Since Michigan cut down the nets in early April, the college basketball landscape has transformed completely.
More than 2,500 players entered the transfer portal this spring, inciting another chaotic stretch of roster shuffling. Then came the NBA Draft, when big names had to decide whether to make the leap to the pros or run it back, followed by a high school recruiting period that saw multiple five-star prospects reclassify to 2026.
The profound changes across the sport have left us with a lot of burning questions for the upcoming campaign. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be breaking them all down by conference. First up, the SEC, which received the highest number of bids to the 2026 NCAA Tournament (10) and could very well defend that title in 2027.
1. How Will Florida Respond After Last Season’s Heartbreak?
The Gators entered last season’s Big Dance with visions of going back-to-back after dominating the SEC. Instead, they were upset in the second round in heartbreaking fashion by No. 9 seed Iowa. A defensive breakdown in the waning seconds led to a wide open three for forward Alvaro Folgueiras, who buried it to give the Hawkeyes a 73-72 advantage and crush Florida’s repeat hopes.
That was widely believed to be the end for UF’s core, as frontcourt standouts Thomas Haugh, Rueben Chinyelu and Alex Condon were all on NBA watch. But the trio withdrew from the draft ahead of the deadline, opting to re-sign for another shot at the championship. With floor general Boogie Fland also coming back, Todd Golden’s team should open the season ranked No. 1 in the country.
To live up to those lofty expectations, the returnees will have to put the past behind them and take another step forward in what should be a hyper-competitive conference. If all goes according to plan, Haugh should contend for the Wooden Award, Chinyelu should be in the running for his second Naismith Defensive Player of the Year trophy, Condon should make his third All-SEC squad and Florida should be back on college basketball’s biggest stage come April.
2. Can an Incredible Portal Haul Lift Tennessee to its First Final Four?
At the beginning of the offseason, Tennessee’s roster was a complete wreck. Six players had entered the portal, forward Nate Ament had declared for the NBA Draft and point guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie was out of eligibility. But Rick Barnes didn’t panic. As he told Hoops HQ in mid-April, his new roster-building philosophy is “production over retention.”
Working with a blank canvas, Barnes constructed a team loaded with offensive firepower. The headliner is Hoops HQ’s No. 1-ranked transfer Juke Harris, a 6-foot-7 junior guard who averaged 21.4 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals at Wake Forest last season. The Vols landed four more players who recorded at least 15 points per game: 6-foot-3 junior guard Terrence Hill Jr. (VCU), 6-foot-2 senior guard Dai Dai Ames (Cal), 6-foot-7 sophomore forward Jalen Haralson (Notre Dame) and 6-foot-5 senior guard Tyler Lundblade (Belmont).
Tennessee hasn’t ranked in the top 50 in scoring since the 2018-19 campaign, but that trend is likely to end in 2026-27. Another streak that could be snapped by this talented group? In 117 seasons, UT has never reached the Final Four.
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3. How Far Can the Nation’s No. 1-Ranked Recruiting Class Lead Arkansas?
John Calipari has another stellar freshman class on his hands, composed of four five-stars — 6-foot-2 combo guard Jordan Smith Jr., 6-foot-6 wing JJ Andrews, 6-foot-5 wing Abdou Toure and 6-foot-10 forward Miikka Muurinen — and top-30 prospect Davion Thompson, a 6-foot-2 point guard who reclassified up from 2027. That recruiting haul should make Arkansas the most entertaining team in the SEC… but will it deliver wins?
The headliner is Smith, the 2026 Gatorade National Player of the Year out of Paul VI Catholic High School in Virginia. With a rare combination of speed, strength and physicality, Smith should be among the best two-way guards in college basketball from day one. As the leader of Team Takeover on last year’s EYBL circuit, he averaged 19.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.4 steals.
Arkansas is returning starting forward Billy Richmond III and bringing in a big-time transfer in guard Jeremiah Wilkinson, but this team will go as far as the freshmen take it. The past three SEC champs (Tennessee, Auburn and Florida) have been loaded with experience. Can the Razorbacks break that streak?
4. Will Kentucky Bounce Back?
An injury-plagued 2025-26 Kentucky team stumbled to a seventh place finish in the SEC before getting bounced in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. It was looking bleak for the program early in the offseason, as it whiffed on several of its top targets in the transfer portal and on the high school level. But Mark Pope landed a few big names late, including Hoops HQ’s No. 5-ranked transfer Milan Momcilovic from Iowa State.
With pressure from fans mounting, the Wildcats certainly have the talent to compete for an SEC title and advance past the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2019. Momcilovic, the best shooter in college basketball, is expected to be joined in the starting lineup by guards Zoom Diallo (transfer from Washington) and Alex Wilkins (transfer from Furman), promising international forward Ousmane N’Diaye and returning center Malachi Moreno. That group may not be generating the same buzz as last year’s squad, but it has tremendous upside, especially if rising sophomores Wilkins and Moreno take significant leaps.
Kentucky hasn’t eclipsed the 25-win mark in five years despite having a massive NIL budget to work with. For comparison, the program won at least 26 games every season except one between 2009-19. This team has the potential to turn things around in Lexington.
5. How Impactful Will Marcus Spears Jr. Be For Texas?
With star center Matas Vokietaitis coming back and the nation’s No. 4-ranked transfer class joining the mix, Texas was already projected as one of the top contenders in the SEC. Then the program added Marcus Spears Jr.
Considered by many to be the best player in the Class of 2027, Spears stunned the basketball world by reclassifying to 2026 and committing to the Longhorns in mid-July. He will have to play two seasons at the college level before being eligible for the NBA Draft.
The 6-foot-10 forward is a smooth lefty with a versatile skill set. As the centerpiece of Drive Nation on the EYBL circuit, he averaged 20.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.2 steals while shooting 59.3 percent from the field and 52.6 percent from deep. He also helped lead USA Basketball to a gold medal at the FIBA U16 AmeriCup in 2025, posting a team-high 14 points per game.
It might take time for him to adjust to the bump in competition, but there is little doubt that Spears will assume an important role for Sean Miller this season. If the 17-year-old can turn into an All-SEC-caliber player, then Texas may be the team to beat in the stacked conference.
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