Everyone has a team they follow religiously. You were born into it, or you went to school there, or you moved to a new city and adopted them as your own. Most people, especially college basketball fans, have other teams or players they root for on the side, too. It's not cheating! You don't cheer for them if they play your team, but if they're on you'll tune in.

There are so many to choose from - 365 teams and over 5,000 players worth! It's impossible not to keep track of that random team in the Midwest or that one player you saw go off against your team. This is the premise of the "My Guys" list. Who are we watching for the love of the game?

We had the staff give their answers with the guidelines below:

  • Your favorite P5 team of 2025-26 (can't be your own)
  • Your favorite mid-major team of 2025-26 (can't be your own)
  • Your first-team My Guys for 2025-26 (the five players you think you like more than anyone else)

Who makes your My Guys list this year?

Will Warren

My Favorite P5 Team of 2025-26: Iowa. At this point of my career, I feel a personal investment in the success of Ben McCollum and his system. I watched a lot of Drake games last year; I think I was one of the earliest on the Northwest Missouri bandwagon nationally. I'm not sure that I am the very highest on these guys nationally (they're a 7 or 8 seed in my books), but I will probably watch more of them than any non-Iowa media or Iowa fan will.

My Favorite Mid-Major Team of 2025-26: Yale. The Yale Bulldogs are my ideal Investment Team: possibly unlucky last year (6-5 in close games, 16-3 in everything else), has a star player, and will play 10 of 26 scheduled games on Mondays or Fridays - usually the weakest days of a given week. Nearly everyone and their mother has them as a low-end top 100 team, but the path to top-75 and even a surprise top-50 run is more open than you think. I nearly took a Valley team here, but in my heart, I'm regrettably a coastal elite.

My Guys of 2025-26:

  • G: KJ Windham, Northwestern. Here are the list of freshmen over the final two months of 2024-25 who had OBPM and DBPMs of 2.0 or higher to go with a Usage% of 20%+ that are returning to college for year two: Labaron Philon and KJ Windham. (The other five, including Cooper Flagg, VJ Edgecombe, and Kon Knueppel, were all first round picks.) One of those guys is getting conference Player of the Year hype; the other is mostly glossed over outside of Big Ten superfans and/or Northwestern season ticket holders.
  • G: John Blackwell, Wisconsin. It seems that a lot of people are on the Nolan Winter hype train - fine - but not as many for Blackwell. Last year, Wisconsin had two Johns: Tonje and Blackwell. When Tonje was off and Blackwell was on: +20.4 Net Rating per 100, better than when both were out there together (+19.9). When Blackwell was off but Tonje on: +6.1, or a 14-point dropoff. I think Blackwell is criminally underrated as a two-way engine.
  • G: Jaquan Johnson, Bradley. This is my runner-up for Guy of the Year. Johnson is tiny, annoying, and as of now, is top-25 ever for steals per 100 possessions (5.1) as a true freshman. When you're surrounded on a list by guys like Jahmai Mashack, T.J. McConnell, Peyton Siva, Marcus Smart, etc., you're probably really damn good. Also, he's 5'9".
  • F: Amael L'Etang, Dayton. From 5'9" to 7'1"! L'Etang did this last year. Do I need to say more?
  • F: Nick Townsend, Yale. My Official Top Guy of 2025-26. Look at this list he's on, which features just eight returners for this season. Of the mid-major guys, he's the only one who stayed home. My hat is tipped to you, sir.

Matthew Winick

My Favorite P5 Team of 2025-26: Texas Tech. I'm a sucker for Grant McCasland, who I consider to be a top five coach in the sport. I'm also a sucker for logical offensive fit, which the Red Raiders should be able to trot out with elite pick-and-roll pairing Christian Anderson and JT Toppin alongside two awesome shooters and a unique playmaking forward in LeJuan Watts. If the bench can provide any production beyond the 7th-man on the roster and the team stays healthy, I believe this group is easily Final Four-good.

My Favorite Mid-Major Team of 2025-26: South Florida. New head coach Bryan Hodgson blew away KenPom expectations in both of his seasons at Arkansas State. He brought the No. 2 and 3 players in the Sun Belt with him to Tampa (Izaiyah Nelson and Joseph Pinion, per EvanMiya). He returned promising sophomore guard CJ Brown. He took a chance on former 5-star Daimion Collins. The Bulls have at least 10 guys that are surefire rotation pieces on a top-tier mid-major roster, and a coach that has proven that he can win basketball games. I fully expect South Florida to take home an American Conference crown in 2025-26.

My Guys of 2025-26:

  • G: Chansey Willis, Minnesota. There were just 16 guards with a 35%+ assist percentage and sub-20% turnover percentage on at least 50% true shooting last year, and they all graduated or are on high-major teams this year. And I promise, none have less attention on them than Willis. After playing for the 4th-worst shooting team in the entire country at Western Michigan, Willis' elite passing and dribble skills will be on display for terrific offensive coach Niko Medved alongside a plethora of shooters. He should end the year as a top five passer in the Big Ten.
  • G: BJ Edwards, SMU. Edwards is one of the truly elite guard defenders in the sport, and his 16th-ranked steal rate last season was an exceptionally vital piece of SMU's deadly transition attack. The former Tennessee Volunteer upped his scoring and passing efficiency significantly last season, and could be in line for another leap forward. Backcourt mate Boopie Miller may get more shine for his on-ball usage, but make no mistake, Edwards should be the straw that stirs the Mustangs' drink.
  • F: Eric Dailey, UCLA. Overshadowed by newcomer Donovan Dent on the preseason All-Big Ten Team, I think Dailey has as good a case as any to be on that squad. He's No. 4 amongst returners in CBB Analytics' Offensive RAPM after shooting 37.8% from deep and 68% at the rim. His versatility as a scorer, rebounder, and defender at the 3 and 4 spots allow Mick Cronin's group to play a ton of different ways, and having a true floor general alongside him will only make him more valuable.
  • F: Paul Otieno, Saint Louis. Josh Schertz and Robbie Avila remain in tandem at Saint Louis this season, but if the Billikens are to improve on a so-so first year with this regime, it will be because of Otieno's addition. The Quinnipiac transfer's elite rebounding, shot blocking, and rim scoring make him the perfect high-low pairing with hub big Avila, and his burgeoning shooting touch could be the cherry on top. Otieno has made such an early impression at Saint Louis that returning starting big Kalu Anya made the decision to redshirt.
  • F: Jaxon Kohler, Michigan State. I mean, someone has to score for Michigan State this year, why not make it the guy who shot 70.4% at the rim last year. Kohler was amongst the very best rebounders in the nation last season, and improved greatly as a passer and shooter. While his game is a tad unconventional and he's done much of his damage in a smaller offensive role, his steady growth and significant importance on a Spartans team devoid of proven offensively ability could call for major step up for the burly big.

Trilly Donovan

My Favorite P5 Team of 2025-26: Texas A&M. Bucky Ball in College Station? Sign me up. The Aggies give me 2024-2025 Vanderbilt vibes – a team with a lot of talent and a very good first-year coach that sneaks up on people and wins 20+ games. I expect McMillan's system to unlock the best version of Mackenzie Mgbako, leading to All-SEC honors at the end of the season. I also expect this team to finish in the top 10 in threes made and top three in steals. Texas A&M is easily the most fascinating team in the country this year.

My Favorite Mid-Major Team of 2025-26: Saint Louis. Let's run it back one more time with Josh Schertz and Robbie Avila. The phrase "poetry in motion" comes to mind when you watch the Billikens. Their offense is predicated around constant cutting and spacing - the ball never sits still. Surrounding Avila is a bevy of guys who can knock down shots, meaning anyone can go off on any given night. It's true League Pass stuff. Also, how can you not love a guy with nicknames like Larry Nerd and Cream Abdul-Jabbar?

My Guys of 2025-26 (unintentionally picked four guards who wear #0):

  • G: Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Tennessee. I don't think it's hyperbole to say Gillespie could blossom into an All-American this season. He is extremely fun to watch and excels at both shot making and shot creation for his teammates. He increased his 3P% from 38% to 40% last year on double the volume from the year prior. He's no Zakai Zeigler, but he'll get steals too! Expect a big year from Tennessee's PG.
  • G: CJ Cox, Purdue. This guy looks like the next great four-year Purdue guard. He was super efficient and looked like he belonged during his freshman year, shooting 39% from three and pulling in three rebounds in 18 minutes per game. He had a maturity about him last year that you don't often see in a freshman playing heavy rotation minutes. Something about this kid tells me he's going to be a pain in the ass for Big Ten coaches for the next few years - I don't know how else to explain it.
  • G: Money Williams, Montana. First off, NAME TEAM. Second, this dude turned down so many opportunities to get a bag that you can't not root for him. He put his portal tape out against Tennessee early in the year, scoring 30 points on 15 shots. He followed that up with a 25-point performance the next game at Utah State. From there, he was on everyone's radar and still decided to stay put. Now he's the Big Sky's Preseason Player of the Year and will look to get Montana back to their second consecutive NCAA Tournament. Get yo bag, Money.
  • G: Cade Tyson, Minnesota. I love a good redemption story. Cade Tyson went to North Carolina after two stellar years at Belmont and...it didn't go well. He couldn't make anything and often looked lost on the floor next to some very ball-dominate guards. Now he gets to play in Niko Medved's very fun, very three-point happy offense at Minnesota. It's already paid dividends, as he scored 26 points in both of their exhibition games. For my own personal agenda, I need Cade to bounce back so I can clap back at these North Carolina fans in my mentions.
  • C: Tarris Reed, UConn. My Guy of the Year. I have been the conductor of the Tarris Reed hype train for over a year now and we are not stopping any time soon. This is the year we see Reed go from good to great. If it wasn't for Zuby Ejiofor, he'd be the best big in his league by far. This man averaged 9.6pts and 7.3rebs in 19 minutes per game last year. The advanced metrics are off the charts and now it's time for him to take the mantle as the next great UConn big. Please lord let him stay healthy this year. And a little scoop, his brother is about to commit to Mississippi State.

Brian Rauf

My Favorite P5 Team of 2025-26: Georgetown. I'm all-in on Georgetown breaking through in Ed Cooley's third season at the helm. The Hoyas brought in six transfers from the portal, all of whom came from winning programs. Cooley praised KJ Lewis (Arizona) as being the best defender he has ever coached – incredibly high praise given Cooley also coached Kris Dunn, one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA. If Malik Mack can take another step forward and Georgetown gets reliable production from the center position, this is a team that can finish in the top three in the Big East.

My Favorite Mid-Major Team of 2025-26: Incarnate Word. We might be getting very in the weeds here, but the Southland looks to be wide open in the post-Will-Wade-at-McNeese era. I'm buying Incarnate Word as the group to break through and even make some noise against a non-conference schedule that includes Colorado State, Indiana, and TCU. Leading scorer Davion Bailey returns and will be helped by Cleveland State transfer Tahj Staveskie. The Cardinals jumped from 8-23 in head coach Shane Heirman's first year to 19-17 last season – everything looks in place to allow UIW to take another step forward.

My Guys of 2025-26:

  • G: Milos Uzan, Houston. I have to include Uzan on here because he's my preseason National Player of the Year pick. Houston is going to be really good again (shocking revelation, I know) but Uzan is the one who can take the Coogs to another level with his ability to create off the bounce. It was no coincidence that Uzan's best stretch of last season matched up Houston's buzzsaw-like dominance of its Big 12 schedule.
  • G: Solo Ball, UConn. First team All-American, easily. Ball is already one of the best shooters in the country and showed no fear in clutch situations. Last season was already a breakout campaign for Ball, yet the flashes he showed attacking the rim (something he didn't do enough of as a sophomore) and as a secondary playmaker indicate he still has plenty of room to grow. He'll be the guy on a UConn squad that will look like the 2023 and 2024 title teams.
  • G: Jaden Bradley, Arizona. After one season playing next to Mark Sears, Jahvon Quinerly, and Brandon Miller at Alabama and two seasons playing next to Caleb Love, Bradley will finally get his chance to be the unquestioned lead guard. Still, he played more minutes than anyone else on the Wildcats in 2024-25 because of his defense and ability to get to the rim, ranking top 10 in the Big 12 in both steal rate and free throw rate. If he can be more consistent as a three-point shooter (career 35.2 percent), he'll be one of the most indispensable players in America.
  • F: Coen Carr, Michigan State. Speaking of indispensable, Michigan State needs someone to score (as Winick so astutely put it). I think Carr is the one who steps up. His off-the-charts athleticism already makes him a defensive menace and unstoppable force in transition. He'll be put in better positions to attack the rim as the Spartans' lead wing and, if the shooting comes along at all, he has first round NBA upside.
  • F: Mackenzie Mgbako, Texas A&M. I don't think it's a coincidence that Mgbako looked inconsistent in two years at Indiana only to look like a future pro at the NBA Combine. The difference? He was playing out of position in an archaic offense under Mike Woodson and suddenly looked better playing at the four in the wide open, fast-paced style the NBA allows (and almost mandates). As Trilly mentioned, Bucky Ball should get the very best out of Mgbako.

Rocco Miller

My Favorite P5 Team of 2025-26: Ole Miss. We can go with the word "Favorite" or the simple premise, that having Ole Miss projected as a 6-seed as part of the Bracketeer.org preseason exercise, provided clarity that I was likely higher on the Rebels than the masses. Chris Beard and Mark Adams together on the bench has proven to win a lot of games at all levels of college basketball - including last season's suprising 6-seed and run to the Sweet 16, nearly the Elite 8. I think this group, with strong defensive pedigree and running a ton of offense through veteran stretch big, Malik Dia, should create matchup issues for opposition.

My Favorite Mid-Major Team of 2025-26: St. Thomas. Lee & Penny Anderson Arena opens in St. Paul this coming season, the new beautiful home of the Tommies. Head coach Johnny Tauer also was blessed with the news that the NCAA granted a transitional waiver permitting UST to compete in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, following four transition seasons, instead of the initial mandate of five seasons. The Summit League will be wide open, nobody runs a more beautiful style of free-flowing rhythmic offense than the Tommies. Ryan Dufault, Nolan Minessale and Carter Bjerke are plenty capable of being the leaders this season. St. Thomas projects as a 13-seed and are my forecasted Summit League double champions.

My Guys of 2025-26:

  • G: Tyler Lundblade, Belmont
  • G: Jaye Nash, Jacksonville State
  • F: Tyrone Riley IV, San Francisco
  • F: Brandon Mitchell-Day, Dartmouth
  • F:  Izaiyah Nelson, South Florida

Jordan Majewski

My Favorite P5 Team of 2025-26: Minnesota. Niko Medved was the perfect hire for the Gophers and he absolutely aced his first high major portal test with players who should excel in his motion system, particularly Chansey Willis on the ball and Cade Tyson as a movement shooter. I have some concerns about the frontcourt scaling up, particularly Nehemiah Turner (Robert Vaihola is a solid but known entity at this point), but this offense could hum if Willis projects as the distributor I think he can be at this level, and Tyson was a flamethrower in exhibition season.

My Favorite Mid-Major Team of 2025-26: Murray State. The collection of talent and potential lineup iterations first year head coach Ryan Miller has to work with is beyond intriguing. He has institutional knowledge in Fred King and Mason Miller to install his Creighton influenced brand of basketball (and the McDermott coaching tree has perhaps the most proven track record in terms of midmajor success), a potential on-ball stud in Layne Taylor, and most tantalizing of all, the French Connection. Romon Dobon and Mathis Courbon have ridiculous ball skills and versatility for their size, and could quickly give the MVC nightly matchup nightmares.

My Guys of 2025-26:

  • Winick beat me to the punch on Chansey Willis, so I'll take my other Gopher Cade Tyson. If Tyson doesn't return to his Belmont form in Medved's system, I'll be extremely surprised.
  • I don't know exactly what Terrion Murdix can contribute minutes wise nightly for Western Kentucky after what he's been through with injuries, but it's impossible not to root for the guy and we all know what he's capable of both ways if healthy in a Steve Lutz style system.
  • I gushed about ball screen maestro Carson Johnson earlier this offseason, and he could be this year's Bennett Stirtz that you never actually hear about as he follows Tim Bergstraser to remake Denver.
  • Wei Lin has a chance to be a massive fan favorite in Eugene with his playing style, and his opportunity with Oregon opened up early with Jackson Shelstad's injury. Elite scorer on the ball in the CBA, but he'll have to prove he can defend at this level to keep Dana Altman's trust.
  • I'm going to end with Amar Augillard at Milwaukee. Augillard's season at Fresno State didn't end on a pleasant note, but man, he was a comet for those 10.5 games he was there. Bart Lundy has lacked shooting the past two seasons, and he certainly addressed that with Augillard and frosh Stevie Elam. Augillard might outpace former Panther BJ Freeman in terms of shot rate in this system with that itchy shooting hand.

Jim Root

My Favorite P5 Team of 2025-26: Virginia. Ryan Odom’s quick rebuild in the portal took on a mid-major and international flavor, and I love nearly every piece he assembled. This roster is overflowing with skill and shooting, and if the international investments in Thijs de Ridder and Johann Grunloh pay off in the frontcourt, the Cavaliers could be a force in Odom’s opening campaign. Keep an eye on Chance Mallory, as well, the mini-might freshman point guard who could easily make an appearance on my 2026-27 My Guys list.

My Favorite Mid-Major Team of 2025-26: Saint Louis. On our STATS By Will and Jim "Take Purge" episode, I called SLU as a top 35 team this year. Last year, the Billikens' hype train had plenty of passengers following the hiring of Josh Schertz and subsequent transfers of Robbie Avila and now-departed Isaiah Swope. Injuries and surprise departures kneecapped the Bills last year, but with significantly more depth this year (to the point that every-game starter in 2024-25 Kalu Anya is choosing to redshirt this year), it is Schertz and SLU’s time to rise.

My Guys of 2025-26:

  • G: Dom Daniels, Cal Baptist. I love a tiny baller, and Daniels is arguably the best player in the wild wild WAC. I also can’t quit Rick Croy’s boys. The little lefty is both jitterbug and rainmaker, a speedster who can finish with either hand around the bucket. Stay healthy, king.
  • G: Christian Anderson, Texas Tech. I felt like one of the earliest adopters of Anderson, wondering why his ridiculous FIBA numbers with Germany were not generating much hype. He immediately proved to be a banger of big shots for an awesome team, and I think he helps keep TTU among the nationally elite this season.
  • G: Tyrone Riley IV, San Francisco. I watched Riley’s 26-point debut against my favorite 2024-25 mid-major team, Cal Poly, and immediately fell in love. He can hammer in thunderous dunks, and he has intriguing perimeter touch. Another southpaw, Riley is a future NBA player who flirted with the portal but returned to USF (where is father played from 2003-05). That rules.
  • F: Caleb van de Griend, Idaho St. He may not be on the Bennett Stirtz stage, but everyone should take at least one game to enjoy the next Division II import to blossom into a super star. Van de Griend made a mockery of every metric that CBB Analytics has to offer last year, and the double-double machine should continue punking opponents in the Big Sky.
  • F/C: Aly Khalifa, Louisville. Ground-bound big men with touch that can pass have always fascinated me. Khalifa is the platonic ideal of every part of that archetype. I’m not sure he can touch the rim, but he will spray the board with dimes. I hope he plays enough for the Cards for me to enjoy his last rodeo this year.

Matt Cox

My Favorite P5 Team of 2025-26: Nebraska. What's not to love about the return of the Rienk, boomerang boy Jamarques Lawrence, plus fun position-less playmaking pickups in Pryce Sanfordt and Kendall Blue. If big Berke stays healthy up front, this will be a fun bubblicious B1G squad to pull for coming down the stretch...

My Favorite Mid-Major Team of 2025-26: South Alabama. Are the Jags better than last year? Unlikely. Still, Richie Riley is the apple of my eye for his unique, shapeshifting tactical prowess. Opponents may ultimately solve his tricky zone this season but Riley's commitment to zigging against the zag, particularly in mining the D-II and NAIA talent pools, are why I always root for the red, white and blue (U-S-A! U-S-A!).

My Guys of 2025-26: I also had Money Williams (Montana) and JaQuan Johnson (Bradley) but I won't step on my colleagues' toes. The theme is middling power conference or mid-major point guards

  • G: Moe Odum, Arizona State
  • G: Damarco Minor, Pittsburgh
  • G: Quel'Ron House, Southern Illinois
  • G: Sonny Wilson, Toledo
  • G: Myles Corey, Rhode Island