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College basketball rankings: Louisville cleans up in transfer portal, moves into way-too-early Top 25 And 1
TL;DR
Louisville has made a significant leap in the college basketball rankings, moving from unranked to No. 17 in the CBS Sports Preseason Top 25 And 1 after securing commitments from Flory Bidunga and Jackson Shelstad through the transfer portal.
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A busy weekend in the transfer portal caused multiple changes in Version 4 of the 2026-27 CBS Sports Preseason Top 25 And 1 college basketball rankings with Louisville making the biggest move forward -- from unranked to No. 17 -- after Pat Kelsey's program secured two major commitments.
Flory Bidunga is now a Cardinal.
So is Jackson Shelstad.
Both committed to Louisville on what are believed to be seven-figure financial deals. Bidunga was rated as the No. 1 player in the portal, according to 247Sports. Shelstad was No. 16. They'll be among the headliners on a remade roster that is expected to return just one rotation player (Adrian Wooley).
More roster-retention year-over-year would've been ideal, recent history suggests; I can acknowledge that. Regardless, in Bidunga, Shelstad, Wooley and former G League player London Johnson, the Cardinals have the building blocks of a top 25 team (even if it will largely be a new team). Now it's just a matter of filling out the roster over the coming days, weeks and months in a way that supports a solid nucleus.
Michigan remains No. 1 in Version 4 of the Top 25 And 1 and has been there since Version 1 published last week. That ranking is based on a projection that the Wolverines will return three of their top five scorers -- namely Morez Johnson Jr., Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney -- from a team that won the 2026 NCAA Tournament and finished 37-3. That core should combine with a recruiting class highlighted by Tennessee transfer J.P. Estrella, five-star freshman Brandon McCoy Jr. and four-star freshmen Quinn Costello and Lincoln Cosby to create a team capable of going back-to-back.
Are we sure Johnson is returning to Michigan? No, not yet.
[College basketball transfer portal movement tracker: Grades for every top commitment from 2026 cycle
Cameron Salerno
The 6-foot-11 forward hasn't formally announced anything -- but he could reasonably enter the 2026 NBA Draft as someone who is projected as a borderline first-round pick. In a different era of the sport, he'd definitely do that. But in this era of the sport, one where there are millions of dollars to be made in college, returning to school can be lucrative -- and that's why most believe Johnson will ultimately put the draft off for at least another year, cash-in at Michigan and try to win consecutive Big Ten and NCAA championships.
If he chooses otherwise, the Top 25 And 1 will adjust accordingly. But, for now, Johnson is projected to be back on Michigan's roster next season, which means, for now, the Wolverines are No. 1.
Top 25 And 1 rankings
Biggest Movers
10 Louisville
3 Purdue
| Rk | Teams | Chg | Rcrd | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | team logo Michigan | This ranking is based on the Wolverines returning three of the top five scorers -- specifically Morez Johnson Jr., Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney -- from a team that finished 37-3 and won the 2026 NCAA Tournament. That core will be joined by a recruiting class highlighted by five-star prospect Brandon McCoy Jr., Tennessee transfer J.P. Estrella, and four-star prospects Lincoln Cosby, Quinn Costello and Joseph Hartman. | -- | 37-3 |
| 2 | team logo Florida | This ranking is based on the Gators returning five of the top seven scorers -- specifically Alex Condon, Boogie Fland, Reuben Chinyelu, Urban Klavsar and Isaiah Brown -- from a team that finished 27-8 and advanced to the second round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. That core will be joined by a recruiting class highlighted by Kentucky transfer Denzel Aberdeen and 7-foot center Jones Lay. | -- | 27-8 |
| 3 | team logo Illinois | This ranking is based on the Illini returning six of the top nine scorers -- specifically Andrej Stojakovic, David Mirkovich, Tomislav Ivisic, Zvonimir Ivisic, Jake Davis and Brandon Lee -- from a team that finished 28-9 and advanced to the 2026 Final Four. That core will be joined by a recruiting class highlighted by Providence transfer Stefan Vaaks, four-star prospects Quintin Coleman and Lucas Morillo and three-star prospects Ethan Brown and Landon Davis. |
Q&A
What position did Louisville move to in the college basketball rankings?
Louisville moved to No. 17 in the CBS Sports Preseason Top 25 And 1 rankings.
Who are the new commitments for Louisville basketball?
The new commitments for Louisville basketball are Flory Bidunga and Jackson Shelstad.
How did the transfer portal affect Louisville's ranking?
The transfer portal allowed Louisville to secure two major commitments, which significantly boosted their ranking from unranked to No. 17.
What is the significance of the 2026-27 CBS Sports Preseason Top 25 And 1 rankings?
The 2026-27 CBS Sports Preseason Top 25 And 1 rankings provide an early look at the top college basketball teams ahead of the upcoming season.
