SEC basketball had some great players in 2025-26. Who is set to be at the top of the conference this year?
1. Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt
2025-26 stats: 19.5 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 5.1 APG, 2.4 SPG, 36.8 3P%
Tanner is as exciting as it gets as a guard who can make all sorts of plays – shots made from deep, drives to the lane, and creating for other players. Plus, he’s a pest defensively. It isn’t often that Vanderbilt can claim a player this good, but they’ve got it right before their eyes.
2. Thomas Haugh, Florida
2025-26 stats: 17.1 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.0 BPG
Not only is Haugh one of the best two-way forwards in the nation – he’s a national champion. Heading into his senior year, Haugh carries with him as much winning experience as anyone in the country, and now he gets to run it back with the Gators one more time as the main player on a loaded team.
3. Donovan Dent, LSU
2025-26 stats: 13.3 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 7.6 APG, 1.7 SPG (UCLA)
LSU is a train wreck when it comes to the overall roster. The Tigers signed so many 5-in-5 guys, and now it’s coming back to bite them. But Dent has played in both exhibition games so far and is on track to suit up. After a dismal performance in game one, Dent nearly messed around and had a triple-double against UCF, falling one assist short. He’s one of the most electrifying players of the 2020s and is set to finish off an unbelievable career.
4. Alex Condon, Florida
2025-26 stats: 15.1 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.4 BPG, 55.6 FG%
Just like Haugh, Condon was a sophomore when Florida won the National Championship in 2025. He’s stayed with the program and has turned into one of the top power forwards in the country. It’s amazing how Todd Golden has gotten Haugh, Condon, and Rueben Chinyelu to play so well together, but it’s also a testament to how coachable they are. These Gators aren’t just great players – they want to get better, and they have.
5. Milan Momcilovic, Kentucky
2025-26 stats: 16.9 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.0 APG, 50.6 FG%, 48.7 3P% (Iowa State)
Transferring over from Iowa State, Momcilovic now gets to become the face of a program – and a blue blood program at that. And the hype is real in Lexington as he’s coming off a historic season from three, as Momcilovic nearly hit 50% of his shots from outside. That’s an insane mark, especially when you’re taking over seven per game. He said at SEC Media Day he wants to break the UK single-season record held by Jodie Meeks and it almost seems like a foregone conclusion.
6. PJ Haggerty, Texas A&M
2025-26 stats: 23.4 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.2 SPG, 35.1 3P%
You can’t deny that PJ Haggerty has been a school hopper, now on his fifth in five years. But to his credit, he’s also been an elite scorer at every stop, averaging 21+ PPG at Tulsa, Memphis, and Kansas State. His scoring hasn’t always equaled winning, but under head coach Bucky McMillan, that could change in 2026-27. Plus, McMillan is as good an offensive coach as there is in college basketball, so we could see Haggerty reach unbelievable heights.
7. Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State
2025-26 stats: 22.1 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.2 SPG
There’s no doubt that the SEC has the best scorers of any conference in college basketball, and you’ll see that pattern unfold over the next few players on this list. At 5-foot-10, Hubbard might be the best pound-for-pound scorer in the nation. He’s a reliable three-point shooter and does his best to playmake for the Bulldogs. It’s led to some solid winning seasons, although for Mississippi State to reach the next level as a team, they’ll need a better supporting cast.
8. Juke Harris, Tennessee
2025-26 stats: 21.4 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.3 SPG (Wake Forest)
The next elite scorer on this list, Harris, joins the mix at eighth thanks to transferring from a middle-of-the-road ACC school to Tennessee, a top-tier program in the SEC. There’s still no denying how talented a scorer Harris is. Plus, he’s a good rebounder of the basketball at his 6-foot-7 size, creating a tough player to slow down. How will he look in Tennessee Orange? It should be a welcome addition – after all, we all know how great Dalton Knecht fit in.
9. Tahaad Pettiford, Auburn
2025-26 stats: 15.4 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.1 SPG
Entering his junior season with the Tigers, no player in the SEC may have more on their shoulders than Tahaad Pettiford. He rose onto the scene as a freshman, and despite Bruce Pearl retiring, he came back for his sophomore season and saw his numbers rise, despite a pretty inefficient season. Now, Pettiford looks to put it all together and not only be the leader of Auburn, but become one of the best point guards in the loaded SEC.
10. Jordan Smith Jr., Arkansas
It’s very tough putting freshmen on these lists, especially with so many guys returning for fifth seasons. But Smith has been praised as the top freshman in the country and is a guard playing under John Calipari. That alone has to leave you extra excited, especially after watching Darius Acuff Jr. thrive in his system. Coach Cal is the guard whisperer, and Jordan Smith Jr. is his next standout at that position.
11. Rueben Chinyelu, Florida
2025-26 stats: 10.9 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 0.7 APG, 1.0 BPG, 58.4 FG%
Just outside the top 10 in our SEC basketball preseason rankings falls Rueben Chinyelu, the beast in the paint for the Gators. It’s amazing how Chinyelu found his way to over 11 boards per game last season on a team that features Haugh and Condon. But that’s just how much of an animal he is on the glass. On a team with fewer frontcourt stars, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Chinyelu approach 15 rebounds per contest. He’s that dominant down low and certainly creates a presence on defense with a little bit of scoring inside as well.
12. Aden Holloway, Alabama
2025-26 stats: 16.8 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 3.8 APG, 43.8 3P%
The former Auburn Tiger turned Alabama Crimson Tide star is set for a big senior year. To be fair, we didn’t know if he’d be in this spot due to an arrest in March of 2016 on marijuana possession. But Holloway is now set to play after serving a five-game suspension, which means he’ll be good for most of the non-conference and the entirety of SEC play. Without Holloway, the Tide would’ve still had a chance to be good, but he’s clearly their best overall player and one of the best three-point shooters in the conference.
13. Matas Vokietaitis, Texas
2025-26 stats: 15.6 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 0.6 APG, 61.9 FG%
There is a lot of hype surrounding the Texas Longhorns’ big man, Matas Vokietaitis. He’s a 7-footer with a massive wingspan and some of the quickest spin moves you’ll ever see. While he doesn’t really have an outside shot, Vokietaitis makes up for it with quick and decisive moves around the bucket, arguably making him the best offensive big man in the conference. It will be interesting to see how much his game has grown for his junior season.
14. David Punch, Texas
2025-26 stats: 14.1 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.9 BPG, 50.3 FG%
David Punch was your typical TCU forward for two years. He’s tough to handle at his 6-foot-7, 245-pound frame, but also has enough finesse and guard skills to play multiple positions. That remains true on his defensive game, where Punch punched nearly two shots per game and ripped over a steal per game last season. Pairing him up next to Vokietaitis seems like it could make Texas a very difficult team to match up against – one that only Florida may have a decent chance at stopping for a full 40 minutes.
15. Billy Richmond III, Arkansas
2025-26 stats: 11.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.1 SPG, 56.3 FG%
Richmond enters his third year with Arkansas and saw tremendous growth between his freshman and sophomore seasons. How much more can he grow this year? Of his seven games of 15 points or more, six came from February 14th and on, including a stretch of five straight 20-point games in late February. He still lacks a consistent three-point shot, but when you can be a valuable scorer without that in the bag, you’ve got a lot of other stuff going well for you. Plus, with coach Cal there, Richmond’s potential could be far from its’ peak.
16. Jeremiah Wilkinson, Arkansas
2025-26 stats: 17.4 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.6 SPG, 35.7 3P% (Georgia)
Wilkinson is a SCORER and can make an impact on the defensive end; that’s for sure. He’s also electric in transition, so Arkansas fans can be pretty excited to see him on their team this season. Obviously, Jordan Smith Jr. is going to get a lot of the hype, and Billy Richmond has the potential to break out. But don’t think Wilkinson isn’t also in the mix, making this a true “big three.” He’s got the talent to drop 25 points on any given night and will take over the Razorbacks’ highlight reel.
17. Isaiah Johnson, Texas
2025-26 stats: 16.9 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 37.8 3P% (Colorado)
Johnson, now at Texas, should fight right in his new conference. He dazzled as a standout freshman at Colorado, one of the only good things about the Buffaloes last season. Now, he gets to hold the distinction of being the Longhorns’ point guard and will battle with some of the top point guards in the country all season long. Johnson is smaller than most – but also quicker than most and plays with an edge to himself. Don’t be surprised to see him become more of a household name.
18. Boogie Fland, Florida
2025-26 stats: 11.6 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.7 SPG
The players Florida has at its disposal are almost sickening and might make for one of the greatest teams we’ve ever seen in college basketball history. For how great the frontcourt is, you can’t forget about Fland, one of the steadiest point guards in the SEC, who is also a high-end two-way player. On a team where a lot of guys need touches, Fland does a great job of getting everyone involved, while also finding a way for his own offensive game to shine through. And after one year down in Todd Golden’s system, bigger things could be in store for 2026-27.
19. Xzayvier Brown, Oklahoma
2025-26 stats: 15.4 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.3 SPG
Brown returns for his senior season at Oklahoma after putting up some very solid numbers as a junior, transferring from St. Joe’s. There’s a chance he’s joined by B.J. Edwards, who starred at SMU, but he’s not totally cleared to play yet. So right now, this is Brown’s backcourt, and as that stands, he looks to be one of the top senior guards in this conference.
20. Amari Allen, Alabama
2025-26 stats: 11.4 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.0 SPG
In Alabama’s system under Nate Oats, you’re going to score points, and if you’re Amari Allen, you’ll score a lot of them. Allen is a 6-foot-7 guard/forward hybrid with a sweet stroke from deep, the ability to put the ball on the deck and finish inside, and a useful rebounder. He does a little bit of everything for the Crimson Tide and should step into an even bigger role on a new-look team. He’s one of the top rising sophomores in SEC basketball.
21. Terrence Hill Jr., Tennessee
2025-26 stats: 15.0 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 2.8 APG, 37.0 3P% (VCU)
Hill has takeover genes, helping to lead VCU to an upset win over North Carolina during last year’s March Madness. Now he’s at Tennessee, where, combined with Juke Harris, Dai Dai Ames, and Jalen Haralson, it makes for a quartet of unbelievable transfer talent. Right now, Harris is gaining a lot of attention, but in the Volunteers’ exhibition game against Xavier, Hill led the team in scoring with 22 points off the bench. Don’t be surprised if Hill rises up this list by year’s end.
22. Kevin Overton, Auburn
2025-26 stats: 14.1 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 1.3 APG, 1.1 SPG, 41.3 3P%
I get the sense Overton, who is set to be Auburn’s top player outside of Pettiford, isn’t getting the respect he deserves. While he may not be a flashy guard like a lot of the top players SEC basketball has to offer, Overton is still a top-tier scorer and almost automatic from three-point range. He’s also a bit underrated with his ability to drive the lane, and we might see that a lot more here in his senior season with more freedom than ever.
23. Ace Glass III, Vanderbilt
2025-26 stats: 16.4 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 2.3 APG, 36.4 3P% (Washington State)
When you watch Ace Glass play, you definitely see someone who will find his shot and connect on jumpers. We’re talking about a guy who dropped FORTY on Arizona State in the Maui Invitational. Of course, that was at Washington State and in the WCC, and now he’s playing Power 5 ball. But Glass literally had defenders draped on him last season, and now gets to play off of Tyler Tanner. He’ll have to do less shot-seeking and more shot-making with a playmaker getting him open, and that could mean a huge season in store.
24. Abdi Bashir Jr., LSU
2025-26 stats: 13.2 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 2.3 APG, 44.4 3P% (Kansas State)
Kansas State was one of the worst teams in Power 5 basketball last season and actually has been for a few years. But one thing that worked for them was the shooting of Abdi Bashir Jr. He nailed over 44% of his tries in the 18 games he played in, and is clearly one of the best shooters in all of college hoops after two outstanding seasons at Monmouth before that. And with LSU’s roster not in check, Bashir is one of the few players who is eligible, which means more shots and scoring chances for him!
25. Zoom Diallo, Kentucky
2025-26 stats: 15.7 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 4.5 APG (Washington)
If you like big guards, Zoom Diallo is for you, at 6-foot-4. He has underrated quickness and lots of finishing ability, but lacks an outside shot. Still, Diallo dazzled at Washington and now looks to have the ball in his hands at Kentucky. That’s a tall task to have, but one that the junior should star in.