Seven months after Michigan won the 2026 national championship in April, the 2026-27 men's college basketball season arrives with a reshaped landscape. Players have moved through the transfer portal, coaches have changed jobs, and a new NCAA eligibility rule has produced lawsuits and roster uncertainty nationwide. ESPN analysts Jeff Borzello, Joe Lunardi and Myron Medcalf answered eight key questions heading into the year.
The defending champions drew little optimism for a repeat. Borzello pointed out that Michigan lost four starters after the title game, then its head coach in late June, when Dusty May moved to the pro ranks. In late August it also lost five-star freshman Brandon McCoy to a torn ACL that will sideline him all season. Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney should form one of the nation's best backcourts, and transfers J.P. Estrella and Moustapha Thiam arrive to help up front, but Borzello sees a second-weekend run as the realistic ceiling. Medcalf said a repeat is slightly feasible because this year's field lacks a team as strong as last season's Michigan, though an early tournament exit under coach Mike Boynton looks more likely. Lunardi called the Wolverines one of the least likely repeat candidates in recent years, citing heavy turnover, a surprise coaching change and a brutal Big Ten.
Eligibility may be the biggest wild card. Medcalf noted that hundreds of legal cases could affect rosters, and that LSU had only four players on its official roster a few weeks ago. Coach Will Wade has since added more, but transfers Donovan Dent and Skyy Clark are in the NCAA's sights, since the association has vowed to fight every Class of 2022 player seeking extra eligibility. In last week's exhibition between Louisville and Kansas, four players on the two rosters, including sixth-year case Trey Kaufman-Renn, faced eligibility questions. The NCAA also appears to be gaining ground in a federal class action in Colorado that could otherwise give those athletes a blanket waiver.
Lunardi's top concern is the expansion of the NCAA tournament to 76 teams. He expects most of the eight new bids to go to middling teams from power conferences and argues the system rewards scheduling that only major conferences can manage. Borzello is watching Duke, ranked No. 2 despite lacking a one-and-done lottery pick like Cooper Flagg or Cameron Boozer. Coach Jon Scheyer must settle questions at point guard, decide how quickly to develop Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje and determine how deep his rotation should run.
On which teams have the most to lose, Borzello chose Florida, which could return four of its top seven players from its title team two seasons ago, depending on Denzel Aberdeen's eligibility. Medcalf picked Kentucky and coach Mark Pope, who reportedly spent $6 million to land Milan Momcilovic and also added Zoom Diallo, with Malachi Moreno returning after withdrawing from the NBA draft. Lunardi chose St. John's and Rick Pitino, whose team has won 61 games over the past two seasons but has yet to get past the Sweet 16.
For the biggest leap, Borzello selected USC, the only team in his preseason top 25 that missed last year's tournament, after the Trojans lost eight straight to end the season. Medcalf backed Texas and coach Sean Miller, who return tournament hero Matas Vokietaitis and add Marcus Spears Jr., the former No. 1 recruit in the 2027 class. Lunardi chose Miami, now under coach Jai Lucas, and expects at least a second-weekend appearance.
The analysts also named the first top-25 team they expect to exit the tournament. Borzello picked Kentucky, citing questions about perimeter shooting and defensive consistency, while acknowledging the pick could age poorly if the backcourt clicks. Medcalf chose Michigan, noting that Baylor, Kansas and Florida all lost in the second round the year after winning titles. Lunardi picked Gonzaga, pointing to roster turnover and a tough move to the new Pac-12.
