Why is the Baylor Bears basketball team ranked so low in the preseason rankings?

The Baylor Bears, who have made the NCAA Tournament every year under coach Scott Drew and won a national championship in 2020, are surprisingly ranked just 45th in the preseason Rothstein 45 rankings, behind schools like Kansas State and Georgetown.

What key players are the Baylor Bears losing heading into the 2025-2026 season?

Baylor is losing star guard VJ Edgecomb to the NBA, along with forward Norchad Omier. The team has also seen several players enter the transfer portal, including Jalen Celestine (to Cincinnati) and Rob Wright III (to BYU).

How is the Baylor Bears basketball team trying to replace their departing players?

To fill the gaps, Baylor has brought in 8 incoming transfers and 4 freshmen, headlined by 5-star recruit Tounde Yessoufou. The team will be relying on this new-look roster to help them outperform their low preseason ranking.

Home / Sports / Baylor Bears Ranked Surprisingly Low in Preseason Top 45

Baylor Bears Ranked Surprisingly Low in Preseason Top 45

24 Jul

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Summary

Baylor Bears ranked 45th in CBS Sports' Rothstein 45 preseason rankings
Baylor has made NCAA Tournament every year under coach Scott Drew, winning title in 2020
Baylor losing key players to NBA and transfer portal, bringing in 8 new transfers and 4 freshmen

Baylor Bears Ranked Surprisingly Low in Preseason Top 45

As the 2025-2026 college basketball season approaches, preseason rankings have begun to take shape, with one of the more renowned lists coming from CBS Sports' College Basketball Insider, Jon Rothstein. In his latest "Rothstein 45" rankings, the Baylor Bears find themselves ranked a surprising 45th, behind schools like Kansas State, Georgetown, and Oklahoma.

This is a curious placement for the Baylor program, which has made the NCAA March Madness tournament every year over the last five seasons under head coach Scott Drew, even winning a national championship in 2020. The Bears have consistently been a force in college basketball, maintaining an above .500% record dating back to the 2005-2006 season.

However, Baylor is set to see significant roster turnover heading into the upcoming season. The team is losing star guard VJ Edgecomb to the NBA, along with forward Norchad Omier. Additionally, the Bears have seen several key players enter the transfer portal, including guard Jalen Celestine, who is headed to Cincinnati, and Rob Wright III, who will play at BYU.

To fill these gaps, Baylor has brought in 8 incoming transfers and 4 freshmen, headlined by 5-star recruit Tounde Yessoufou. While it may take time for this new-look team to build chemistry, if Scott Drew's track record is any indication, the Bears could very well outperform their preseason ranking and make another deep run in March Madness.

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