Sports
Best (and worst) men’s college basketball offseason moves
Over the past six months, college basketball has once again experienced another offseason full of coaching changes, staff moves, portal action and recruiting gains and losses. As a result, the landscape is stacked with teams that have seemed to master the new Moneyball approach to restructuring teams every spring and summer. There are others who did not make the improvements they may have anticipated, which means there are winners and losers in this conversation.
Our 2025-26 superlatives list attempts to make some sense of what just unfolded and sort the victors from those who might have missed out this offseason.
Best overall offseason
After winning the national title, Todd Golden lost the best backcourt in America. Departures included the NCAA tournament’s Most Outstanding Player in Walter Clayton Jr. and two more players who were selected in the 2025 NBA draft (Alijah Martin and Will Richard) — but that’s only part of the story. The return of Golden’s frontcourt wasn’t a guarantee as key players flirted with the NBA draft.
But the Gators enter the season with a strong case to be the No. 1 team in the country after securing the returns of Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu. They also added former five-star recruit Boogie Fland and all-Ivy League guard Xaivian Lee. In this turbulent climate, few teams have managed to lose the core of a championship squad and bounce back the way this team has ahead of the 2025-26 campaign. Florida won’t look exactly like the title-winning team did, but it will be similarly equipped to chase another ring.
The chemistry the Gators foster over the course of the season will matter the most. Lee and Fland will have to share ballhandling responsibilities. Golden wants Haugh to be an inside-outside threat. And Condon is an SEC Player of the Year candidate who will have to deal with the pressure that comes with that attention. These are all good problems to have because it means Florida has the pieces to be the best team in America again.
Strongest overall transfer class
Rick Pitino made New York City fall in love with St. John’s basketball again with a run to the Big East conference and tournament championships last season. The Red Storm shouldn’t lose any ground as a result of Pitino again hitting the reset button in the portal, with a transfer class headlined by Ian Jackson (North Carolina), Bryce Hopkins (Providence), Oziyah Sellers (Stanford) and Joson Sanon (Arizona State) — all of whom averaged double figures at their previous stops.
Now, there are questions. Will Jackson be a consistent presence this season? He demonstrated his ability to impact a game at a high level only in spurts at North Carolina. Will Hopkins stay healthy? He has battled injuries in recent years. Will Sellers and Sanon continue to build on strong seasons a year ago? It certainly seems possible. But the questions don’t supersede the potential for this stacked group of transfer talent to excel under Pitino.
There’s also Dylan Darling — a star at Idaho State who scored 35 combined points between matchups against UCLA and USC last season — could be a hidden gem. And Dillon Mitchell is a veteran at his third school.
Pitino won big with a similar group a year ago. The same thing could happen in 2025-26.
Most impactful transfer commitment
Last year, Will Wade won 28 games at McNeese State and led the Cowboys to the second round of the NCAA tournament before he left for NC State — his first power conference job since being fired by LSU in 2022 as a result of recruiting violation allegations. He hit the ground running in Raleigh by adding some of the best players in the portal, including Williams.
The former Texas Tech star scored 23 points as the Red Raiders nearly knocked off Florida in the Elite Eight. Averaging 15.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.3 steals in 2024-25, Williams is one of America’s most versatile players. His arrival gives Wade a chance to put his team in the NCAA tournament conversation a year after the program won just 12 games.
Biggest transfer portal loss
P.J. Haggerty, from Memphis to Kansas State
Penny Hardaway had his most successful season as coach at Memphis when Haggerty — an Associated Press second-team All-American and AAC Player of the Year — helped the Tigers win 29 games en route to capturing the regular-season and conference tournament championships in 2025-26 while averaging 21.2 PPG.
Haggerty isn’t the only star that the Tigers lost in the portal, but he is the most pivotal prospect who departed. Now a Memphis team that ended last season as a trendy pick to reach the second weekend of the NCAA tournament — until a foot injury that Tyrese Hunter sustained during the AAC tournament changed the Tigers’ outlook — will have to rebuild without one of the country’s top returning players.
Strongest recruiting class
Cameron Boozer is the obvious headliner for Jon Scheyer’s program, but Duke is stacked with young talent that will once again put the Blue Devils in the Final Four conversation.
Boozer, a 6-foot-9 do-it-all talent, is a two-time Gatorade National Player of the Year who could be the most polished freshman in the country. His twin brother Cayden Boozer could also leave his mark on this program. Nikolas Khamenia, a top-15 prospect, had a great offseason on the USA Basketball circuit. And Dame Sarr is a 6-foot-8 former EuroLeague standout who could be a major addition, too — he was ranked as a lottery pick in ESPN’s latest NBA 2026 mock draft.
With 6-foot-8 Sebastian Wilkins — who reclassified from the 2026 class to the 2025 class — also in the fold, the Blue Devils will have the size and versatility to compete with any team in America. Yes, they are young, but they won’t have talent disparities against most opponents.
Best freshman*
*after top-three recruits AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer
Nate Ament, Tennessee Volunteers
Since 2019, Rick Barnes has coached 11 players who were drafted by NBA teams. He knows talent. And he called five-star freshman Ament, a 6-foot-11 small forward, the “No. 1 player in the class” this past April.
Ament is not as physically ready as the three players ahead of him — Peterson, Dybantsa and Boozer — in ESPN’s latest 2026 NBA mock draft. But Ament’s ceiling is high in a scheme that has produced elite players such as Dalton Knecht, Chaz Lanier and Grant Williams in recent years. Ament is big, can play and guard multiple positions, and will continue to grow throughout the season as he begins to understand this level of basketball. His coach will help him get there.
Barnes has shown a willingness to adapt by allowing his elite players to get the shots they want when they are on the floor, rather than being married to a system. That’s how Knecht earned SEC Player of the Year honors two years ago before he was selected 17th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2024 draft. Ament could follow the same path.
Most surprising recruiting miss
Darius Acuff Jr. choosing Arkansas over Michigan
The No. 7 recruit in ESPN’s 2025 rankings is the top-rated point guard in the class, and was also a high school superstar in the state of Michigan until he ended his prep career at IMG Academy in Florida. The Detroit native had three great choices for the next chapter of his career, ultimately selecting Arkansas over Kansas and Michigan, in part because John Calipari has produced a fleet of high-level point guards who became standouts in the NBA (John Wall, De’Aaron Fox, Derrick Rose).
Bill Self had already landed Peterson, who is in the running to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft, but Dusty May missed a chance to turn the in-state star into the next great point guard for the Wolverines. Michigan is still a threat to reach the Final Four, of course. With Acuff, however, May’s squad would have been in a different tier entering this season.
Highest-upside coaching hire
Sean Miller, Texas Longhorns
During a 20-year coaching career that includes two stints at Xavier and a stop at Arizona, Sean Miller has won at least 20 games in 15 season (or 75% of his coaching tenure). That consistency over a stretch that includes the most transformative chapter in college basketball history with the introduction of NIL deals, revenue sharing and the transfer portal has demanded consistency that is difficult to attain. Yet, Miller managed to lead three different programs to the Sweet 16 or beyond.
At Texas, Miller’s standards and expectations will remain. While the SEC has been one of the country’s strongest conferences in recent years, Miller has proved that he can elevate the Longhorns to the same heights Arizona once reached under his watch.
Hyderabad Kingsmen fast bowler Mohammad Ali has been fined 10% of his match fee after pleading guilty to a Level 1 breach of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) Code of Conduct during Friday night’s Eliminator 2 against Islamabad United at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Ali was found to have violated Article 2.21 of the HBL PSL Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “conduct that brings the game into disrepute”.
According to officials, the incident took place in the 16th over of Islamabad United’s innings when Faheem Ashraf walked in to bat after the dismissal of Haider Ali.
The charge was levelled by on-field umpires Ahsan Raza and Shahid Saikat, while match referee Roshan Mahanama imposed the sanction.
The Kingsmen went on to beat Islamabad United by two runs to book their place in the PSL 11 final against table-toppers Peshawar Zalmi at the same venue on Sunday, ending United’s campaign in the tournament.
Chasing 187, Islamabad lost Sameer Minhas for six and Mohsin Riaz for five inside the first three overs with 15 runs on the board. Devon Conway and Shadab Khan then added 42 before Saim Ayub dismissed Conway for 30 off 25 balls in the eighth over.
Shadab made 22 off 24 deliveries before falling to Hassan Khan at the start of the 11th over, while Mark Chapman kept Islamabad in the hunt with 43 off 26 balls. Chapman added 64 runs with Haider Ali, who scored 31 off 16 before falling to Mohammad Ali in the 16th over.
Faheem Ashraf and Chris Green then smashed 22 runs off Ali in the penultimate over to leave Islamabad needing six from the last over, but Hunain Shah conceded only three to seal a two-run win. Ali and Hunain took two wickets each, while Akif Javed, Hassan Khan and Saim Ayub picked up one apiece.
Earlier, Hyderabad Kingsmen posted 186/5 after being put in to bat, driven by a 101-run fifth-wicket stand between Usman Khan and Kusal Perera.
Usman remained unbeaten on 61 off 30 balls, while Perera made 37 from 21 deliveries. Saim Ayub scored 38 and captain Marnus Labuschagne added 40, while Imad Wasim was Islamabad’s standout bowler with 2 for 16 in two overs.
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Palestinian Football Association President Jibril Rajoub refused to shake hands or even stand beside Israel Football Association Vice President Basim Sheikh Suliman during a tense exchange at the FIFA Congress Thursday.
Both officials were invited to the stage by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, but the Palestinian representative resisted efforts to bring him closer to his Israeli counterpart.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino shakes hands with Basim Sheikh Suliman (left), vice president of the Israeli Football Association, as Jibril Rajoub (right), president of the Palestine Football Association, leaves the stage at the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver, Canada, April 30, 2026. (Reuters/Jennifer Gauthier)
Infantino briefly placed a hand on Rajoub’s arm and gestured for him to step forward, but Rajoub did not comply.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks during the 2026 Semafor World Economy conference in Washington, D.C., on April 15, 2026. (Kent Nishimura/AFP)
The Palestinian FA, led by Rajoub, has long pushed for Israel to be suspended from international soccer competition.
Rajoub defended his decision, saying he remains committed to formal processes but believes stronger action is needed.
“I still respect and follow the legal procedure, but I think it’s time to understand that Israel should be sanctioned. The double-standard policy should stop,” Rajoub said, according to The Times of Israel.
“I refused to shake hands. Sport is sport. … For me, that should be respected, but if the other side is representing a criminal like Bibi [Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] and speaking on behalf of Bibi as if Bibi is Mother Teresa, how can I shake hands or have a photo with such a man?
A fan displays a Palestinian flag during a Nations League group stage match between France and Israel Nov. 14, 2024. (Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters)
“I think Gianni has the right to try to bridge gaps and bring people together, but I think maybe he does not understand or does not know the deep suffering of the Palestinian people.”
After the exchange, Infantino addressed the room, urging cooperation.
“We will work together, President Rajoub, Vice President Suliman. Let’s work together to give hope to the children. These are complex matters,” Infantino said.
Speaking just before the incident, Suliman emphasized the unifying role of the sport.
“In football, there is no place for politics,” Suliman said. “Everyone has the right to play and compete. We are teaching children values like respect, equality and love for others, and we hope that by the next time we meet, the situation will be better. We extend a hand to the Palestinian FA in the spirit of those shared values.”
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Players from Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur line up before the UEFA Super Cup soccer match in Udine, Italy, on Aug. 13, 2025. (Denes Erdos/AP)
UEFA was reportedly moving toward a vote to suspend Israel over the war in Gaza in September, but the motion was put on pause.
Infantino announced no action would be taken against the team on Oct. 3 after a historic peace proposal by President Donald Trump and Netanyahu.
However, even after the peace proposal, Israeli sports teams have faced opposition and exclusion.
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Hyderabad Kingsmen advanced to the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 final after defeating Islamabad United by two runs in the thrilling second eliminator at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Friday.
The victory propelled the debutants into the final, where they will lock horns with table-toppers Peshawar Zalmi at the same venue on Sunday, while it drew curtains on the United’s campaign at the eight-team tournament.
The United got off to an unwanted start to the pursuit as they lost Sameer Minhas (six) and Mohsin Riaz (five) inside three overs with just 15 runs on the board.
Skipper Shadab Khan then joined Devon Conway in the middle, and the duo batted cautiously to put together 42 runs for the second wicket until Saim Ayub dismissed the left-handed opener in the eighth over, who made a 25-ball 30 with the help of three fours and a six.
Shadab was then involved in a brief 11-run partnership for the fourth wicket until eventually falling victim to Hassan Khan on the first delivery of the 11th over and walked back after a cautious 22 off 24 deliveries.
Following his dismissal, Chapman took the reins of United’s pursuit and raised a crucial 64-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Haider Ali, who contributed with a 16-ball 31 until falling victim to Mohammad Ali in the 16th over.
Chapman, on the other hand, followed suit 10 deliveries later, falling victim to Hunain Shah in the 18th over. He remained the top-scorer for the United with a quickfire 43 off 26 deliveries, studded with five fours and two sixes.
But his dismissal did not bother the three-time champions as the all-rounder duo of Faheem Ashraf and Chris Green put them into the commanding position by smashing Ali for 22 runs in the penultimate over, and brought the required equation down to six runs off the last over.
Bowling the final over, with just six runs to defend, Hunain delivered impeccable death bowling as he gave just three runs to secure a thrilling two-run victory for the Kingsmen.
For the Kingsmen, Ali and Hunain bagged two wickets each, while Akif Javed, Hassan Khan and Saim Ayub chipped in with one scalp apiece.
Hunain claimed the Player of the Match award for a brilliant six-run defence in the tense final over.
Put into bat first, the Kingsmen piled up 186/5 in their 20 overs, courtesy of a sensational fifth-wicket partnership between Usman and Kusal Perera.
The Kingsmen got off to a dismal start to their innings as Richard Gleeson dismissed left-handed opener Maaz Sadaqat for a four-ball duck in the first over, with just one run on the board.
Following the early stutter, Saim Ayub joined captain Marnus Labuschagne in the middle, and the duo batted cautiously to put together 70 runs for the second wicket.
Chris Green eventually broke the budding partnership in the 10th over by getting rid of Saim, who walked back after scoring 38 off 27 deliveries with the help of seven fours.
Labuschagne was then involved in a brief 13-run partnership for the third wicket with Glenn Maxwell (three) until both Australians fell victim to Imad Wasim in the pulsating 12th over, resulting in Kingsmen slipping to 85/4.
The Kingsmen captain remained a notable run-getter for the tournament debutants, scoring 40 off 32 deliveries, featuring four fours and a six.
Following the back-to-back blows, in-form wicketkeeper batter Usman and Perera forced an astounding turnaround as they bolstered the Kingsmen’s total past the 180-run mark with a 101-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
Usman, who dominated the crucial stand, remained their top-scorer with an unbeaten 61 off 30 deliveries, studded with 10 boundaries, while Perera chipped in with a 21-ball 37, comprising four fours and two sixes.
Imad was the standout bowler for the United, taking two wickets for just 16 runs in his two overs, while Faheem Ashraf, Gleeson and Green made one scalp apiece.
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