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South Florida men’s basketball has named Mike James and Sonny Wilson team captains. The Bulls announced the decision Tuesday, Sept. 22, following a team vote. James and Wilson bring significant college experience into the upcoming season. Together, the veteran guards have played 185 collegiate games. They have also combined for 2,094 career points. Head coach Chris Mack believes both players can provide important leadership. Mack said their teammates and coaches noticed their leadership during preseason workouts. “Mike and Sonny are strong, veteran leaders,” Mack said. He also praised their impact on and off the court.
James stands 6-foot-5 and enters his sixth college basketball season. The Orlando native previously played at Oak Ridge High School. He earned Florida Class 7A Player of the Year honors during his prep career. James originally joined Mack at Louisville after leaving high school. He now enters his first season with South Florida. The veteran guard has appeared in 86 college games during his career. He has started 64 of those contests. James enters the season with 756 career points. He also has 306 career rebounds heading into the new campaign. Wilson brings even more college experience to the Bulls.
The 6-foot-1 guard spent his first three seasons at Toledo. Wilson earned Gatorade Michigan Player of the Year honors during his high school career. He also earned All-MAC honors twice while playing for Toledo. Wilson has played 99 college games entering the 2026-27 season. He started 98 of those games. The senior guard has scored 1,338 career points. He also has 373 rebounds and 331 assists. Additionally, Wilson has recorded 101 career steals. Those numbers give the Bulls two experienced voices in their locker room. That experience could become especially valuable for a team with a new roster.
Bulls Bring in a New-Look Roster
South Florida faces a major roster reset this season. The Bulls return no players from last year’s team. That group finished 25-9 and reached the NCAA Tournament. The Bulls also captured the American Conference regular-season championship. They then won the conference tournament title as well. That marked USF’s second American Conference championship in three seasons. The Bulls responded by bringing in 15 new players. The group includes 12 transfer portal additions and three high school signees. The transfer class includes four players with composite ratings above .9100.
Those players also earned four-star ratings from 247Sports. USF’s transfer class carries an average rating of 89.00. That mark ranks third among Group of 6 programs, according to 247Sports. The overall recruiting class also ranked among the nation’s top 10. That ranking applies to Group of 6 programs, according to 247Sports. Mack now faces the challenge of building that group into a team. James and Wilson will have important roles throughout that process.
USF Prepares for Challenging Schedule
The Bulls will begin the season with an exhibition game. USF faces St. Leo on Oct. 19 at the Yuengling Center. The regular season begins Monday, Nov. 2. Charleston Southern will visit Tampa for the season opener. That game starts a 14-game non-conference schedule. The schedule also features a major matchup against Alabama. The Crimson Tide visits Tampa on Saturday, Dec. 19. Alabama reached the NCAA Sweet 16 last season. The Crimson Tide also finished No. 16 in the Associated Press poll. The matchup carries some recent history between the programs. Alabama defeated USF 104-93 in Tuscaloosa last season. The upcoming game comes as part of a two-for-one series. Now, the Bulls will get their opportunity at home.
Mack Begins Second Chapter at USF
Mack became South Florida’s 13th head coach on March 25, 2026. He arrived in Tampa after two 20-win seasons at Charleston. Mack enters USF with more than 300 career victories. He also owns a career winning percentage near 68 percent. His résumé includes 12 20-win seasons and nine NCAA Tournament appearances. He previously guided both Xavier and Louisville to the NCAA Tournament. Mack also reached four Sweet 16s and one Elite Eight with Xavier. Now, he enters his first season with a completely rebuilt Bulls roster. James and Wilson will help establish the team’s identity. The captains will also help connect the new players.
That responsibility could prove important during the opening weeks. USF enters its 56th season with plenty of expectations. The Bulls have made 14 postseason appearances in program history. That total includes four NCAA Tournament appearances. USF also has nine NIT appearances and one CBI championship. The Bulls won their most recent conference tournament title in 2026. They also captured the regular-season championship that year. Now, a new group must build on that success. James and Wilson will lead that effort as captains. Their experience gives Mack two veteran voices to guide the roster.
The Bulls will play their home games at the 10,400-seat Yuengling Center. The first regular-season test arrives Nov. 2 against Charleston Southern. Before then, fans get their first look at the new roster. St. Leo visits Tampa for the Oct. 19 exhibition. The 2026-27 season brings plenty of change to South Florida. For James and Wilson, it also brings a new leadership opportunity. Tighten the repeated season details Fix the opening quote attribution Clarify Mack’s Louisville connection.
USF Men’s basketball is going into an exciting new season with a new head coach and new players.
Author Profile
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Bradley Walker (VP) and Head of our Florida operations for NGSC Sports, bringing extensive experience across collegiate, professional, and amateur athletics. His coverage spans USF Athletics, including football, baseball, lacrosse, and softball, as well as University of Tampa baseball.
Bradley also provides coverage of minor league baseball with the Clearwater Threshers and Major League Baseball with the Tampa Bay Rays. On the national stage, he covers college football bowl games and conference championship matchups, along with premier golf events across the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and LPGA Tour.
In addition to his reporting work, Bradley is the play-by-play announcer for Pinellas Park High School Patriots football, lending his voice and insight to Friday night lights.
He is also an active podcast host and contributor, serving as a host on The Walker Report, where he delivers in-depth sports analysis, interviews, and coverage across multiple levels of competition.
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