What I'm hearing about the transfer portal: Building a contender may cost $10 million — at least

Agents are asking for money and most high-major teams have a bigger salary pool this year. But will all these deals get cleared? Is cheating back? This one is free for all: www.nytimes.com/athletic/719...

The Athletic’s transfer portal rankings are back. The list will continue to grow and grow and grow.

Here’s our initial top 30: www.nytimes.com/athletic/718...

2026 men’s college basketball too early Top 25: Where Duke, Michigan, UNC rank Where does your team rank after season's end?

The rankings will be updated periodically until the start of the season, but this is a super-early look at who @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social thinks will be good.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/717...

Stride for stride with Michigan's Dusty May on a late-night walk of champions

I asked Dusty May if I could walk back to the team hotel every time he left the stadium this week. Come along for the ride, including one final celebratory walk last night. Free link: www.nytimes.com/athletic/717...

How Dan Hurley’s UConn became inevitable in April: Huskies can win third title in 4 years (Gift Article) "Wearing this jersey when you get later in this tournament," UConn coach Dan Hurley said, "becomes a benefit.”

Illinois couldn’t make a shot last night. That was partly due to UConn’s defense, but another contributing factor was UConn’s unique offensive system. It takes your legs and is the special sauce to this dynastic run. Free to read: www.nytimes.com/athletic/717...

Meet David Mirkovic: Illinois' karaoke king and DJ who refuses to lose

David Mirkovic is hilarious. We asked the Illini for their best stories on the freshman forward. They delivered. Free link: www.nytimes.com/athletic/717...

What’s the best job in men’s college basketball? Coaches say it’s Duke — then the field We surveyed 51 head and assistant coaches in the sport, asking them: What are your top five jobs?

We polled 51 coaches on what’s the best job of college basketball:

www.nytimes.com/athletic/716...

Illinois bet big on recruiting an international roster. It just paid off with a Final Four

A YouTube video, a recommendation from an old friend and an old coach adapting to a changing game… let me take you through the moments that led Illinois to the Final Four (free link): www.nytimes.com/athletic/715...

Iowa's coach never stops looking for an edge — even at 3 a.m.: 'He's always up'

Ben McCollum is one of the most detailed-oriented coaches in his game preparation. I talked to McCollum and those who know him best about to what that looks like in the final 24 hours before a game. Free link: www.nytimes.com/athletic/715...

He still mows lawns in his hometown. He's also the star of the Elite Eight's biggest surprise

The story of Bennett Stirtz and Ben McCollum just keeps getting more absurd. Tried to put it in perspective last night. This one is free for all to read. www.nytimes.com/athletic/715...

What makes Purdue a March Madness outlier? Retention in a world of movement (Gift Article) Purdue has three starters who have been with the program four-plus years, a rarity in modern college basketball.

There were 22 high-major seniors this year who played all four (or five) years at one school. Eleven are still alive and three are at Purdue.

Story on the value of staying (free to read): www.nytimes.com/athletic/714...

Kentucky didn’t get money’s worth from $22M roster. It’s on Mark Pope to get more The honeymoon is over. And soon Pope will be held to his words that at Kentucky the expectations are to have the best of everything.

Column on Kentucky, the $22 million roster and the trouble with spending that much when the talent isn’t worth what it cost: www.nytimes.com/athletic/713...

‘Does he care?’ The question followed Darryn Peterson all year. He answers now Darryn Peterson's body struggled to cooperate this season. It turned a potential fairytale into a complex drama.

Full story from @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social: www.nytimes.com/athletic/712...

A “traumatic experience.” Eleven missed games. Constant stops and starts.

Darryn Peterson’s freshman season hasn’t gone as planned.

But his March moment is here.

Braden Smith, college basketball’s soon-to-be assist king, relives his best dishes (Gift Article) Smith is poised to break Bobby Hurley's career assist record Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Step into the film room with Purdue’s Braden Smith, who will become the NCAA’s all-time assist king today. Had a blast taking this trip back through Smith’s career with him (free to read): www.nytimes.com/athletic/713...

God, NIL and AJ Dybantsa: BYU's unlikely rise as a college basketball power

Faith, fortune and a phenom: How BYU became a player in college basketball’s new era

Story with Chris Kamrani. Free to read:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/712...

‘Does he care?’ The question followed Darryn Peterson all year. He answers now (Gift Article) Darryn Peterson's body struggled to cooperate this season. It turned a potential fairytale into a complex drama.

We haven’t really gotten to know Darryn Peterson or the details behind what’s been going on with his health this year. I got him to open up some about a visit to the hospital and set out on a mission to learn more about who he is. His story (free to read): www.nytimes.com/athletic/712...

2026 NCAA Tournament bracket picks: Why C.J. Moore has Michigan winning the title Duke, Michigan and Arizona have put up historically good numbers — meaning favorites could dominate the Final Four again this March.

My bracket picks and why I went pretty chalky for a second year in a row: www.nytimes.com/athletic/709...

How Arizona became the most consistent team in college basketball — and a Big 12 champion (Gift Article) After last season, Arizona built a roster designed to have depth and endurance. The final product never seems to have an off night.

Tommy Lloyd credits last year’s Houston for inspiring this year’s build of Arizona’s juggernaut. “They kicked our ass in the last five minutes of both games.”

Story on the endurance of a champion & how Arizona turned the page from Friday’s epic semis (free to read): www.nytimes.com/athletic/711...

I probably had more stories on Houston than any other team last season. I’m sorry you feel that way.

How Emanuel Sharp learned to live with the moment he won't escape — and why he's still fearless

www.nytimes.com/athletic/676...

A story on semis has short shelf life. Had nothing to do with who won. If game was epic, would have done a story. Also, no one nationally has done more on Houston than I have through the years. Understand your frustration, but please don’t act like I ignore the Coogs.

How does the NCAA Tournament bracket get made? What you might not know

How’s the NCAA Tournament bracket made? A look at the process and why the committee isn’t trying to generate storylines. Free to read: www.nytimes.com/athletic/711...

Jaden Bradley’s buzzer-beater sends Arizona to Big 12 final: ‘Stuff you dream about’ Arizona and Iowa State combined to make 11 of their final 13 shots in a thrilling finish.

Jaden Bradley hit one of the shots of the year in one of the games of the year, and he didn’t even see it go in.

Story on Bradley’s first buzzer-beater of his college career to put Arizona in the Big 12 championship game: www.nytimes.com/athletic/711...

As college basketball’s coaching carousel spins, these 7 coaches could be top candidates With a handful of power-conference jobs already open, here's who could be part of the next class of mid-major coaches to level up.

Mid-major coaches to watch this cycle: www.nytimes.com/athletic/711...

Big 12 ditches glass court for rest of tournament after player complaints, slipping

Basketball on glass? No more. Why the Big 12 tournament will be back on the hardwood tonight: www.nytimes.com/athletic/711...

To build a Final Four contender, Illinois basketball looked 5,000 miles east — to the Balkans (Gift Article) Illinois has become college basketball's Balkan hub. It was years in the making to get there.

Orange jumpsuits, Serbian music, the most hilarious player in college hoops… a behind-the-scenes look at the Balkan Four-and-a-half at Illinois. Free to read. www.nytimes.com/athletic/710...

Men's college basketball Top 25: Why Duke, Michigan, Arizona, Florida look Final Four-bound

My final Top 25 for the season. Featured this week: Duke, Michigan, Florida, St. John’s, Wisconsin and UCLA. Also why we could be headed for another Final Four of all No. 1 seeds. www.nytimes.com/athletic/710...

Have a story publishing this week about my experience at mock tourney selection that explains how it works.

My assumption is bracketologists are projecting Duke as top 1 seed. If UConn is top 2, then UConn cannot get placed with Duke. The next closest region is the Midwest. So that’s why UConn would go there. It’s all about geography.