CJ Moore

How Baylor took on a modern college basketball problem: Rebuilding a team from scratch WACO, Texas — Last December, Baylor general manager Jason Smith met with coach Scott Drew and told him the program needed to adjust its thinking on recruiting. “It doesn’t matter if they’r...

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...

SEC men’s basketball preseason rankings: An encore act after a record-setting year? It’s reloading time in the SEC after one of the greatest single seasons for a league in the history of college basketball.

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...

Big 12 men's basketball preseason rankings: Houston, Arizona and a crowded top 5

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

Ranking Big Ten men's basketball programs: Purdue and Michigan lead this season's deepest conference

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...

YouTube video by Rock M Radio Talking Mizzou & college hoops with CJ Moore of The Athletic | Dive Cuts

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.

He left his mid-major school for Indiana. Then he donated six figures back Lamar Wilkerson credited Sam Houston for his development, and donated a portion of his NIL earnings back to his old school.

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...

Six college basketball freshmen who impressed this summer and could surprise in 2025-26 Teams have looked at their teams for a few months in the summer. Here's who coaches and scouts have been impressed by.

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...

Why Kansas legend Jacque Vaughn is back at KU after 2 stints as an NBA head coach Vaughn joined the Jayhawks staff over multiple NBA coaching positions. Why? He sees himself as a "guardian" of the next generation.

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

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 As the conversation about whether to add teams continues, there's another discussion worth having: Is there a better way to pick the field?

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...

Why Jordan Smith, the No. 2 player in 2026, isn’t the typical 5-star guard Smith is "the Class of 2026 player college coaches would most like to coach, a winner" in a recent poll of 35 coaches at Peach Jam.

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.? College coaches on their favorite players in 2026

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...

I was with him today. He seemed fine. Strange day.

Kansas coach Bill Self admitted to hospital, has 2 stents inserted

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

What we heard from coaches about NCAA Tournament expansion

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...

The best — and most underrated — players we saw at Peach Jam

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 More than 100,000 games over the last 25 years were whittled down to the best of the best.

Ranking the 25 best men’s college basketball games of the 2000s: Chalmers’ 3, 6 OTs and more

www.nytimes.com/athletic/650...

Ranking men's college basketball's top 25 coaches of the 2000s: Bill Self finishes No. 1

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...

Why this NBA Draft prospect could be one of the last of his kind

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...

How rival college hoops coaches see the 2025 NBA Draft's first-round prospects

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...

Men’s college basketball Top 25 reset: How transfers, draft decisions change 2026’s contenders Now that the NBA Draft withdrawal deadline for college players has passed and only one unsigned player remains in our top 100 transfers list, most rosters are set for the 2025-26 men’s college basketb...

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

I’m saying that Michigan is a challenger to Purdue. Purdue is the preseason favorite.

NBA Draft withdrawal deadline takeaways: Auburn in title mix, UNC needs a wing We now have better clarity on who will (and won’t) be suiting up in college next season.

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...

What Bill Self has learned about the transfer portal, and what it means for Kansas’ future With a potential No. 1 NBA Draft pick and a portal strategy focused on 'fit', Bill Self is hopeful Kansas will bounce back from a down year.

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...

How college basketball’s wave of European imports rose from a recruiting sea change International prospects from some of the top professional leagues in the world are about to become household names in college basketball.

NEW @theathletic.bsky.social: College basketball has never had more of an international flavor — but why now?

Deep dive w/ @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social on the latest trend in the sport, and how NIL (plus newfound eligibility) is fueling a new frontier in recruiting:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/635...

How Top 25 teams are drawing international rising stars to college hoops

The best young players in Europe are starting to end up playing college basketball when that was something few ever considered in the past. A deep dive on why that’s happening and the impact on teams overseas.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/635...

College basketball mailbag: AJ Dybantsa's impact on Big 12? Can Kevin Willard win at Villanova?

I answer why KU is lower in preseason rankings but could be moving up and will Kevin Willard bring Villanova back, plus my colleagues answer questions on BYU, Michigan State and the new Pac-12. Mailbag: www.nytimes.com/athletic/635...

Out of college eligibility, 100-plus basketball players entered the transfer portal anyway

With the help of our buddy Jim Root, we found 137 players out of eligibility in the transfer portal. The story behind why these players are holding on to hope for another year and the court case that could impact some of them. Story with @brendanmarks.bsky.social: www.nytimes.com/athletic/633...