The weekend in college hoops

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Good morning! If your weekend was half as good as Marquis Nowell’s — with a special guest appearance by Jerome Tang — you had a great few days. So let’s get to all the college hoops news you need to know.

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1. Asking tough questions about 2026 recruiting class

We’re a week removed from Peach Jam, Rock Hill and the close of the second live July recruiting session. The initial impressions have faded, and more diligent assessments have started.

Well, at least some assessments.

Field of 68 recruiting experts Ami Umana and Meshu Negga talked for an hour with Rob Dauster and Jeff Goodman about the class of 2026, and touched on several hot topics, including:

• Is the Class of 2026 a “weak” class, or is it just the talent at the top?

• Which 2026 prospects might be the best long-term options for college programs?

• Who’s the No. 2 player in the class?

• Which program would maximize Tyran Stokes’ talent? (Hint: He’s had more top talent than any coach in the last 15 years.)

• Which Class of 2027 players might re-classify to capitalize on a relatively weak class?

• What’s the portion of their budget college programs should be spending the top talent?

Sam Lance dove into some of those topics last Monday, but it’s worth a listen to the pod because there’s more context available. It’s not just a series of soundbites.

And the overarching theme — how should college programs approach a “weak” class? — will be something that’s discussed for the next 6-9 months as these players commit to various schools. And rather than lament the lack of top-tier, NBA-ready talent, it’s an opportunity for programs to grab players who could stay in one place for multiple seasons.

As Adam Finkelstein noted over at 247 Sports, NBA teams might not have extended interest in this class, but any program that identifies ideal fits and allocates the right amount of NIL, it’s a chance to position your program for long-term success.

Some player examples? Bryson Howard, Carlos Medlock Jr. (see below), Colben Landrew and Jacob Webber. Those are guys who could make an impact over several seasons, rather than just one.

2. Izzo’s approach big factor for ‘26 recruit + more commits

For those who think college coaches can’t push players because they’ll just head somewhere else, Tom Izzo stands in contrast to that idea.

Of course, winning 30 games also helps.

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