In STACK’s college basketball rankings, we take you beyond the polls to reveal what truly makes a men’s basketball program great. To come up with our list of the top 10 men’s basketball programs, we consider a variety of factors—not just wins and losses, but also academic rankings from U.S. News & World Report and Academic Progress Rates. The result is a list of schools we’d recommend to any basketball player seeking an elite athletic program and a strong education. Learn more about how we arrived at our rankings through the Elite 50 guide, and browse through STACK’s rankings for 20 other sports at the bottom of this page.
STACK’s Top Men’s Basketball Schools

Inside the Rankings: Kansas Basketball
With seven straight Big 12 regular season titles and 22 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, the Kansas men’s basketball team epitomizes consistency. The Jayhawks benefit from a steady stream of All-American caliber talent who flock to join their roster.
Since head coach Bill Self came to Kansas in 2003, 12 of his players have been selected in the NBA Draft, including six first-round picks. Notable former Jayhawks currently in the NBA include Paul Pierce, Brandon Rush, Drew Gooden and Mario Chalmers.
This year’s recruiting class has one advantage over those past greats: renovated facilities. In 2009, Kansas finished a $7.8 million renovation of the historic Allen Field House, including NBA-quality locker rooms, players’ lounges and film rooms. The school also added a state-of-the-art practice facility, complete with a section of the floor from the 2008 Final Four mounted on the back wall.
Kansas promises to be a hotbed of college basketball talent for years to come.
Check out the rest of STACK’s college rankings: