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Post on Feb 01, 2025
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When Do Basketball Rankings Come Out? A Comprehensive Guide
For basketball fans, the release of rankings is a highly anticipated event. Whether you're following college hoops or the NBA, these rankings shape narratives, fuel rivalries, and influence expectations for the season. But when exactly do these rankings come out? It's not a simple answer, as different organizations release their rankings on varying schedules. Let's break it down.
College Basketball Rankings: A Season-Long Affair
Unlike the NBA, which focuses on the season's progression rather than extensive weekly rankings, college basketball sees numerous ranking bodies releasing their lists throughout the season. The most prominent include:
The Associated Press (AP) Poll:
The AP Poll is arguably the most influential college basketball ranking. It's a weekly poll comprised of a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters who vote based on their assessment of team performance. The AP Poll typically begins releasing rankings in the preseason (usually in October or November), continuing weekly throughout the regular season and into the NCAA Tournament. You can usually find these rankings on major sports news websites and the official AP website.
Coaches Poll:
Similar to the AP Poll, the Coaches Poll consists of votes from coaches across the country. This poll also releases its rankings weekly, starting in the preseason and continuing until the end of the NCAA Tournament. The Coaches Poll offers a slightly different perspective than the AP Poll, sometimes resulting in discrepancies between the two.
Other Ranking Systems:
Besides the AP and Coaches polls, several other ranking systems exist, such as the NET (NCAA Evaluation Tool), KenPom, and others. These rankings often update after each game, providing a more dynamic view of team performance. These systems utilize advanced metrics to evaluate teams, offering a deeper analytical layer to the traditional polls. They are often used by fans and analysts to get a more in-depth picture beyond the human perspective of the AP and Coaches polls.
NBA Rankings: A Different Approach
The NBA's approach to rankings differs significantly from college basketball. While there isn't a continuous weekly ranking system like in college, the NBA's standings are constantly updated based on team records. The standings themselves effectively serve as the most important ranking system, influencing playoff seeding and determining the path to the championship.
However, various media outlets and websites offer their own power rankings throughout the NBA season. These rankings are often subjective and based on the analysts' interpretations of team performance, injuries, and future potential. These power rankings typically appear regularly throughout the season, often weekly or even more frequently during crucial stretches of games.
When to Expect the Rankings: A Summary
To summarize, here's a quick guide:
- College Basketball (AP & Coaches Polls): Preseason (October/November) through the end of the NCAA Tournament (April). Weekly updates.
- College Basketball (Other Ranking Systems): Dynamic updates after each game.
- NBA (Official Standings): Constantly updated throughout the season.
- NBA (Power Rankings): Regular updates throughout the season (frequency varies by publication).
Knowing when these rankings come out allows you to stay informed and engaged with the exciting world of basketball. Whether you prefer the traditional polls or the data-driven analytical rankings, there's a wealth of information available to satisfy your basketball fandom. Keep an eye on your favorite sports news sites and basketball analysis platforms to stay up-to-date!
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