NCAA basketball 2020-2021: Preseason Top 25 college basketball rankings

5. Kansas Jayhawks

The best team at the end of the season last year was Kansas, which would have been the top overall seed if the NCAA Tournament was played. The Jayhawks lost their top two players to the pros in Udoka Azubuike and Devon Dotson but still manage to end up with a top-five unit thanks to the incredible depth Bill Self has assembled in Lawrence. A remarkable seven rotation players are back for Kansas this year, headlined by Marcus Garrett and David McCormack. Five-star freshman Bryce Thompson and junior college transfer Tyon Grant-Foster should also add some scoring punch as the Jayhawks look poised to fight for Big 12 supremacy once again.

4. Virginia Cavaliers

Technically still the reigning national champions, Virginia will look to defend its title with a well-rounded roster. Kihei Clark and Jay Huff remain as key players from that championship team while newly eligible Marquette transfer Sam Hauser should add some scoring punch to the Cavaliers’ lineup. Tony Bennett also did a stellar job recruiting, landing three potential impact freshmen headlined by Jabri Abdur-Rahim, the son of former NBA star Shareef Abdur-Rahim. The Cavaliers will rightfully enter this season as the favorites in the ACC and have an excellent opportunity to repeat as champs.

3. FanSided Top 25: Baylor Bears

One of the deepest teams in college basketball a year ago, Baylor brings back essentially everyone from its dominant 2019-20 squad. The big losses are Freddie Gillespie, who graduated, and Tristan Clark, who was forced to retire from basketball due to a lingering knee injury.Scott Drew has added to his core with two top freshmen (Dain Dainja and LJ Cryer) and two transfers (Jonathan Tchama Tchatchoua and Adam Flagler) who should contribute right away. Jared Butler figures to be a contender for Big 12 Player of the Year honors as the Bears look to put together the best season in program history.

2. FanSided Top 25: Villanova Wildcats

Jay Wright has done a tremendous job turning the Wildcats into a modern-day blue blood. Winners of two national championships since 2016, Villanova managed to quickly reload last year and snag a share of the Big East’s regular-season title with a very young roster. Losing Saddiq Bey to the pros hurt but the Wildcats should be just fine offensively with the addition of Tulane transfer Caleb Daniels, who is now eligible after sitting out last season. Adding Daniels to Villanova’s existing collection of talented guards and wings could make a third title a very real possibility in March.

1. FanSided Top 25: Gonzaga Bulldogs

Don’t look now, but the top team in the land is out west with Gonzaga. Mark Few’s team is loaded despite losing Filip Petrusev and Killian Tillie, adding the school’s best-ever recruit in Jalen Suggs, a five-star guard who should thrive offensively in the Bulldogs’ deep lineup. Joel Ayayi, Corey Kispert and Drew Timme are all back as well to help set the tempo for a team that has tremendous depth and can beat you in just about any way you can think of. Gonzaga is the nation’s top team entering the season and has a chance to make some program history by cutting down the nets to claim their first national championship in April.

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