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Miami's Spot in Way-Too-Early Rankings After 2026 NBA Draft Withdrawal Deadline
NCAA Basketball Report

Miami's Spot in Way-Too-Early Rankings After 2026 NBA Draft Withdrawal Deadline

Mar 13, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Miami (FL) Hurricanes guard Dante Allen (35) dribbles as Virginia Cavaliers guard Jacari Wh
Mar 13, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Miami (FL) Hurricanes guard Dante Allen (35) dribbles as Virginia Cavaliers guard Jacari White (6) defends in the first half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The first year of Jai Lucas saw the team battle back from the worst season in program history and put together one of the best seasons. The Miami Hurricanes are starting to take off in year two, and way-too-early projections also rank the Canes among the top 25 teams in the country across many publications.

The Hurricanes are returning two of their star freshmen, Shelton Henderson and Dante Allen, but are also adding more young star talent instead of older players out of the portal. It is a completely new look for the team that everyone is starting to preview.

Miami's players are some of the strongest defensively minded in the country.

Here is how the team stacks up around the country:

Sports Illustrated

  1. Florida (was No. 3)
  2. Michigan (was No. 1)
  3. UConn (was No. 2)
  4. Illinois (was No. 8)
  5. Texas (was No. 17)
  6. Duke (was No. 6)
  7. St. John's (was No. 13)
  8. Arizona (was No. 4)
  9. Houston (was No. 10)
  10. Michigan State (was No. 5)
  11. Gonzaga (was No. 12)
  12. Tennessee (was unranked)
  13. Vanderbilt (was No. 15)
  14. Arkansas (was No. 9)
  15. Louisville (was unranked)
  16. Virginia (was No. 7)
  17. Alabama (was No. 11)
  18. Miami (was unranked)
  19. Kansas (was No. 19)
  20. Nebraska (was No. 16)
  21. Iowa State (was No. 14)
  22. USC (was No. 25)
  23. Kentucky (was unranked)
  24. Purdue (was No. 18)
  25. Indiana (was No. 25)

"Jai Lucas has Miami on an upward trajectory after a strong first season, and he capitalized on that momentum with a star-studded portal class headlined by PG Acaden Lewis (Villanova) and C Somto Cyril (Georgia)," SI's Kevin Sweeney wrote. "If sophomores Shelton Henderson and Dante Allen have breakout campaigns, the Canes could be real ACC contenders."

ESPN

  1. Florida (was No. 1)
  2. Duke (was No. 2)
  3. Michigan (was No. 3)
  4. Illinois (was No. 4)
  5. UConn (was No. 5)
  6. Tennessee (was No. 11)
  7. St. John's (was No. 19)
  8. Michigan State (was No. 9)
  9. Texas (was No. 7)
  10. Arizona (was No. 10)
  11. Arkansas (was No. 6)
  12. USC (was No. 14)
  13. Louisville (was No. 15)
  14. Virginia (was No. 17)
  15. Alabama (was No. 8)
  16. Houston (was No. 12)
  17. Kentucky (was unranked)
  18. Gonzaga (was No. 24)
  19. Vanderbilt (was No. 13)
  20. Miami (was No. 21)
  21. Missouri (was No. 20)
  22. Nebraska (was No. 16)
  23. Kansas (was unranked)
  24. Iowa State (was No. 18)
  25. North Carolina (was unranked)

"Jai Lucas was the architect of one of the nation's best defenses during his final season as an assistant at Duke, then had Miami as a top-35 unit on that end of the court last season," ESPN's Jeff Borzello wrote. "He should do even better next season, after landing Acaden Lewis (Villanova) and Somtochukwu Cyril( Georgia) from the transfer portal. Those two will join returning startersShelton Henderson— a potential NBA draft pick — andDante Allen, as well as top-15 recruitCaleb Gaskins. Further portal additions, DeSean Goode( Robert Morris), Nick Dorn(Indiana), and Brent Bland(Saint Peter's) will help with depth."

NCAA.com

  1. Florida (was No. 11)
  2. Duke (was No. 4)
  3. Michigan (was No. 1)
  4. Illinois (was No. 6)
  5. Tennessee (was No. 16)
  6. UConn (was No. 5)
  7. Michigan State (was No. 2)
  8. Texas (was No. 18)
  9. Vanderbilt (was No. 9)
  10. Louisville (was unranked)
  11. Arkansas (was No. 8)
  12. Arizona (was No. 4)
  13. Virginia (was No. 10)
  14. Kansas (was No. 20)
  15. Houston (was No. 12)
  16. Alabama (was No. 7)
  17. USC (was No. 24)
  18. Purdue (was No. 17)
  19. Gonzaga (was No. 13)
  20. Miami (was No. 29)
  21. Nebraska (was No. 22)
  22. St. John's (was No. 15)
  23. Indiana (was unranked)
  24. North Carolina (was No. 19)
  25. UCLA (was unranked)

On3

  1. Florida (was No. 4)
  2. Michigan (was No. 1)
  3. UConn (was No. 3)
  4. Duke (was No. 2)
  5. Michigan State (was No. 5)
  6. Houston (was No. 7)
  7. Illinois (was No. 6)
  8. Virginia (was not ranked due to lack of a full rotation – "would rank inside the Top 10")
  9. Gonzaga (was No. 13)
  10. Arkansas (was No. 9)
  11. Arizona (was No. 8)
  12. Purdue (was No. 10)
  13. Texas (was No. 22)
  14. Louisville (was unranked)
  15. Tennessee (was unranked)
  16. Vanderbilt (was No. 11)
  17. Alabama (was No. 17)
  18. Indiana (was unranked)
  19. Iowa State (was No. 12)
  20. Miami (was No. 18)
  21. Kansas (was unranked)
  22. St. John's (was No. 16)
  23. LSU (was unranked)
  24. USC (was unranked)
  25. Nebraska (was No. 20)

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/miami as Miami's Spot in Way-Too-Early Rankings After 2026 NBA Draft Withdrawal Deadline.

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