About those Way Too Early Top 25s ...

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Good morning! If you’re Jonesing for some transfer portal news, you’re in the right place. Maybe that’ll tide you over until some actual basketball kicks off tonight with the NBA playoffs.

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1. It’s never been harder to be a Way Too Early Top 25

Most of the college hoops media spent last Sunday and Monday working up projections for the 2025-26 college hoops season. The guys over at Heat Check (OK, probably just Eli Boettger) grabbed an overview of the major outlets.

That’s a lot of love for Houston, and rightly so. The Coogs will lose two starters (J’Wan Roberts and L.J. Cryer) from their 35-5 national runner-up squad, as well as their sixth- and seventh-men in JaVier Francis and Mylik Wilson.

But with starters Emanuel Sharp, JoJo Tugler and Milos Uzan returning, and with some help from wing Terrance Arceneaux and a freshman class that includes 5-star big Chris Cenac and two other 4-stars, Houston seems like a safe bet.

At least for a few days.

Arceneaux entered the portal, Uzan declared for the NBA Draft, and Houston added Creighton transfer Pop Isaacs to the roster, as well as Sam Houston State forward Kalifa Sakho. Uzan has until May 28 to decide if he’s staying in the draft. Arceneaux was a likely starter. And I have no clue how a ball-dominant guard like Isaacs will fit into Houston’s system. (Kelvin Sampson surely know what he wants, and this seems like an Uzan hedge.)

A week later, Houston’s still No. 1 in updated Top 25s from the Field of 68 and from CBS Sports, but that depends on Uzan’s NBA future. And the other top 24 teams in those projections?

BYU jumped to No. 5 in both and UCLA’s 6th and 11th. Arizona returned a handful of players the last few days, and is now 7th on CBS. The Fof68 has Kentucky at 6. Kansas is closer to Top 20 than Top 10, while the reigning champs are in the teens.

The point is, it’s April 15 (file your taxes). The transfer window’s open for another week, the NBA Draft deadline isn’t for another five weeks, and we’ll see the portal entrants commit through the summer.

A Way Too Early Top 25 has always been an imperfect, temporary projection. Seems to be truer than ever before.

2. A NPOY candidate headlines Monday’s returning players

Sick of the transfer portal? That’s cool. Monday delivered more than a few familiar names who announced that they’ll play at the same program again in 2025-26.

And the most notable name is a biggie.

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