Over the past week, the Associated Press released their preseason top-25 rankings for men’s college basketball. While the rankings are subject to change throughout the season, preseason polls allow fans and analysts to see which college basketball teams are most likely to have incredible seasons. Although there are numerous things to dissect and analyze in this year’s AP poll, these are the top three key takeaways from the men’s AP top 25 rankings. 

Kansas Ranked No. 1 

For the second time in five years, Kansas has ranked as the No. 1 preseason favorite in men’s college basketball. Receiving 43 out of  63 first-place votes, it is clear that many analysts and scouts expect Kansas to make a deep tournament run this year. While returning players such as KJ Adams, Kevin McCullar Jr and Dajuan Harris Jr make up a big part of why Kansas is ranked so high, it is their big acquisition in the transfer portal that has changed life for the Jayhawks. Acquiring star center Hunter Dickinson from Michigan, the Jayhawks now find themselves with a player-of-the-year candidate as their starting center. Pairing his elite scoring and rebounding ability alongside Harris Jr’s playmaking and passing skills, the team certainly deserves the number one spot in this year’s top 25 preseason AP poll. 

Duke at No. 2 

Coming off of a 27-9 season, the Duke Blue Devils led by head coach Jon Scheyer have been listed as the number two overall team to start the season. Returning four starters along with the addition of the No. 12 high school recruit Jared McCain, the Blue Devils are set for one of the best seasons in recent memory. While one could argue that Duke should be number one in the rankings, it is their lack of deep tournament runs and experience that prevent them from overtaking the Kansas Jayhawks as the best team in the NCAA. Despite the lack of tournament experience, players such as Jared McCain, Tyrese Proctor and Kyle Filipowski should have no problem dominating the ACC with their elite offensive play. Their scoring capabilities along with coach Scheyer’s defensive mindset make them a top three team to start the year.

Four Texas teams in the Top 25 

Though Texas has been more known for its football, college basketball in the Lone Star state has never looked better. With Texas, Baylor, Houston and Texas A&M all ranked in the AP top 25 this preseason, it is clear to see that Texas basketball has reached an all-time elite level. 

Houston, listed at number seven, is the highest-ranking Texas team in the poll this year. Hoping to improve upon last year’s Sweet Sixteen appearance, the Cougars will rely on the solid guard play of Jamal Shead and Damian Dunn this upcoming season. 

Despite making it to the elite eight for the first time since 2008, Texas find themselves listed at 18 on the preseason poll. With four key rotation players returning, it is hard to imagine a scenario where the Longhorns do not recapture the success they had last year. The Longhorns also managed to acquire an elite-level scorer in Max Abmas through the transfer portal. Coming off of a 21-points-per-game season, Abmas is sure to add to the already explosive Texas offense. Their collection of elite scorers and experienced guard play makes them a threat to every team in college basketball. 

One of the more unproven teams in the top 25 is Texas A&M at number 15. A one-and-done in the tournament last year, A&M is looking towards elite guards Wade Taylor IV and Tyrece Radford to lead them into a deep tournament run this year. Their backcourt is regarded by some as the best in the SEC and is a big reason why the Aggies are ranked so high this preseason. It will definitely be interesting to see how the Aggies fare against the rest of the SEC this upcoming basketball season. 

Last but certainly not least are the 20th-ranked Baylor Bears. The loss of stars such as Keyonte George and Adam Flagler would be a crucial blow to any team with tournament hopes, yet Baylor has somehow found a way to make up for their scoring absence. With transfer player RayJ Dennis and freshman Miro Little beginning their tenure at Baylor, the opportunities for the Bear’s offense are unlimited. 

While these three factors are nowhere near the only things to take away from this year’s preseason poll, they are certainly some of the most important. With the start of college basketball only weeks away, it is crucial to know what teams to watch out for this year. Whether it is Kansas’ experienced play, Duke’s offensive star power or the emergence of Texas basketball, this NCAA basketball season is set to be one of the best in recent history.