photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas guard Devonte' Graham (4) flashes a smile during a run by the Jayhawks.

ESPN.com released its preseason men’s college basketball rankings on Thursday morning, and there were some awfully familiar names sitting at the top.

Blue bloods Duke, Kentucky and Kansas held down the Top 3 spots, while defending national champion Villanova came in at No. 4.

Landing in ESPN’s top three marks yet another preseason honor for Bill Self’s Jayhawks, who also have been dubbed a top-10 team by The Sporting News (3), SB Nation (4), Athlon (5), Lindy’s (6), NBC Sports (3) and others.

Here’s Eamonn Brennan’s blurb on the third-ranked Jayhawks:

Having spent 12 years transforming the Big 12 into his personal John Wooden cosplay shoot, Kansas coach Bill Self has little conceptual room left in which to improve. This team might just explore that space. Freshman Josh Jackson, a No. 1 overall candidate in next June’s NBA draft, is a chief reason why, but dual point guards Frank Mason and Devonte’ Grahamaren’t far behind — to say nothing of the terrifying perimeter defense those three could unleash together. Throw in senior center Landen Lucas and a potential breakout year from sophomore forward Carlton Bragg, and it’s no wonder Self seems so excited.

ESPN.com’s Top 25 preseason poll features five teams on Kansas’ 2016-17 schedule — No. 1 Duke, No. 2 Kentucky, No. 12 Indiana, No. 19 West Virginia and No. 23 Iowa State — and two others (Texas and Oklahoma) garnering honorable mention nods.

After exhibitions with Washburn and Emporia State in early November, the Jayhawks will open the regular season against two of those Top 25 foes, when they face No. 12 Indiana in Honolulu at the Armed Forces Classic and No. 1 Duke in New York City at the Champions Classic.