas was No. 15 switch of the cycle, per 247Sports, and is one in all 4 former all-conference gamers from the mid and low-major ranks coming into the image. The return of fourth-year huge man Jalen Reed from a knee damage that ended his junior season additionally provides the Tigers a well-recognized face within the beginning lineup. Fourth-year coach Matt McMahon’s squad can be greater and extra bodily throughout the board after getting worn down a yr in the past.
16. South Carolina
Breakdown: South Carolina went from 11 wins in Lamont Paris’ first season to 26 in his second after which again to 12 final season. One other main upswing can be troublesome to perform with a roster that seems ill-equipped to compete within the SEC’s higher tier. The return of double-boomerang switch Meechie Johnson Jr. from Ohio State provides the Gamecocks some hope after he led the 2023-24 crew in scoring at 14.1 factors per sport. However with star ahead Collin Murray-Boyles gone to the NBA, Johnson goes to want some assist. With none top-100 transfers or five-star freshmen, the entire must be larger than the sum of its components.