Jay Bilas Nov 5, 2026, 07:41 AM ET

Close

College basketball analyst for ESPN and ESPN Insider

Played and coached at Duke

Practicing attorney

Welcome to November. The Bilastrator is excited and enthused for the college basketball season -- as has been the case for the past 50 seasons, without exception. The past five seasons especially have brought Everest levels of liveliness and exhilaration -- largely because the game has never been better.

The product we are seeing on the floor is exceptional, and the level of play is heightened and clear. Top-level talent is staying in the college game longer, and though some players have changed location, they are still recognized names that resonate. Talent has been spread out more across the hoops landscape, rather than concentrated to the precious few. In the NIL era, each and every Division I team has greater access to higher-level players than they have ever had.…