Where UNC basketball lands in ESPN's early top 25 for 2025-26 season
The 2024-25 college basketball season wrapped up Monday night with the Florida Gators taking down the Houston Cougars to capture the national championship.
With the title game in the books, the focus shifts to the offseason and building the rosters for next season. For North Carolina, it's a VERY important offseason. The program needs to get back on track after what was considered a disappointing year. And it has already been an active offseason in terms of the transfer portal for the Tar Heels.
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But where do they stand in the eyes of the national media?
ESPN's Jeff Borzello released his first way-too-early top 25 rankings for the 2025-26 season, and he has UNC barely cracking the list, checking in at No. 25. Here is what Borzello said about the Tar Heels:
"There is plenty still up in the air for the Tar Heels, particularly with the status of Drake Powell. He is not a lock first-round draft pick but could opt to head to the NBA anyway. Elliot Cadeau and Ian Jackson have already hit the portal. Hubert Davis landed one of the best big men in the portal in Arizona transfer Henri Veesaar, and he has top-10 recruit Caleb Wilson coming to Chapel Hill. But the team very much needs a true point guard, as well as some more pop on the wing."
Projected starting lineup:
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Derek Dixon (No. 52 in ESPN 100)Seth Trimble (11.6 PPG)Jonathan Powell (8.3 at West Virginia)Caleb Wilson (No. 7 in ESPN 100)Henri Veesaar (9.4 PPG at Arizona)
While the Tar Heels barely cracked the list, the ACC doesn't have a good representation.
Louisville was the top team at No. 3, but the Duke Blue Devils (No. 8) and the Tar Heels (No. 25) are the only other conference teams on the list. Coming off a down year for the conference, this isn't a good thing as the perspective on them from the national media is not a good one.
There's a long way to go in the offseason and the rosters will continue to take shape, but it is helpful to see what a national writer has to say about the upcoming season.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC basketball ranked in ESPN's way-too-early top 25 for 2025-26
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