Wichita State Shockers Ranked 5th in Preseason Poll | Kenyon Giles Named Preseason 1st Team (2025)

Get ready for a thrilling basketball season, because the Wichita State Shockers are making waves even before the first tip-off! In a surprising turn of events, the Shockers have been ranked 5th in the preseason poll, and senior guard Kenyon Giles has been named to the American Preseason All-Conference First Team. But here's where it gets even more exciting: Giles, a UNC Greensboro transfer, is only the fourth Shocker to earn this prestigious honor, and the first since Tyson Etienne in 2021. His impressive stats—averaging over 15 points per game with a 40% three-point shooting accuracy last season—make him a standout addition to the first team, joining talents like East Carolina’s Jordan Riley, Memphis’ Aaron Bradshaw and Dug McDaniel, and Tulane’s Rowan Brumbaugh, who’s the preseason favorite for Player of the Year.

And this is the part most people miss: Wichita State’s fifth-place ranking in the American Preseason Coaches’ Poll is a testament to their growing potential, though they’ll have to contend with powerhouses like Memphis, South Florida, Tulane, and UAB, who are all ahead of them. But don’t count the Shockers out just yet—they’re kicking off the season with a unique opportunity: a charity scrimmage against Drake on October 11th at Charles Koch Arena. Thanks to new NCAA rules, this preseason event allows Division I programs to give back to their communities, and Wichita State is stepping up by donating proceeds to Cheese Johnson’s uJump Junior Mentoring Program and the Wichita Children’s Home. Here’s the kicker: youths 18 and under, along with Wichita State students and faculty, get in for FREE!

But here's where it gets controversial: With Memphis favored to repeat as regular season champions, can the Shockers defy the odds and climb the rankings? And is Kenyon Giles the game-changer they need to make a deep run this season? As the Shockers officially open their season on November 4th against UNC Asheville, one thing’s for sure: this team is poised to make some noise. Check out the full preseason poll and All-Conference teams below, and let us know—do you think the Shockers can surpass expectations this year? Share your thoughts in the comments!