CBS Sports: Ranking the top 10 backcourts in college basketball

[HooperScooper]

#10? I'll take UConn's backcourt over most of these teams. Not sure why Ball isn't in the "Backcourt Prediction".

10. UConn Huskies​

Backcourt prediction: PG Malachi Smith, SG Braylon Mullins, CG Silas Demary Jr.

This ranking is another indicator of the belief I have in the coach and the system the program runs. Dan Hurley will get the most out of this bunch and the talent is upgraded from last season to boot. Demary (Georgia transfer) and Mullins (five-star freshman) are stars in their roles on defense and on offense, respectively, and Smith (Dayton transfer) is a needed presence at point guard who can upgrade their playmaking. Smith was second among all Atlantic 10 players in assists per game (5.3) last season and 44th nationally in assist/turnover ratio.

Those fresh new faces will pair well with returning guard Solo Ball, who for my money can make a run at Big East Player of the Year this season. Ball bounced from 3.3 points in 2023-24 to 14.4 per game last season and shot a scorching 41.4% on 3-pointers. He can play both on and off the ball, but his 84th percentile finish last season on catch-and-shoots suggests he could flourish off it, especially paired with an elite ball-mover at point in Smith and other capable playmakers including Demary.

Ranking the top 10 backcourts in college basketball: Alabama, Kentucky, Florida have top guards

The SEC claims three of the top five in our definitive rankings of the top 10 backcourts in college basketball in 2025-26

www.cbssports.com

 

[aburks41]

I'm confused about why he has SJU above UConn when they literally don't even have a PG, but then doesn't even list Solo Ball in our starting backcourt while also saying "Solo Ball can make a run at Big East Play of the Year." Lol...just makes zero sense. So Solo Ball could be the BEPOY but not start as our 2 guard? What?

 

[Hoophound]

Solo isn't in the backcourt? I'm not saying they are wrong, but its crazy that those guys only rank #10.

I'd add Solo in and figure this group has got to be top 5-6 at least.

 

[RuffRuff]

Solo isn't in the backcourt? I'm not saying they are wrong, but its crazy that those guys only rank #10.

I'd add Solo in and figure this group has got to be top 5-6 at least.

Sometimes you really have to discern content for contents sake and good content - usually need to look at the writer

 

[bendm]

Ridiculous. And Florida continues to be overrated. Their Gs last year were the strength of the team and they were approximately 100x better than this years Gs. Arkansas’ season turned around after fland got benched

 

[Chin Diesel]

#10? I'll take UConn's backcourt over most of these teams. Not sure why Ball isn't in the "Backcourt Prediction".

10. UConn Huskies​

Backcourt prediction: PG Malachi Smith, SG Braylon Mullins, CG Silas Demary Jr.

This ranking is another indicator of the belief I have in the coach and the system the program runs. Dan Hurley will get the most out of this bunch and the talent is upgraded from last season to boot. Demary (Georgia transfer) and Mullins (five-star freshman) are stars in their roles on defense and on offense, respectively, and Smith (Dayton transfer) is a needed presence at point guard who can upgrade their playmaking. Smith was second among all Atlantic 10 players in assists per game (5.3) last season and 44th nationally in assist/turnover ratio.

Those fresh new faces will pair well with returning guard Solo Ball, who for my money can make a run at Big East Player of the Year this season. Ball bounced from 3.3 points in 2023-24 to 14.4 per game last season and shot a scorching 41.4% on 3-pointers. He can play both on and off the ball, but his 84th percentile finish last season on catch-and-shoots suggests he could flourish off it, especially paired with an elite ball-mover at point in Smith and other capable playmakers including Demary.

Ranking the top 10 backcourts in college basketball: Alabama, Kentucky, Florida have top guards

The SEC claims three of the top five in our definitive rankings of the top 10 backcourts in college basketball in 2025-26

www.cbssports.com

Solo isn't in the backcourt? I'm not saying they are wrong, but its crazy that those guys only rank #10.

I'd add Solo in and figure this group has got to be top 5-6 at least.

I mean the article lists three newcomers and then has a whole paragraph on Ball. Maybe the editing was awkward but to me it looks like one paragraph on newcomers to UConn and one paragraph on Ball.
EDIT: I'd also lean towards crappy editing with their predictor not having Ball on it. Quality news is not what it used to be.

 

[RuffRuff]

Ridiculous. And Florida continues to be overrated. Their Gs last year were the strength of the team and they were approximately 100x better than this years Gs. Arkansas’ season turned around after fland got benched

I can honestly see a backcourt of Fland and a Princeton transfer being combustible. I really have to see that work to believe it. There were some reports out of Arkansas that teammates disliked Fland to the point no one would give him a hand when he hit the deck.

 

[HooperScooper]

Ridiculous. And Florida continues to be overrated. Their Gs last year were the strength of the team and they were approximately 100x better than this years Gs. Arkansas’ season turned around after fland got benched

Gators to start Fland at PG with Lee sharing role

Florida coach Todd Golden says Boogie Fland will start at point guard for the defending National Champions, with fellow transfer Xaivian Lee sharing ballhandling duties during the upcoming season.

www.espn.com

 

[bendm]

Gators to start Fland at PG with Lee sharing role

Florida coach Todd Golden says Boogie Fland will start at point guard for the defending National Champions, with fellow transfer Xaivian Lee sharing ballhandling duties during the upcoming season.

www.espn.com

Did Lee play off ball at all at Princeton? Would be a big transition now. Doesn’t scare me.

 

[NJHusky]

I'm confused about why he has SJU above UConn when they literally don't even have a PG, but then doesn't even list Solo Ball in our starting backcourt while also saying "Solo Ball can make a run at Big East Play of the Year." Lol...just makes zero sense. So Solo Ball could be the BEPOY but not start as our 2 guard? What?

That’s some serious depth if our backup is Bepoy

 

[CardiacAndre7]

High praise for our guy!

 

[navery12]

I'd imagine they're considering Ball a wing and he'll be in their next article when Ball, Karaban, Stewart is a top 10 wing group in the country

 

[ucp990411]

Is anyone else sick of the Braden Smith hype? Somebody actually said he may end up being the greatest point guard in college basketball history.