With Florida having narrowly defeated Houston to win the college basketball national championship for the 2024-25 season, for some, thoughts immediately turn to the next season. There is much to determine before forming a strong opinion on either team.
We don’t know all the new recruits will be or what portal players might want to join Florida or Houston, let alone if both programs will keep all returning starters.
Oddsmakers can set numbers on the NIL money each program has spent the last couple of years as a guide. Additionally, rumors are floating around that Kelvin Sampson might retire. Make no mistake, sportsbooks will post safe numbers they believe will not leave them open to exposure, even if something odd happens.
Houston Cougars
Odds to Win 2025-26 Title at Bet365: +1200
We know Houston will lose seniors L.C. Cryer and J’Wan Roberts, who are keys from this past season’s success. In particular, Cryer’s all-around leadership both on and off the floor and setting the right tone daily in practice to play the – Houston Way – under coach Sampson.
Despite being just 6’8, Roberts played bigger and was never afraid to mix it up with taller opponents. His quickness allowed him to be a stellar offensive rebounder, and he buried dunks near the rim.
Presently, it would appear Emanual Sharp and Milos Uzan will be next year’s senior leaders. The tandem was the second and third leading scorers from this past season, and both convert better than 40 percent of three-point attempts. Uzanwill is the top assist guy; that role doesn’t figure to change.
On the presumption Sampson returns, Houston will be after players that are driven to excellence, with a burning desire to play hard every single day. That’s why many players would probably like to go to H-Town, but Sampson needs to see that internal fire before taking a recruit, transfer, or portal player.
The Cougars’ formula has worked for some time; however, after seeing the results of players who can make baskets like this past season, expect the new players to have a keener shooting eye and form.
Florida Gators
Odds to Win 2025-26 Title at Bet365: +2200
Coach Todd Golden expertly developed a deep squad from this last season to a championship, mixing and matching to situational basketball or going with the hot hand when needed.
One aspect not easily fixed is replacing his entire backcourt of Walter Clayton Jr, Alijah Martin, and Will Richard, all seniors. Clayton Jr. was an assassin in the tournament, and not every player has that mental and physical capacity.
This means new faces will be brought in, Golden will have to see what player goes where to find if it works. Chances are Florida will need time to put this together in November and December of this year before conference play.
The cupboard is not bare in the frontcourt if Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh, and Rueben Chinyelu all return. Haugh would be the key because he’s a 6’9 forward who can shoot from deep and is strong enough to bully his way to the tin. He could be the next Gators star.
Condon needs more physical strength that weights can fix to become a stronger defender. As we saw this past year, you play in Golden’s offense as a big guy, you have to be able to pass, crash the boards, and be ready to receive the ball in the paint for dunks and layups.
Like Houston, there will be new faces in Gainesville, which will play a part in what kind of season Florida will have.
Houston’s more experienced backcourt gives them an edge over Florida for the next season and a chance to return to the Final Four and finish what they nearly completed in the title game.
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