Continuing my series on Roster Construction Season (started with last week's ten storylines), it's the perfect time for a useful top twenty-five ranking. At this point in the transfer portal cycle, most teams have filled out at least half of their likely rotation for next season, but still have holes to fill.
At the same time, the top end talent in the transfer portal is now somewhat depleted, leaving many of best teams competing with each other for players who they may not have a backup plan for. As this occurs, here are the top needs that must be filled for teams to hit their ceiling next March (or April).
***Apologies to Akron, who had a fantastic roster coming back when I started writing. The late transfer portal entries have crushed the Zips.
25. UNC Wilmington - Rebounding, I Guess
The Seahawks are already massive favorites in the CAA, returning a starter and the sixth man from an NCAA Tournament team and adding an unheard of four players who started for conference rivals. The rotation is pretty well carved out, but All-America East big Gavin Walsh (Binghamton transfer) is the team's only proven rebounder.
24. Louisville - Minute Management
The Cardinals already have a roster that will earn Pat Kelsey's team a pre-season top ten ranking, with eight ACC-quality starters in the building. At this point, the biggest question is how to divvy up the minutes, like which transfer guard comes off the bench, how often do they go small and which of the three center options gets the biggest role?
23. Northern Iowa - Starting Center
A sneaky good team before an awful 1-4 finish to the season, the Panthers return five of their top seven, but lose both starting bigs to graduation. All-conference guard Trey Campbell and Ben Schwieger can play up a position in four guard lineups, but there is a massive hole at the five spot.
22. Purdue - Bench Wing
Matt Painter finally decided to go into the portal and quickly filled the team's massive need for a dominant low-post center (South Dakota State's Oscar Cluff) next to the trio of Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn in their final season. But the perimeter depth is a bit lacking, and even with North Florida transfer Liam Murphy, the Boliermakers could use another veteran.
21. Loyola Chicago - Sparkplug
Drew Valentine has proven to be a stellar evaluator of role players in the portal and has already added the shooter (Deywilk Tavarez from Charleston) and power forward (Wisconsin transfer Xavier Amos) he needed next to three returning starters. But the bench is thin and inexperienced, and the Ramblers have been best when that unit features a big-time scorer.
20. High Point - Impact Big
The Panthers' checkbook has already brought in a terrific transfer class, despite a late coaching change, and once again, the team has found high quality guards and plenty of depth. But with Justin Bodo Bodo heading off to Baylor, High Point has yet to find a worthy replacement for their multi-year defensive anchor.
19. Gonzaga - Redshirts Gone Right
Mark Few has done the impossible in the modern era, convincing two veteran transfers (Braeden Smith and Jalen Warley) to redshirt last season, where they were joined by the injured Steele Venters. These three now join a roster that is basically down to big men Graham Ike and Braden Huff, and while the Bulldogs still need a lot of depth, the redshirted players are already Gonzaga's central key to success.
18. Arkansas - Backcourt Veteran
The Razorbacks will be relying heavily on highly touted freshmen Darius Acuff and Meleek Thomas in the backcourt next to DJ Wagner next season. And while the frontcourt is old and deep, John Calipari's best teams have always had a steadying presence at the guard spots. Maybe that's an improved Wagner, but Arkansas should probably grab a transfer just in case.
17. Indiana - Athleticism
Indiana next season may be the least athletic Top 25 team we’ve seen in years. Should be fun! https://t.co/prIolxtwFB
— Matthew Winick (@matthewwinick) April 17, 2025
Agreed Matthew. Just like last spring, Indiana has a lot of similar players throughout the roster (although I'd much rather have this iteration of intelligent players in Darian DeVries' system than having absolutely no shooting like last year). The Hoosiers have no specific roster holes to fill, but as the bench gets filled out, it would be wise to get a few players who can push the pace.
16. BYU - Rebounding Non-Center
Bag-dropping Young University has paid handsomely for one of the best backcourts in the country, between generational freshman AJ Dybantsa, returning star Richie Saunders and Baylor transfer Robert Wright III. But starting center Keba Keita (and maybe Dybantsa) is the only player likely to hit the boards, and the Cougars need an infusion of physicality.
15. Duke - Shooting Forward
Duke is a little tough to evaluate at the moment, with guards Tyrese Proctor and Isaiah Evans still needing to make NBA Draft decisions. But assuming at least one returns, the Blue Devils still need someone else who can put the ball in the basket besides their guards and freshman forward Cameron Boozer, preferably bringing some floor spacing ability with him.
14. Florida - Draft Withdrawal
The reigning national champions need to replace all three perimeter starters, and have nearly done so with Princeton transfer Xaivian Lee and a promotion for Denzel Aberdeen. But the Gators' strength next season will be a completely returning frontcourt, so long as Alex Condon withdraws from the NBA Draft to reunite with Rueben Chinyelu and Thomas Haugh.
13. Kentucky - Point Guard Insurance
Mark Pope must have enjoyed the Kerr Kriisa experience of magnificent passing and supremely questionable shot selection, considering that he has brought in the better version in Pitt transfer Jaland Lowe. And with an excellent transfer class already filling the rest of Kentucky's major needs, the Wildcats do need a steady hand to replace Lamont Butler, and run the show in games where Lowe struggles.
12. Auburn - Proven Perimeter Depth
Chad Baker-Mazara's late transfer portal entry has left the Tigers with Tahaad Pettiford and Texas Tech transfer Kevin Overton as the only experienced players in Auburn's backcourt. And it may be that Overton isn't even viewed as a starter. A Denver Jones archetype would be perfect, since they are also short on shooting, but any starting caliber guard should do.
11. San Diego State - Secondary Scorer
Thanks to the surprise return of Mag Gwath and the addition of an elite assist man, Louisiana Tech transfer Sean Newman Jr, San Deigo State currently profiles as the best mid-major team in the country. But the already offensively challenged program desperately needs to find a scorer to complement Miles Byrd to make any sort of run next season.
10. St. Mary's - Go-To Guy
Going into the final year in a Gonzaga-led WCC, St. Mary's brings back a strong defensive core but lose three of their top four scorers to graduation, and with an Aiden Mahaney reunion appearing to be out of the question, Paulius Murauskas is the only proven scorer. Even if Mikey Lewis has a breakout season, the Gaels will still be lacking, even compared to the team that couldn't make a first half three in the NCAA Tournament last season.
9. Alabama - Nurture Over Nature (Or Another Wing)
A theme is building! Alabama needs a few players to step into major scoring roles, with Aden Holloway being the primary candidate. Nate Oats has already brought in highly touted wing Jahlil Bethea after a disastrous freshman year in the hellscape that was the 2025 Miami Hurricanes. He's a potential star in a better situation, but if the Crimson Tide coaches don't fully trust that possibility, then they need to make an insurance addition.
8. St. John's - Even More Shooting
An inability to stretch the floor eventually sank St. John's last season, and they have responded, adding three transfers with shooting prowess, in Ian Jackson (UNC), Oziyah Sellers (Stanford) and Joson Sanon (Arizona State). But yet, the inconsistency of that trio still leaves room for a true dead eye, and the Red Storm would be wise to pick up one more shooter for the end of the rotation.
7. Iowa State - Secondary Playmaker
The Cyclones retain a bunch of players critical to their defensive identity, but Tamin Lipsey is left without either of his excellent long-time backcourt mates (Curtis Jones and Keshon Gilbert). Last year's Iowa State team struggled with generating their normal terrific amount of assists, and Lipsey is not going to fix the issue on his own. He needs a passing partner.
6. Michigan - Yaxel Lendeborg
Dusty May has already upgraded at point guard with UNC transfer Elliot Cadeau, and is set to play his famous double center lineup again next season with two former rivals in Morez Johnson Jr (Illinois) and Aday Mara (UCLA). But UAB transfer Yaxel Landeborg is the true gem of this class, as a major all-around scorer and punishing rebounder. But he is hovering around the first round of the NBA Draft and may never even make it to Ann Arbor.
5. UNC - Top Scorer
One of my ten storylines of Roster Construction Season, UNC has quickly defied the mistakes of last off-season, building a roster that both big and deep. But Seth Trimble is the only proven scorer and Colorado State transfer Kyan Evans is the lone playmaker. The Tar Heels are in desperate need of a top of the line guard to fill in both of those roles.
4. Texas Tech - Stretch Big
With All-American JT Toppin's return, Texas Tech can focus on building out the ideal roster around him, and last season, that featured an elite stretch four in Darrion Williams. He'll be impossible to directly replace, but the Red Raiders would be wise to find someone with a somewhat similar skillset, even if said player winds up as a backup.
3. UConn - Legal Manipulation Of Time
It may stun you to learn that two time national champion Alex Karaban still has one more year of eligibility. It certainly surprised me! Karaban has yet to make a decision on heading off to the NBA Draft, but if he returns to UConn, the Huskies' roster is near perfectly built around him, with Georgia transfer Silas Demary Jr sliding into the point guard role, and four top freshmen (and Dayton transfer Malachi Smith) to fill out the depth. The team could also use a backup center.
2. Michigan State - Any Scorer
Michigan State returns point guard Jeremy Fears Jr, uber athlete Coen Carr and their center rotation, to go with an excellent freshmen class, all in Tom Izzo's image of grit. But I have no idea who on this current roster is going to score. The Spartans don't even have a flawed heat check guy like Frankie Fidler anymore. It's going to take at least two players who can put the ball into the hoop, but all of the other pieces are already there.
1. Houston - Lead Guard
The early national championship favorite for next season (which I admittedly don't understand), Houston is missing the All-American level guard that the Cougars have had each of the last three seasons. Perhaps Milos Uzan can grow into the role, but he's currently in the NBA Draft. Unless Creighton transfer Pop Isaacs becomes significantly more under control or Emmanuel Sharp becomes much more consistent, Houston doesn't yet have the star power needed to meet the currently lofty expectations.