Fun mailbag with @brendanmarks.bsky.social, starting with the question: Is this the best two-month start to the season ever? www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...

Mailbag time with my guy @brendanmarks.bsky.social. Send us your questions here: www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...

In this week’s Top 25, Michigan, Arizona, Iowa State, Nebraska, BYU, Louisville, Arkansas and Kansas are featured: www.nytimes.com/athletic/688...

Why isn’t Kentucky winning with a $22 million roster? Mark Pope built a team that doesn’t fit him and a defense that is supposed to be elite hasn’t played like it: www.nytimes.com/athletic/688...

The Miami Heat are barely running any plays or setting ball screens. How did they end up here? It starts with a chance meeting with a former D3 coach. Story with @fredkatz.bsky.social: www.nytimes.com/athletic/686...

This week’s Top 25, starting with a breakdown of Iowa State’s statement win at Purdue: www.nytimes.com/athletic/686...

After an "embarrassing" playoff loss, offseason convos with coaches and meetings with Bam Adebayo, Erik Spoelstra decided to overhaul the Heat's offense. "We have to evolve," Spo said. Story w/ @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social on an evolution which appears to be working: www.nytimes.com/athletic/686...

Because of NIL, Darryn Peterson was beginning to become a guy some KU fans resented for sitting out. My column on the new lens we look at these players through and why playing the long game made sense: www.nytimes.com/athletic/687...

Dan Hurley is ready to talk about something else other than UConn’s back-to-back titles and ready for his current team to build its own legacy. My column on the Huskies from last night: www.nytimes.com/athletic/685...

How good are Michigan and Purdue? According to KenPom ratings, they are the best two teams through four weeks of the last 15 years. Blurbs in this week’s Top 25 on Michigan, UConn, Duke, Gonzaga, Iowa State, Michigan State, Kansas, Vanderbilt, Iowa and St. John’s: www.nytimes.com/athletic/684...

Sometimes everything works and the right writer is in the right position to tell the right story. You love to see it. Elite stuff from @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social going all-access as Michigan officially announces itself among the national championship contenders. www.nytimes.com/athletic/684...

Dusty May granted me all access for the Gonzaga game. From the meeting room to the locker room and walks with May, let me take you on a fun ride with the Wolverines: www.nytimes.com/athletic/684...

Gonzaga at No. 12? Time for my fellow pollsters to watch the Zags. Mark Few has a title contender again, one he feels like has a lot of room for growth. Impressive considering Gonzaga has been as good as anyone thus far. My column from Vegas: www.nytimes.com/athletic/683...

Gonzaga at No. 12? Time for my fellow pollsters to watch the Zags. Mark Few has a title contender again, one he feels like has a lot of room for growth. Impressive considering Gonzaga has been as good as anyone thus far. My column from Vegas: www.nytimes.com/athletic/683...

In my Top 25 this week, Nebraska debuts. I also write about Purdue, Arizona, Duke, Alabama, BYU, Michigan State, Florida and Kansas: www.nytimes.com/athletic/682...

Only in CJs articles do we get such niche stuff like this about Kylan Boswell manipulating the floor, ensuring he could take a rim protector out of the picture if Mirkovic and Wagler switch spots. Great stuff

In this week’s Top 25, why Purdue is No. 1 again and what makes TKR effective at the 4. Plus thoughts on Houston, UConn, Louisville, Gonzaga, Michigan, Illinois and Kentucky: www.nytimes.com/athletic/680...

“He’s very attentive to make sure that his teammates know that he’s there for them.” ✍️ @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social on the BYU star freshman:

What makes BYU star AJ Dybantsa special? His size, athleticism and skill obviously. But his separator might be a curiosity that reminds one of his coaches of a young Shane Battier: www.nytimes.com/athletic/679...

In this week’s Top 25, I hit on the offenses of Arizona, Alabama, Gonzaga, North Carolina, Indiana and Michigan State: www.nytimes.com/athletic/679...

Sean Miller is back at one of the best jobs in college basketball and hoping to finally get to a Final Four. Miller opened up about the end at Arizona and what attracted him to Texas. www.nytimes.com/athletic/677...

Love that college hoops is here but opening day/week could be way better. My ideas to improve scheduling to draw more attention to the sport: www.nytimes.com/athletic/677...

Emanuel Sharp had the shot to win the national title but didn’t take it. How do you come back from that? Luckily for Sharp, resilience is in his DNA: www.nytimes.com/athletic/676...

Bucky McMillan has lived his entire basketball life with people saying, “No way you’ll be able to do that,” and him firing back, “Watch me.” The next test for the new Texas A&M coach is showing his style can work in the SEC: www.nytimes.com/athletic/675...

My final preseason Top 25. I made updates after watching preseason games and I have a new No. 1: www.nytimes.com/athletic/675...

This weekend’s college basketball preseason matchups are as good as any non-conference weekend in the regular season. A rule change made that possible, and college coaches want even more of these games: www.nytimes.com/athletic/674...

Four years ago Baylor won a national title. This season that same program does not return one player who played a minute for the Bears last season. An inside look at how you pull off a total rebuild in this new era: www.nytimes.com/athletic/671...

Next up for our conference previews is the SEC. Hard to see the league being as good as it was last year, but the league definitely spent to try. www.nytimes.com/athletic/665...

Previewing the Big 12, which has six really good teams and then a bunch of wildcards: www.nytimes.com/athletic/667...

Big Ten preview with lineup projections and predictions. I’m probably higher than consensus on Iowa, Washington and Ohio State: www.nytimes.com/athletic/666...

NEW PODCAST: We got @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social to talk MU-KU basketball on the latest episode of Dive Cuts -- if you're subscribed it's available now, or catch us on YouTube www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEBC...

Good stuff here. Ben McCollum thinks the game in a very unique way. Also very interested in how this plays out this season. I’d never bet against him.

New Indiana guard Lamar Wilkerson was grateful for his time at Sam Houston State and wanted to give back. So he took over six figures of his NIL money and donated to the Bearkats. Maybe the best story yet from the NIL era: www.nytimes.com/athletic/662...

I’ve been calling around ask asking coaches which freshmen and transfers thrived this summer and could surprise this season. First up, the freshman: www.nytimes.com/athletic/657...

Jacque Vaughn had opportunities to return to the NBA but felt a calling to return to his alma mater. Story on what convinced him to return and whether a succession plan was part of it: www.nytimes.com/athletic/656...

Kansas’ Bill Self ready to coach after recovering from July procedure, he says www.nytimes.com/athletic/655...

NCAA Tournament expansion was tabled, but we should still scrutinize how the field is picked. My column with input from Ken Pomeroy (@kenpom.com). www.nytimes.com/athletic/653...

Jordan Smith Jr. is the 2026 prospect college coaches would love to coach. Here’s why: www.nytimes.com/athletic/653...

Tyran Stokes or Jordan Smith Jr.? We polled coaches on their favorite players in 2026 and whether a fifth year of eligibility should be allowed: www.nytimes.com/athletic/651...

Kansas coach Bill Self admitted to hospital, has 2 stents inserted: www.nytimes.com/athletic/651...

What do college basketball coaches think of the possibility of NCAA Tournament expansion? We polled them at Peach Jam. The results: www.nytimes.com/athletic/650...

www.nytimes.com/athletic/650... Tyran Stokes, Jordan Smith and the best — and most underrated — players at Peach Jam

Ranking the 25 best men’s college basketball games of the 2000s: Chalmers’ 3, 6 OTs and more www.nytimes.com/athletic/650...

This week we’re ranking things for the first 25 years of this century. I was assigned college basketball coaches. Here’s the list: www.nytimes.com/athletic/649...

Nique Clifford turned down $$ to stay at Colorado State and bet on himself that he’d help his draft stock there. Could he be the last of his kind? www.nytimes.com/athletic/644...

Second rounders and sleepers: www.nytimes.com/athletic/643...

I asked college coaches who have faced NBA draft projects to give scouting reports on each college player. Round 1 guys here: www.nytimes.com/athletic/642...

With rosters mostly set, an updated Top 25. Lineup projections and thoughts on every team: www.nytimes.com/athletic/639...

NBA Draft withdrawal deadline takeaways: Auburn in title mix, UNC needs a wing, Michigan and Houston have top five rosters and Florida is a threat to repeat: www.nytimes.com/athletic/638...

I talked with Bill Self last week about adjustments he’s made in the transfer portal, his vision for next year’s KU team and his plan for adding one more player: www.nytimes.com/athletic/636...