Overview
- The AP first team features Purdue’s Braden Smith, Texas Tech’s JT Toppin, Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg, BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa and Florida’s Alex Condon.
- Smith received all 57 votes from the media panel, with Toppin next at 52 in the preseason balloting.
- Dybantsa is the lone freshman on the list, with multiple outlets projecting him as a candidate for the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
- Offseason choices factored into the honors as Smith returned to Purdue, Lendeborg transferred to Michigan after testing the draft waters, and Condon withdrew from the NBA draft to stay at Florida.
- The honorees represent teams high in the AP preseason poll, including Purdue at No. 1 with Florida at No. 3, Michigan at No. 7, BYU at No. 8 and Texas Tech at No. 10.