🏀 2025-26 TheResourceNexus.com Preseason All-American Teams Blending elite efficiency, production, and team success as we see it. Confidence levels are based on how likely we think it is that a player will make an All American team.
🥇 First Team All-American
G – Braden Smith, Purdue (5.6) — Confidence 99 The heartbeat of Purdue’s offense; elite passing, leadership, and efficiency. Player of the year is probably his to lose, given how stacked Purdue appears to be. He’s not necessarily the best player in the country, but he likely has the best odds to win the award based on team success and reputation.
G – Otega Oweh, Kentucky (5.6) — Confidence 80 Athletic forward with elite efficiency. Kentucky is more of an ensemble, but Oweh should stand out on a top-5 to top-10 team.
F – JT Toppin, Texas Tech (6.7) — Confidence 99 Easily the best player in the nation. Texas Tech’s supporting cast is questionable, so they will have to lean on him heavily this year. His numbers should be gaudy. Despite team limitations, he’s likely to rank close to 15th nationally, but the award probably goes to Smith due to team success.
F – Alex Condon, Florida (5.4) — Confidence 65 A returning National Champion stud. I don’t expect he came back to play just 24 minutes per game — a breakout year is likely, and he’ll be a cornerstone for one of the nation’s best teams.
C – Graham Ike, Gonzaga (5.6) — Confidence 80 One of the most dominant scorers in the country. I expect he’ll be unleashed more this year, posting All-American numbers while driving a top-5 team. It’s just a matter of will he play enough minutes
🥈 Second Team All-American
G – Richie Saunders, BYU (5.4) — Confidence 65 Versatile, efficient, and steady. Many will highlight Dybansta, but I think Saunders is the safer bet to lead BYU in scoring and elevate the team’s floor.
G – Emanuel Sharp, Houston (5.1) — Confidence 65 More than just a usage-heavy guard at Houston, Sharp is genuinely efficient. Usually, Houston’s bigs do the heavy lifting while guards get the glory, but Sharp legitimately deserves recognition. On a top-2 or top-3 team, he could even make First Team — though voters might overlook him compared to Uzan.
F – Cameron Boozer, Duke (5.6) — Confidence 70 Boozer will put up strong stats, and with Duke likely a top-10 team, he fits well on Second Team.
F – Trey Kaufman-Renn, Purdue (6.3) — Confidence 75 One of the nation’s best forwards, but the addition of Oscar Cluff may eat into his usage and rebounding. It’s also uncommon for a team to have two First Team players, which likely nudges him to Second Team.
C – Tarris Reed, Connecticut (5.2) — Confidence 60 Reed just needs to be fully unleashed. He probably should have been First Team last year over Sampson Johnson. This year, playing substantial minutes should allow him to showcase his full impact.
🥉 Third Team All-American
G – Bruce Thornton, Ohio State (5.5) — Confidence 55 One of the best guards and players in the nation. His case may ultimately hinge on team success.
G – Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Tennessee (4.6) — Confidence 45 Tennessee elevates players every year, and Gillespie is well-established. With Tennessee’s elite defense and his facilitation, he could be a sleeper to move up to First Team if the Volunteers exceed expectations.
F – Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State (5.3) — Confidence 45 One of the best two-way players in the nation. Iowa State’s defense-first approach will support his All-American case.
F – Nathan Bittle, Oregon (6.2) — Confidence 50 One of the three most impactful returning players in the model last year. Early-season injuries to Jackson Shelstad may slightly limit his production.
C – Tomislav Ivisic, Illinois (5.3) — Confidence 60 Ivisic can score, rebound, and pass. Illinois is a team that may be underrated nationally, giving him a chance to shine.
🌟 Honorable Mentions
AJ Dybantsa, BYU (5.6) Potentially the most talented player in the nation, though he may face some bumps along the way.
Darryn Peterson, Kansas (5.5) A top-5 to top-10 caliber player, but Kansas’ roster limits the case for him when team success is a factor.
Chad Baker-Mazara, USC (5.3) Now leading his own team, he could surprise many this season. I doubt USC is a top 20 team however.
Joseph Tugler, Houston (5.3) Houston’s best defensive player; he drives much of the team’s success with the “dirty work,” though his stats may not impress voters.
Thomas Haugh, Florida (5.3) May need to play more at SF to maximize his and Condon’s contributions. Florida will likely adjust for that reason.
Zuby Ejiofor, St. John’s (5.1) The best player on a top-10 team.
Mario Saint-Supery, Gonzaga (5.0) One of the most underrated players nationally; a sleeper with strong upside. I’ve written extensively about him here if you want the full case.
Nolan Winter, Wisconsin (4.7) Underrated player who should see more minutes and emerge on a top-20 team.
Donovan Dent, UCLA (4.2) Moving up a level; a player who can maintain statistical production while benefiting from a deep, top-20 UCLA roster.
Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan (4.1) Potentially overhyped, but he’ll contribute with strong stats, backed by his supporting cast and bigs behind him. Even if he underperforms expectations slightly, he’ll remain in the mix.
⚡ Considered
Sananda Fru, Louisville (5.3) What he did in Europe against professionals shows his potential to be one of the best. However, I don’t expect Kelsey to play him enough for him to reach that level.
Pharrel Payne, Maryland (4.9) A breakout candidate, but the team isn’t particularly impressive. Buzz Williams could still limit his minutes too much.
Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State (4.7) A solid, steady guard on a solid, steady team.
Jason Edwards, Providence (4.7) Could lead a P5 team in scoring and make a case for All-American honors.
Thijs De Ridder, Virginia (4.7) Like Saint-Supery, he excelled in one of the world’s best leagues. Unlike him, his team may not support his production, limiting his overall impact.
Labaron Philon, Alabama (4.6) Alabama is generally stable in rankings, but this year the team seems less impressive. Philon is the best player, and if they exceed expectations under a top coach, he could make the mix.
Mihailo Petrovic, Illinois (4.6) Another quality international who should complement Ivisic well.
Nick Martinelli, Northwestern (4.5) Northwestern seems weaker this year, but he could average 25 points per game if the team reaches the NCAA Tournament.
Owen Freeman, Creighton (4.6) McDermott got a lot out of Ryan Kalkbrenner; Freeman is expected to excel this season.
KeShawn Murphy, Auburn (5.2) One of the most underrated players nationally. Auburn’s new coaching situation makes his role uncertain, limiting confidence in his impact.
Henri Veesaar, North Carolina (4.5) Likely to lead UNC in scoring; he’s the most probable candidate to be the team’s best player.
Tobe Awaka, Arizona (4.5) Could average a double-double in just 25 minutes per game, but it’s unclear if he’ll get that much playing time.
Malik Dia, Ole Miss (4.4) His All-American case depends entirely on whether the team gives him minutes.
PJ Haggerty, Kansas State (4.2) Returning All-American. Likely to put up strong individual stats, but team success will limit his broader recognition.
Tahaad Pettiford, Auburn (4.5) A safer bet than Murphy for Auburn due to a more likely established role under the new coach.
Hannes Steinbach, Washington (5.2) Washington isn’t strong, but Steinbach could post impressive numbers.
Milos Uzan, Houston (4.4) Houston’s third-best player, but voters could be fooled into elevating him due to team visibility.
Darrion Williams, NC State (4.9) A safe candidate to be in the All-American mix, though NC State may not be strong enough for a serious campaign.
