College basketball 2024-25 preview: Alabama, Gonzaga, Kansas, UConn lead our preseason men’s Top 25

The ballot below was submitted to the Associated Press (without the comments) in early October. The weekly AP rankings will begin Nov. 11 and run every Monday through March 17, followed by the end-of-season poll after the NCAA Tournament.

Each team’s placement in the AP preseason poll has been included.

1. Alabama: The Crimson Tide is fresh off a run to the Final Four and returns one of the nation’s top players in guard Mark Sears, plus standout coach Nate Oats and a perfect mix of veterans and transfers — all of which leads to one conclusion: It’s a basketball school. AP: 2

2. Gonzaga: After what first appeared to be a post-Drew Timme dip, the Zags are back in the hunt for a national championship. To the core group (Graham Ike, Nolan Hickman and Ryan Nembhard), coach Mark Few has added transfers Michael Ajayi (Pepperdine) and Khalif Battle (Arkansas). The resulting rotation will be exceedingly difficult to stop. AP: 6

3. Kansas: The Jayhawks received more than twice as many first-place votes in the AP preseason poll (30) as second-ranked Alabama (14), and it’s easy to like coach Bill Self’s retooled, transfer-heavy lineup. The centerpiece is unchanged, with All-American big man Hunter Dickinson returning for his second season in Lawrence. AP: 1

4. Connecticut: Coach Danny Hurley’s team is a threat to become the first three-peat NCAA champion since the UCLA dynasty, but the task is daunting with four new starters and so much cohesion to forge. Assign the same roster to any other coach, and the Huskies would not crack our top 10. With Hurley, UConn plays by different rules. AP: 3

5. Iowa State: The Cyclones would be a lock to win their first Big 12 regular season title in more than two decades if not for Kansas — and Arizona and Houston and Baylor. In a loaded league, road wins will make all the difference. Iowa State has the perimeter defense to win anywhere. AP: 5

6. Duke: Were the Blue Devils nothing more than the Cooper Flagg Show, they would be far lower in our forecast. But the phenomenal freshman has quality guards in Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster to help navigate the lurking pitfalls — and potentially relieve the immense pressure on third-year coach Jon Scheyer. AP: 7

7. Arizona: At the broadest level, we have learned two things about Tommy Lloyd’s program during his three seasons in charge: The Wildcats overachieve during the regular season and underachieve during the postseason. If that dynamic shifts in the grueling, resolve-building Big 12, nobody in Tucson would utter a word of complaint. AP: 10

8. Houston: Milos Uzan, a junior transfer from Oklahoma, steps into the point guard role filled previously by the wondrous Jamal Shead. If the Cougars successfully disperse the playmaking responsibilities to L.J. Cryer and others, their post-Shead backslide could be limited. AP: 4

9. Indiana: Our first sleeper selection, to the extent the Hoosiers could be considered a sleeper with their AP Top 25 ranking and stellar trio of transfers from the Pac-12: Washington State guard Myles Rice, Stanford guard Kanaan Carlyle and Arizona big man Oumar Ballo. AP: 17

10. Baylor. The Bears are No. 10 on our ballot but the fifth Big 12 team listed — such is the depth at the top of the conference. This position could prove too low if freshman guard VJ Edgecombe matures into an NBA lottery pick. (If you’re curious, Edgecombe’s talents will be on display Monday night when the Bears open the season against Gonzaga on ESPN2.) AP: 8

11. Tennessee: If the Vols compensate for the departure of high-scoring guard Dalton Knecht — and responsibility will fall on several players — they should continue to win at a high level. Otherwise, this projection will look quite foolish by the time the SEC tournament begins. AP: 12

12. Auburn: The clear class of the SEC resides in Tuscaloosa, but there are challengers lurking in what should be the nation’s No. 2 conference (behind the Big 12, of course). If you’re wondering about the Big Ten’s place in the hierarchy, well, it’s a distant third — at best. AP: 11

13. Creighton: With Ryan Kalkbrenner and Steven Ashworth, the Bluejays return two of the core four that powered their run to the Sweet 16. That’s a solid start. But to reach the second weekend again, they need consistent production from transfers Jamiya Neal (Arizona State) and Pop Isaacs (Texas Tech). AP: 15

14. Arkansas: The immense attention paid to John Calipari’s every move in Fayetteville overshadows the impressive roster at his disposal. To fulfill their potential, the Razorbacks need sophomore D.J. Wagner to perform like the No. 1 wing guard prospect in the country — the accolade he carried as a senior in high school. AP: 16

15. North Carolina: High-scoring guard RJ Davis is the key to a stellar season for coach Hubert Davis, who won’t have a proven frontcourt presence to anchor the offense. Davis the coach has won 78 games in his three seasons, which would be good enough at all but a few Division I schools. In Chapel Hill, it’s not nearly enough. AP: 9

16. Texas: We interrupt football season in Austin to let everyone know the basketball team is absolutely loaded with playmakers. If the Longhorns become a cohesive unit, they could challenge for the SEC title and reach the second weekend of the NCAAs. AP: 19

17. Marquette: This selection is based more on faith in coach Shaka Smart’s ability to craft a cohesive unit than on proof of performance from the players in his 2024-25 rotation. Because in all candor, the Golden Eagles are a bit lacking in known commodities. AP: 18

18. Wake Forest: Our second sleeper selection, to the extent the Demon Deacons could be considered a sleeper after their 21-win season and with one of the ACC’s best players. Guard Hunter Sallis, the former Gonzaga recruit who spent two years in Spokane, is thriving in Winston-Salem. AP: Not ranked

19. Texas A&M: There are enough returning pieces from the team that took Houston to overtime in the NCAAs to keep the Aggies relevant in the SEC. And the No. 1 piece is guard Wade Taylor IV, who averaged 19 points per game last season and could rise to the level of an All-American candidate. AP: 13

20. Florida: Don’t be surprised if Alabama wins the SEC handily with a cluttered second tier that includes the Gators. Coach Todd Golden has an A-level scorer in Walter Clayton Jr. but will need a reliable second option to keep the Crimson Tide in sight. AP: 21

21. UCLA: The Bruins might have a better team than last year without much to show for the improvement due to the challenges of moving into the Big Ten. The flights are longer, the competition is tougher and the margin for error is narrower. AP: 22

22. St. John’s: Our third sleeper selection, to the extent the Red Storm can be considered a sleeper with Rick Pitino in charge and two recruiting cycles of talent at his disposal. AP: Not ranked

23. Purdue: Matt Painter is one of the top developers of talent and tacticians in the sport (and has been for years). But losing National Player of the Year Zach Edey is comparable to any other program losing its top three scorers and rebounders. AP: 14

24. San Diego State: With all the attention devoted to the attrition — and it was considerable — the Hotline prefers to focus on who’s back for the Aztecs: coach Brian Dutcher. AP: Not ranked

25. Rutgers: Our fourth sleeper is … not a sleeper. The Scarlet Knights cracked the AP preseason poll thanks to a stunning influx of talent. They signed the top recruits in the country at two positions: small forward Ace Bailey and wing guard Dylan Harper. Let that sink in. AP: 25