Last year, the SEC enjoyed the greatest season for a conference in college basketball history, and that’s not hyperbole — it’s statistically true. Out of 16 teams, a record 14 made the NCAA Tournament, two reached the Final Four, and one, the Florida Gators, went on to win the national championship.
All eyes will be on this league for the 2025-26 campaign, and with so much player turnover, numerous different outcomes are in play. Here’s a look at the SEC preseason power rankings.
*Rankings for freshmen are via 247Sports Composite.
1. Florida Gators
2024-25: 36-4 (14-4)
Key players: Alex Condon, 6-foot-11 junior forward, 10.6 points, 7.5 rebounds per game; Thomas Haugh, 6-foot-9 junior forward, 9.8 points, 6.1 rebounds per game; Reuben Chinyelu, 6-foot-11 junior center, 6.0 points, 6.6 rebounds per game; Boogie Fland, 6-foot-2 sophomore guard, 13.5 points, 5.1 assists per game (Arkansas); Xaivian Lee, 6-foot-3 senior guard, 16.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.5 assists per game (Princeton)
While losing all three starting guards (including the elite Alijah Martin) from its championship backcourt was a hit, Florida brings back four rotation forwards from what was arguably the nation’s best frontcourt. Fland is a proven SEC player and Lee was an elite shot-maker in the Ivy League, but the Gators will need them to be more efficient to remain the favorites once league play begins.
2. Kentucky Wildcats
2024-25: 24-12 (10-8)
Key players: Otega Oweh, 6-foot-5 senior guard, 16.2 points, 4.7 rebounds per game; Jaland Lowe, 6-foot-2 junior guard, 16.8 points, 5.5 assists per game (Pittsburgh); Denzel Aberdeen, 6-foot-5 senior guard, 7.7 points per game (Florida); Kam Williams, 6-foot-8 sophomore forward, 9.3 points, 4.5 rebounds per game (Tulane); Jayden Quaintance, 6-foot-9 sophomore forward, 9.4 points, 7.9 rebounds per game (Arizona State)
Kentucky is one of three SEC teams that returns its leading scorer, with Oweh set to be the Wildcats’ go-to guy once again. Lowe was an all-league player in the ACC and a top-20 incoming recruiting class will provide more depth. The X-factor will be the health of Quaintance, who is recovering from a torn ACL injury and may not be 100 percent until SEC play. Still, the Wildcats have the depth at center in case he needs more time.
3. Alabama Crimson Tide
2024-25: 28-9 (13-5)
Key players: Aden Holloway, 6-foot-1 junior guard, 11.4 points, 1.9 assists per game; Labaron Philon, 6-foot-4 sophomore guard, 10.6 points, 3.8 assists per game; Taylor Bol Bowen, 6-foot-10 junior forward, 8.0 points, 5.2 rebounds per game (Florida State); Noah Williamson, 7-foot senior forward, 17.6 points, 7.6 rebounds per game (Bucknell)
Alabama has fielded one of the top scoring offenses in the nation for the past few years, and the duo of Holloway and Philon — both breakout candidates — should be able to keep it that way. The two big questions are how the roster will be able to defend, as well as the health concerns on the perimeter, where three players, including 6-foot-5 sophomore guard Jalil Bethea (recovering from foot surgery), are currently out with injuries.
4. Tennessee Volunteers
2024-25: 30-8 (12-6)
Key players: Felix Okpara, 6-foot-11 senior forward, 7.1 points, 6.4 rebounds per game; Ja’Kobi Gillespie, 6-foot senior guard, 14.7 points, 4.8 assists per game (Maryland); Amaree Abram, 6-foot-4 senior guard, 12.3 points per game (Louisiana Tech); Nate Ament, 6-foot-10 freshman forward, No. 4 overall prospect
Despite losing so much production from last year, Tennessee has two things working in its favor. One, Gillespie is one of the top incoming transfers and should be a strong candidate for All-SEC honors. The other is Ament, the highest-ranked incoming freshman in program history, who should give the Vols a needed offensive boost in the frontcourt. As long as the defense remains top-tier, Tennessee will be in the mix at the top of the standings.
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5. Auburn Tigers
2024-25: 32-6 (15-3)
Key players: Tahaad Pettiford, 6-foot-1 sophomore guard, 11.6 points per game; Keyshawn Hall, 6-foot-7 senior forward, 18.8 points, 7.1 rebounds per game (UCF); Kevin Overton, 6-foot-5 junior guard, 7.8 points, 3.7 rebounds per game (Texas Tech); KeShawn Murphy, 6-foot-10 senior forward, 11.7 points, 7.4 rebounds per game (Mississippi State)
The biggest storyline in the SEC is head coach Bruce Pearl stepping down a month before the season. How will his son, Steven Pearl, do now that he’s in the head coach’s chair? It’s still a very talented roster, led by a consensus breakout candidate in Pettiford. How the pieces fit and how much growing pains the new coach goes through will matter, but the floor remains high at Auburn.
6. Arkansas Razorbacks
2024-25: 22-14 (8-10)
Key players: DJ Wagner, 6-foot-3 junior guard, 11.2 points, 3.6 assists per game; Karter Knox, 6-foot-6 sophomore forward, 8.3 points, 3.3 rebounds per game; Malique Ewin, 6-foot-10 junior forward, 14.2 points, 7.6 rebounds per game (Florida State); Meleek Thomas, 6-foot-3 freshman guard, No. 13 overall prospect; Darius Acuff Jr., 6-foot-2 freshman guard, No. 5 overall prospect
Coach John Calipari was able to salvage last year’s rough start with another Sweet Sixteen appearance, but is the SEC too tough for freshmen to consistently make that kind of impact in the portal era? Acuff and Thomas will get plenty of playing time alongside Wagner, while the new-look frontcourt, led by Ewin, should give Arkansas needed balance on offense. This ranking could undersell the Razorbacks, who have plenty of high-level talent across the roster.
7. Ole Miss Rebels
2024-25: 24-12 (10-8)
Key players: Malik Dia, 6-foot-9 senior forward, 10.8 points, 5.7 rebounds per game; Corey Chest, 6-foot-8 sophomore forward, 6.1 points, 6.6 rebounds per game (LSU); Kezza Giffa, 6-foot-2 senior guard, 14.6 points, 2.5 assists per game (High Point); AJ Storr, 6-foot-6 senior guard, 6.1 points per game (Kansas)
The backcourt was the strength for the Rebels last year. This time around, it’ll be the frontcourt, led by Dia and the underrated Chest. Storr, who is coming off a disappointing campaign at Kansas, will serve as an X-factor, as will Koren Johnson, a 6-foot-2 junior guard who was a double-digit scorer at Washington but was limited to just two games played last year at Louisville. If those two get back to being high-caliber starters, Ole Miss will have the firepower needed to compete for another NCAA Tournament bid.
8. Mississippi State Bulldogs
2024-25: 21-13 (8-10)
Key players: Josh Hubbard, 5-foot-10 junior guard, 18.9 points, 3.1 assists per game; Jayden Epps, 6-foot-2 senior guard, 12.8 points, 2.3 assists per game (Georgetown); Quincy Ballard, 6-foot-11 senior center, 10 points, 9.2 rebounds per game (Wichita State); Brandon Walker, 6-foot-7 senior forward, 14.7 points, 4.8 rebounds per game (Montana State)
Hubbard is one of the best scorers in the nation and a preseason contender for SEC Player of the Year. Whether the Bulldogs are a postseason team again depends on the supporting cast. Ballard inside and Epps are safe bets, but there are question marks elsewhere, mainly on the wings.
9. Texas Longhorns
2024-25: 19-16 (6-12)
Key players: Jordan Pope, 6-foot-2 senior guard, 11 points per game; Tramon Mark, 6-foot-5 senior guard, 10.6 points per game; Dailyn Swain, 6-foot-7 junior forward, 11.0 points, 5.5 rebounds per game (Xavier); Matas Vokietaitis, 7-foot sophomore center, 10.2 points, 5.4 rebounds per game (Florida Atlantic)
Former Xavier head coach Sean Miller now takes over at Texas, building around the returning backcourt duo of Mark and Pope. Vokietaitis was quietly a strong freshman big man in the AAC, but the SEC is a big jump in competition. Lassina Traore, a 6-foot-8 senior forward, averaged a double-double at Long Beach two years ago but missed the entire 2024-25 season due to a knee injury.
10. Texas A&M Aggies
2024-25: 23-11 (11-7)
Key players: Pop Isaacs, 6-foot-2 junior guard, 16.3 points, 3.9 assists per game (8 games, Creighton); Jacari Lane, 6-foot senior guard, 17.3 points, 4.0 assists per game (North Alabama); Mackenzie Mgbako, 6-foot-8 junior forward, 12.2 points, 4.6 rebounds per game (Indiana); Federiko Federiko, 6-foot-11 senior center, 5.1 points, 4.5 rebounds per game (Texas Tech)
New head coach Bucky McMillan had one of the top offenses in all of college basketball at Samford for the past few years and looks to turn Texas A&M into a similarly high-scoring unit. Isaacs and Mgbako could potentially thrive in his system, while Federiko looks to anchor the defense inside. If this cast gels, the Aggies could be a darkhorse contender to keep an eye on.
11. Missouri Tigers
2024-25: 22-12 (10-8)
Key players: Mark Mitchell, 6-foot-8 senior forward, 13.9 points, 4.7 rebounds per game; Anthony Robinson, 6-foot-2 junior guard, 9.0 points, 3.5 assists per game; Sebastian Mack, 6-foot-3 junior guard, 9.6 points, 1.7 assists per game (UCLA); Jevon Porter, 6-foot-11 senior forward, 12.5 points, 7.2 rebounds per game (Loyola Marymount)
Missouri orchestrated an impressive turnaround a year ago, going from winless to 10 SEC victories and a trip to the NCAA Tournament.The 2025-26 Tigers return two key starters in Mitchell and Robinson, with the hope that Mack can fill in as a solid starting guard. While the Tigers don’t have the ceiling of last year’s squad, it should still be good enough to compete for another postseason bid.
12. Oklahoma Sooners
2024-25: 20-14 (6-12)
Key players: Xzayvier Brown, 6-foot-2 junior guard, 17.6 points, 4.3 assists per game (St. Joseph’s); Nijel Pack, 6-foot senior guard, 13.9 points, 4.3 assists per game (9 games at Miami); Tae Davis, 6-foot-9 senior forward, 15.1 points, 5.3 rebounds per game (Notre Dame); Derrion Reid, 6-foot-8 sophomore forward, 6.0 points, 2.8 rebounds per game (Alabama)
The loss of top-10 NBA Draft pick Jeremiah Fears was a huge blow, but the hope is that Brown can fill in as the next lead guard. He was a prolific stat-stuffer at St. Joseph’s, but he will get all of the opponents’ attention now. One name to watch is 6-foot-7 junior forward Jeff Nwankwo, a former top JUCO transfer who missed all of last year with an ACL injury. If Nwankwo is an impact newcomer, that raises the Sooners’ ceiling.
13. Vanderbilt Commodores
2024-25: 20-13 (8-10)
Key players: Tyler Nickel, 6-foot-7 senior forward, 10.4 points, 2.4 rebounds per game; Devin McGlockton, 6-foot-7 senior forward, 10.3 points, 7.9 rebounds per game; Frankie Collins, 6-foot-1 senior guard, 11.2 points, 4.4 assists per game (9 games, TCU); Duke Miles, 6-foot-2 senior guard, 9.4 points per game (Oklahoma)
The loss of leading scorer Jason Edwards via the portal could be one of the biggest individual departures any team has faced, but Vandy has a good amount of depth both inside and out, with Collings and Miles arriving as proven players from power conferences. The concern with this group is the lack of high-end talent — the type of guys who can go for 20-plus points on any given night.
14. Georgia Bulldogs
2024-25: 20-13 (8-10)
Key players: Blue Cain, 6-foot-5 junior guard, 9.6 points, 4.2 rebounds per game; Somto Cyril, 6-foot-11 sophomore center, 4.6 points, 3.8 rebounds per game; Jeremiah Wilkinson, 6-foot-1 sophomore guard, 15.1 points per game (Cal); Marcus Mildender, 5-foot-11 junior guard, 14.9 points, 3.3 assists per game (Texas-San Antonio)
Two of the big reasons why Georgia made the Big Dance were freshman star Asa Newell and guard Silas Demary, both of whom are gone. Cain has the chance to be a breakout lead guard, while Wilkinson was quietly one of the top freshman scorers in the nation and can help replace Demary’s production. The Bulldogs will need former top-50 prospect Cyril to deliver at center for the frontcourt to be competitive enough in the SEC this year.
15. LSU Tigers
2024-25: 14-18 (3-15)
Key players: Dedan Thomas, 6-foot-1 junior guard, 15.6 points, 4.7 assists per game (UNLV); Rashad King, 6-foot-6 senior guard, 18.5 points, 6.1 rebounds per game (Northeastern); Marquel Sutton, 6-foot-7 senior forward, 18.9 points, 7.9 rebounds per game (Omaha); Michael Nwoko, 6-foot-10 junior center, 6.1 points, 4.6 rebounds per game (Mississippi State)
As one of the two SEC teams that missed the NCAA Tournament, LSU and head coach Matt McMahon face considerable pressure to succeed. McMahon built an entirely new roster, loaded with productive players like Thomas, an All-Mountain West star. While Nwoko’s stats might not stand out, he’s at least a proven high-major contributor, something the rest of the newcomers can’t say just yet.
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16. South Carolina Gamecocks
2024-25: 12-20 (2-16)
Key players: Meechie Johnson, 6-foot-2 senior guard, 9.1 points, 2.7 assists per game (10 games, Ohio State); Kobe Knox, 6-foot-5 senior guard, 10.8 points per game (South Florida); Nordin Kapic, 6-foot-8 senior forward, 10.7 points, 5.2 rebounds per game (UC San Diego); Elijah Strong, 6-foot-8 junior forward, 9.6 points, 4.1 rebounds per game (Boston College)
The good news for the Gamecocks is that they return Johnson, who averaged 14.1 points per game two years ago when he led the program to the NCAA Tournament. The rest of the supporting cast lacks firepower, however, rendering South Carolina a non-threat. A big X-factor is Christ Essandoko, a 7-foot junior center who showed flashes of being a skilled player at St. Joseph’s but failed to crack the rotation at Providence. This team doesn’t have much size outside of Essandoko, so they need him to make an impact.
