League: NCAAM Sport: College Sports Country: United States Category: Scores & Results

Duke, Illinois, Florida among top teams in early preseason rankings

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 1, 2026, 2:47 PM

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

College Sports

Summary

Duke, Illinois, and Florida are highlighted as top contenders in early preseason college basketball rankings released on August 1. Duke is noted for its depth with multiple returning players and a strong freshman class, including top prospect Deron Rippey Jr. Illinois focused on retaining key players from last year's Final Four run, while Florida boasts a solid group of four returning starters. Texas and Virginia round out the top five, each enhancing their rosters through transfers and recruits. The remains fluid as team compositions could change before the season begins.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

By the Numbers

•Duke features a deep roster with multiple five-star recruits.
•Illinois retains key players after a Final Four appearance.
•Florida returns four starters but weighs depth concerns.
•Texas enhances its roster with new recruits especially Marcus Spears Jr.
•Virginia adds international talent to bolster their team.

Latest Updates

2:47 PMYahoo Sports — Good Morning, Illini Nation: The best of the best

What they're saying

"
Aug. 1—The top four in my early preseason top 25 were relatively easy to identify. At least after Texas closed out its offseason by getting Marcus Spears Jr. to reclassify. The order of the top three, however, took a little more thought and could honestly be listed in any permutation. For now, though, these five teams out my ballot. Until I change my mind several times between now and ...
— Yahoo Sports

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NCAAM College Sports