What we learned from Day 1 of SEC basketball media days 2026

BIRMINGHAM, AL — Say this much for Dennis Gates: The man is confident.

Appearing at SEC Tipoff — the fancy, formal name the league uses for its annual media days event — on Oct. 13, Gates was asked how he dealt with the distractions of the ongoing eligibility drama surrounding a pair of his Missouri players, CJ Gunn and Mark Mitchell.

"I'm a CEO, not just a basketball coach," Gates said. "I know how to manage people, manage egos, but also manage a locker room."

That's part of the reason he was a day ahead of the Tigers' media day player reps: Gates will be in Louisville on Oct. 14, showing up to Jefferson Circuit Court to support Mitchell during a hearing surrounding his (and other ex-college athletes) attempts to earn a fifth season of eligibility.

Gates went on to point out he was a member of SAAC — the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee — during his playing days at Cal. He wasn't sure how many of his coaching counterparts could say the same.

"So I understand what these student-athletes are going in and going around," he said, "and what they're thinking at this moment."

He capped his time at the dais by touting how he and his staff convinced Jason Crowe Jr., a unanimous five-star prospect in the 2026 class, to leave Los Angeles to sign with Mizzou.

"I credit our culture," he said. "I credit the people that put their hands, roll their sleeves up, put their hands in the mix and helps us every single day the way that they do to run the program that we run in a competitive SEC environment.

But he wasn't done.

"The only ranking that now you can look at is the ranking of where NIL is and where you land and, 'Am I finishing every year above that ranking?' And we have absolutely done so by a margin," Gates said. "I'm excited about finishing a lot higher in the SEC with a budget that is not resembling anything close to my counterparts.

"That's coaching. That's organization. That's a CEO, but also that's doing it with other people."

Perhaps no one should be surprised by his bold talk.

If they play up to their potential, the Tigers are a lock for the NCAA Tournament. Though they were picked to finish eighth in the 16-team SEC this year in the preseason poll, it's likely because many voters didn't know how to assess the team with the eligibility situation of Gunn and Mitchell. Particularly if the latter finds a fifth season — Mitchell earned All-SEC honors each of the past two years — it should surprise no one if Mizzou ends among the top five in the conference standings.

Here are three other takeaways from Day 1 of SEC basketball media days:

Lamont Paris pokes media for picking team last yet again

Year in and year out, South Carolina men's basketball is projected to wind up toward the bottom of the conference. So head coach Lamont Paris was ready with a trivia question.

"Anybody know how many times in the last 15 years South Carolina has been picked to finish in the top half of the SEC? One guess. Anybody," Paris said. "Zero. Zero times in the preseason poll in the last 15 years has South Carolina been picked to finish above halfway.

"So it's an easy pick for somebody to say South Carolina would be towards the bottom of the league."

While outsiders again expect little from his club, Paris is leaning on recent history. The Gamecocks were picked to end in the cellar of the conference in 2022-23. Instead, they stunned the world and tied for second.

Anywhere close to that that finish this season? He should be in the running for national coach of the year honors.

Dawn Staley not changing

South Carolina's women's program is the undisputed heavyweight in the SEC. But it's come up one win short of a national title each of the past two seasons.

"I think mentally is where we need to be stronger," coach Dawn Staley said, "because obviously I think there's been breakdown in our mental strength. ... How we can get over the top? I think the mental aspects. So we probably go a little bit longer in practice just to get them — to stretch them out a little bit, to dig in.

"When physically they're probably exhausted, something else has to kick in."

Given Staley's track record of success?

It's a good bet SC will be back in the Final Four for the seventh straight season. Whether the Gamecocks cut down the nets for the fourth time might come down to those mental improvements Staley is seeking.

Porter Moser appreciative of John Calipari's support

Entering his sixth season at the helm of Oklahoma's men's basketball program, Porter Moser has had to coach himself off the hot seat at times.

Through it all, he's been appreciative of the support of one of the deans of the college basketball coaching realm: John Calipari.

"Cal is one of those guys that he's a coaching friend, man — to a lot of people," Moser said, "to the ones he knows and ones that he doesn't. Because he's just ... everybody gets a call when things are going great. Cal is one of those guys that will text or call you and check on you when you're not."

Moser will try to exceed expectations once more.

The Sooners are slotted to wind up 12th in the league this season.

Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: What we learned from Day 1 of SEC basketball media days 2026