CBS Sports unveiled its 2026-27 preseason All-America teams on Wednesday, naming 15 players across three squads ahead of the season’s Nov. 1 tipoff. Michigan State point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. and Florida forward Thomas Haugh were unanimous First Team picks, while Kansas freshman Tyran Stokes also landed on the First Team roster in a group voted on by reporters from CBS Sports, 247Sports and on-air talent from CBS and CBS Sports Network.
The panel’s picks lean heavily on proven production rather than projection, with 40% of the First Team coming from the Big Ten or SEC. Only one newcomer broke through that veteran-heavy group, a sign of how much weight voters put on returning college basketball All-Americans.
1. Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State (9.4 Assists Per Game)
Fears Jr., a 6-foot-2 redshirt junior, led all of college basketball last season with 9.4 assists per game, a number tied to a 53.1 assist rate that KenPom.com rated the best mark in the last two decades, according to CBS Sports. He paired that playmaking with roughly a 4-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, a combination of volume and control that made him an easy unanimous selection.
No Big Ten player has ever averaged more than 10 assists in a season. Fears Jr. enters 2026-27 within range of that threshold, and his preseason billing reflects how close voters believe he is to redefining the conference’s passing standard.
2. Thomas Haugh, Florida (17.1 Points Per Game)
Haugh, a 6-foot-9 senior small forward, averaged 17.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.1 steals and a block per game across 34 outings last season to lead the Gators in scoring, according to Sports Illustrated. The recognition keeps piling up: he was also named Preseason SEC Player of the Year and a First Team All-SEC pick, building on 2026 All-American Second and Third Team honors from The Sporting News, NABC, AP and USBWA after his junior year.
His path stands out among this group. Haugh rose from a three-star recruit to a unanimous preseason All-American, and he passed on a first-round NBA grade to return to college basketball for his senior season. CBS Sports describes him as a transition scorer who thrives as a cutter, slasher and defender, a versatile profile that fits Florida’s returning core. He joins Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu as key holdovers from the Gators’ 2025 national championship roster, according to FOX Sports.
3. Tyran Stokes, Kansas (Top-Ranked 2026 Freshman)
Stokes, a 6-foot-8 power forward, arrives at Kansas as the top-ranked prospect in the 2026 recruiting class, per FOX Sports. His inclusion on the First Team marks the rare freshman exception on a roster otherwise dominated by established veterans, underscoring how much hype has followed him into his first college season.
What’s Next
The 2026-27 college basketball season opens Nov. 1, when Fears Jr., Haugh and Stokes all get their first chances to justify their preseason billing against live competition. Michigan State, Florida and Kansas will each lean on their respective All-Americans as the national title chase begins.
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