It appears the road to the SEC title once again will run through Gainesville for the 2025-26 season. A group of SEC and national media members picked the defending NCAA Tournament winners, Florida Gators to win the 2026 SEC Men's basketball title.
After winning the NCAA title over Houston, the Gators come into the new season with a strong roster and expectations that are through the roof. Todd Golden's squad earned the top spot ahead of Mark Pope and his Kentucky Wildcats, and long time veteran head coach Rick Barnes and Tennessee.
Florida will start their season on Monday November 3, as they take on the Arizona Wildcats in Las Vegas. SEC play gets started on January 3rd for the Gators, as they are on the road at Missouri to start play. The 2026 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament will be held from March 11–15, 2026, at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Gators are first, followed by Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Arkansas in the top five. The next three feature Auburn, Missouri and Ole Miss.
Otega Oweh Headlines SEC Preseason Honors
Kentucky’s Otega Oweh was named the preseason SEC Men’s Basketball Player of the Year, earning the top honor from the media panel. Oweh, known for his athleticism and two-way play, leads a talented Kentucky team aiming to challenge Florida for conference supremacy.
Several other stars received votes for Player of the Year, including Tennessee’s Nate Ament, Florida’s Alex Condon, Malik Dia of Ole Miss, Florida’s Boogie Fland and Thomas Haugh, Mississippi State’s Josh Hubbard, and Auburn’s Tahaad Pettiford.
The preseason All-SEC teams show off the league’s depth of talent, from proven veterans to breakout sophomores ready to make their mark.
First Team All-SEC
- Alex Condon – Florida Gators
- Josh Hubbard – Mississippi State Bulldogs
- Otega Oweh – Kentucky Wildcats
- Tahaad Pettiford – Auburn Tigers
- Labaron Philon Jr. – Alabama Crimson Tide
Second Team All-SEC
- Nate Ament – Tennessee Volunteers
- Boogie Fland – Florida Gators
- Ja’Kobi Gillespie – Tennessee Volunteers
- Thomas Haugh – Florida Gators
- Mark Mitchell – Missouri Tigers
Third Team All-SEC
- Malik Dia – Ole Miss Rebels
- Aden Holloway – Alabama Crimson Tide
- Karter Knox – Arkansas Razorbacks
- Jaland Lowe – Kentucky Wildcats
- D.J. Wagner – Arkansas Razorbacks
Oweh takes home the preseason Player of the Year award, but Florida’s trio of Condon, Fland, and Haugh highlights why the Gators are the clear favorite to repeat as conference champions.
Predicted SEC Order of Finish (2025-26)
1. Florida Gators
2. Kentucky Wildcats
3. Tennessee Volunteers
4. Alabama Crimson Tide
5. Arkansas Razorbacks
6. Auburn Tigers
7. Missouri Tigers
8. Ole Miss Rebels
9. Texas Longhorns
10. Mississippi State Bulldogs
11. Vanderbilt Commodores
12. Oklahoma Sooners
13. Texas A&M Aggies
14. Georgia Bulldogs
15. LSU Tigers
16. South Carolina Gamecocks
South Carolina