CBB Review previews Big 12 basketball heading into the 2024-25 season.
The best conference in basketball looks dangerous once again, with five teams making the top 10 in the AP poll. Big 12 basketball will look a little different than last year though, now that Texas and Oklahoma are gone, but Arizona, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona State have joined.
Houston, Kansas, Iowa State, Baylor, and Arizona all look like championship threats. Then, there’s another 5 teams under them that look like tournament locks. Behind them, there’s 1-3 teams that can sneak into the tournament again. This league is stacked with talent, great coaching, and great players, making every game a must-watch this season.
The stars are bright in the Big 12 as well. Hunter Dickinson might be the best player in the country. Caleb Love might be the best guard in the country. VJ Edgecome might be the best freshman in the country. Then, there’s the coaching, which features arguably five of the top ten coaches in the country Kelvin Sampson, Bill Self, TJ Otzelberger, Tommy Lloyd, and Scott Drew.
Can the new arrivals make an impression in season 1? Arizona looks like it will, but the other three might trend closer to the bottom of the conference. Many thought the same about BYU last year though, and they finished as a six seed in the NCAA Tournament. There’s so much to discuss in the Big 12, but for now, let’s keep it short, and drop our official rankings.
Big 12 basketball projected standings
1. Houston Cougars
The AP Poll and the Big 12 official poll may have Kansas #1, but when every single analytical model says Houston is the best team in the country, you trust the data. Defensively, this team is going to be one of, if not the best in the country. They have a ridiculous amount of length in the rotation, and you know Kelvin Sampson is going to make sure that it is operating at a high level at all times.
They bring back LJ Cryer, a terrific scorer, and bring in Milos Uzan, who seems like a great fit to replace Jamal Shead. He won’t have the same impact, but if he can facilitate the offense, then that makes this team dangerous. Most importantly, they return 11 players from last season. The chemistry will be there, making this team so dangerous. Until further notice, this is not only the best team in the Big 12, but in the whole country.
2. Kansas Jayhawks
After a “down” year for the Jayhawks, Bill Self went into the portal and made sure that didn’t happen again. He brought in AJ Storr, a really talented scorer at Wisconsin, Rylan Griffin, an elite 3 and D guy, and Zeke Mayo, a high-level scorer from South Dakota State who actually grew up in Lawrence, Kansas.
They also return the big 3 of Hunter Dickinson, KJ Adams, and Dajuan Harris. All three have had time playing in Self’s system, specifically, Harris who could end the season as one of the best passers in college basketball history. Dickinson is so good down low, and with his size, he’s incredibly difficult to match up with. He’s not the best defender, but that’s why they put him next to KJ Adams, who’s a freak of nature and can jump out of the gym. There were definitely times when the communication was lacking between the two of them last year, but with two offseasons and a regular season under their belts, expect those issues to subside.
Kansas also has the best homecourt advantage in college basketball, and that should be enough to make this team a championship-level threat once again.
3. Iowa State Cyclones
This Iowa State team might have the highest floor of any team in the country. They bring back their backcourt of Lipsey and Gilbert, both of whom are extremely underrated by the general public. They also bring back Milan Momcilovic, who outperformed expectations as a freshman and is a serious breakout contender. They didn’t make a huge portal splash, but Joshua Jefferson and Nathan Heise will both be big pieces for the team’s depth.
Defensively, they’re going to be one of the best in the league, KenPom predicts they’ll be the second-best in the country, behind just Houston. Like Kansas, they are pretty much unbeatable at home, and with home games against Kansas, Arizona, and Baylor this season, this can be a huge swing in their hopes to win the Big 12. Otzelberger doesn’t get nearly enough respect for completely turning this program around and making them a national title threat, but they’ll show the country this year how well-rounded this team is.
4. Baylor Bears
It’s a toss-up between Baylor and Arizona for this 4th spot, but the talent on this roster makes it hard not to give them the nod. The big name is VJ Edgecombe. He looked great in Olympic qualifiers, being the best player on the court at the same time as NBA players, so expect him to dominate in the Big 12. They also went and picked up two big-name transfers Jeremy Roach and Norchad Omier.
Roach, the transfer from Duke won’t put up eye-numbing numbers, but he’s an on-the-court leader and will make sure the team is under control at all times. Omier is an elite rebounder and will give Baylor a double-double every single night. One player to watch is Langston Love, who has tons of injury concerns, but when he’s healthy, he’s a phenomenal player. The defense is the only major issue, and probably why they won’t win the Big 12, but the ceiling this team has still makes them a threat to cut the nets in March.
5. Arizona Wildcats
This team being 5th is insane. This team would be 1st in the Pac-12 if it was still around, and it wouldn’t be particularly close. They bring back Caleb Love, one of the most talented and infamous players in the country. If you need a guy to get 20, there aren’t that many players ahead of Love you would call. They also return KJ Lewis, who showed a late of great flashes his freshman year, and with more minutes could be a breakout candidate.
Arizona did a great job in the portal addressing some needs. They bring in Jaden Bradley to run the point, an Alabama transfer who has done nothing but win in college. They also added Tobe Awaka, an athletic beast who will guard the rim, and Trey Townsend and Anthony Del’Orso from Oakland and Campbell, two guys who averaged over 17 a game for their mid-major programs.
If Arizona can establish a clear #2 option, this team can win the Big 12. Tommy Lloyd just needs to fight his tournament ghosts and finally go deep in a March Madness Tournament.
6. Texas Tech Red Raiders
Teams 1-5 are national champion threats. Now we get into teams 6-10, who are all Top 25 caliber teams. Starting us off is Texas Tech. Grant McCasland overperformed expectations in his first year with the team, proving again how good of a coach he is. They bring back two starters from last season, with the big name being Derrion Williams. He isn’t a first option but is really good at his role and makes the right play more often than not. The big reason why this team might be so good this year is the acquisitions of JT Toppin and Elijah Hawkins.
Toppin is a top 5 sophomore in the country, and without a doubt can make an All-Big 12 team. Then there’s Hawkins, who averaged 7.5 assists per game last season, which was the second most in the country last season. He’ll make everyone’s lives so much easier and allow the offense to flow. Defensively, they’ll be great. McCasland, like Sampson, Self, and Otzelberger, focuses on defense, and Toppin and Williams will lead the way. Don’t be surprised if this team is a top 15 team on Selection Sunday.
7. Cincinnati Bearcats
Cincinnati couldn’t get it done in the first year of the Big 12, but they bring in a team that should not only make the tournament but potentially a second weekend appearance. They bring back six of their eight top contributors from last year, led by Dan Skillings Jr. Then, they brought in Dillon Mitchell, a former Longhorn and five-star recruit to solidify the starting lineup.
Wes Miller has yet to make the tournament with the Bearcats, but with this roster, it’ll be hard for him to not accomplish that feat.
8: BYU Cougars
Last year, many people had BYU finishing near the bottom of the Big 12, and they blew away expectations. Now, they’ll have to repeat this performance with new coach Kevin Young. They bring back three starters from last season, all who averaged 9 or more points a game last season. The big name to watch is Egor Demin though. The 6-9 guard can do it all, and he will be an absolute nightmare on the court.
He’s just a freshman but has played for Real Madrid overseas, so he’ll have no problem adjusting to the Big 12 talent. How good he is for this team determines how good the team will be, so there will be a lot of pressure for the Russian. This team can finish anywhere between 6 and 10, but expect them to win several big games down the stretch, as they did last season.
9: Kansas State Wildcats
After the Elite 8 two years ago, many people were expecting big things again from the Wildcats, but they were unable to replicate that performance, finishing under .500 in the Big 12 and missing the tournament. That won’t happen again under Tang, as he went into the portal and brought in a completely new team. Kansas State has just one player from last year’s rotation that returned, David N’Guessan, which isn’t unusual anymore in college basketball, but still surprising.
The big ticket acquisition is Coleman Hawkins. Hawkins was great at Illinois as a third or fourth option, and now with his role increasing, he can be a top 5 player in the conference. They bring in Dug McDaniel to run the point. McDaniel had some off-the-court issues at Michigan, but you can’t deny the talent he possesses. The big fix for Kansas State was adding more depth. It felt like after Tylor Perry, Arthur Kaluma, and N’Guessan, there weren’t many options.
Now, they bring in Achor Achor, the talented Samford big, CJ and Max Jones, two mid-major transfers who averaged double-digit scoring for their teams, and Brendan Hausen, a great shooter who can make a bucket if needed. Offense and consistency will definitely be the question marks, but if Coleman and McDaniel can be this team’s Nowell and Johnson, the sky’s the limit for this team.
10. TCU Horned Frogs
It feels like TCU hasn’t been getting nearly enough love. Yes, they’re 10th in the Big 12, but in a conference this good, that isn’t something to look down your nose at. They do lose Emmanuel Miller, which is a big loss, and Ernest Udeh is the only returning rotation player from last season. However, the transfers they brought in are all really solid.
Frankie Collins has been a key piece for Arizona State the past few seasons and is a serviceable starting guard. Noah Reynolds took Green Bay from one of the worst teams in the country to a legitimate conference title contender. When he got hurt, the team fell off completely, showing just how impactful he was. Then, there’s Taz White, who averaged 20 points a game and 7 rebounds last season. That’s some really good mid-major talent. That’s not even including Vasean Allette, who averaged 17 points as a freshman last season.
Obviously, this talent can’t compete with Houston, Kansas, or any of those Tier 1 teams, but don’t be surprised if this team finishes closer to the top half than the bottom half. Jamie Dixon is an incredible coach, and he’ll make sure his team does what it can to exceed expectations.
11. West Virginia Mountaineers
Tier 3 are teams 11-13, who have tournament potential, but might have big enough issues on the team that they fall short. The top of that tier is West Virginia, who officially say goodbye to Bob Huggins and welcome in Darian DeVries. The best part of bringing in Devries? You get his son, Tucker. Tucker averaged 21.6 points a game last season, 5th best in the country, and his presence alone will give this West Virginia team a chance in any game.
The big concern is everyone else. Javon Small is probably the second option, and after that, it could get ugly. Sincere Harris could be a breakout candidate, but he has yet to show that. They’ll need the big men to stand out, especially in the Big 12 full of so many talented ones.
12. UCF Knights
UCF might be the most interesting team in the country. They boast two of the more controversial players in the country, Dior Johnson and Mikey Williams. Both of them were top 5 recruits at one point, but off-the-court issues have derailed their careers. If they play like 5-star recruits, UCF will without a doubt jump into that second tier.
The good news is even if both don’t pan out, they have their backcourt of Darius Johnson and Jaylin Sellers back. Both averaged 15 points a game last season and were the main reason why UCF outperformed expectations last season. They also bring in Kyshawn Hall and Jordan Ivy-Curry, two mid-major transfers who were high-volume scorers. The big issue will be the off-the-court problems, and if they can’t get that under control, then this can get ugly fast.
13. Arizona State Sun Devils
This team has an interesting spread of talent, but it’s probably not enough to lead them into the tournament. Getting Jayden Quaintance to flip from Arizona to Arizona State was enormous, but the top 10 recruit is just 17 and could have issues going up against some of those older, more experienced big men. They did the same with Jason Sanon, but the age gap will probably be an issue for him as well.
Getting BJ Freeman from Milwaukee will help tremendously. Freeman is an elite scorer, averaging 21 a game last year. He has issues with turnovers, but on a better roster, he won’t need the ball in his hands as much. Alston Mason is another mid-major transfer that can provide that scoring boost. They also bring back Adam Miller, an experienced forward who can provide leadership on and off the court.
Defense could be a major issue. They don’t have any high-level defenders, and with there being so many good defensive teams in the Big 12, games can get out of hand quickly. It will really depend on how ready Quaintance is, and if they struggle in the Big 12, it might be the end for Bobby Hurley.
14. Oklahoma State Cowboys
Finally, we have the bottom tier of the Big 12. None of these teams have a tournament chance and will be at the bottom all season. New coach Steve Lutz is a winner no matter where he goes, and there is little doubt that he will lead this Oklahoma State program to the tournament sooner rather than later.
That time is not now though, as they just don’t have the talent on this roster to compete in the Big 12. Getting Bryce Thompson back will be great. He missed a lot of last year and the team really freefell when he went down. They also bring in several transfers that will make big impacts in Arturo Dean and Khalil Brantley.
This team will try to go up and down the court, and perhaps the tempo can steal them an extra point or two. However, it would be quite a surprise if this team finishes any higher than 13th in the Big 12.
15. Colorado Buffaloes
Tad Boyle also seems to find a way to win, but he’s never coached in a conference like this. The talent on this roster is really underwhelming, especially after being so loaded the past year. Not a single player averaged 10 PPG at the D1 level last season on this roster, and this team doesn’t possess any qualities that will allow them to outmatch opponents.
They do have a D2 and NAIA recruit that could be interesting. Both were great at their levels, but obviously, the Big 12 is a different beast. If Tad Boyle can win with this roster, hand him a blank check.
16. Utah Utes
Utah finished 9-11 in the Pac-12, and this team is even worse than the last one. Gabe Madsen is an extremely fun player, and “Mongolian Mike” has a lot of upside, but this team’s ceiling is very low. They’ll need to step up offensively if they want to make some noise. With no Carlson or Smith on the roster, the scoring threat reduces significantly. They can finish ahead of Oklahoma State and Colorado, but that’s probably where the list ends.
CBB Review Preseason Big 12 Basketball Player of the Year
Hunter Dickinson, Kansas
The Big 12 has no shortage of stars, but it’s so hard not to pick Dickinson here. Dickinson is the best big man in the country and has been consistently one of the best all four years in college. At 7’2, he has such good size, and as we talked about earlier his post skills are impressive. With better assets around him, he should be even better this year, and hopefully lead his Kansas Jayhawks to another title.
CBB Review Preseason Big 12 Basketball Coach of the Year
Kelvin Sampson, Houston
This award will probably go to one of those teams that outperform expectations, but Houston has a chance to be the best team in the country, and Sampson is the reason why. All he does is win, and getting most of the roster to stay in an era where we see that really happen shows how much his guys want to play for him. Don’t be surprised if Jamie Dixon gets some votes as well.
CBB Review Preseason Big 12 Basketball Freshman of the Year
VJ Edgecombe, Baylor
Baylor has done great things with their five-star freshmen in recent years, and Edgecombe might be the best one. The 6’5 guard can score in bunches and has the confidence of a 10-year NBA vet. He’s extremely smart and is a plus defender. If Cooper Flagg didn’t exist, he would be the best freshman in the country, an impressive accomplishment.
CBB Review Preseason Big 12 Basketball Transfer of the Year
JT Toppin, Texas Tech
Not the popular pick, but people don’t realize how good JT Toppin was as a freshman last year. He averaged 12 points and 9 rebounds a game, and now as the star of this Texas Tech team, that will only be better, and he’ll quickly emerge as a top 5 player in the conference. Grant McCasland is an excellent coach and will bring out the most from Toppin.
CBB Review Preseason Big 12 Basketball First Team
- G: Caleb Love, Arizona
- G: LJ Cryer, Houston
- G: Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State
- F: JT Toppin, Texas Tech
- C: Hunter Dickinson, Kansas
CBB Review Preseason Big 12 Basketball Second Team
- G: VJ Edgecombe, Baylor
- F: Tucker DeVries, West Virginia
- F: AJ Storr, Kansas
- F: J’Wan Roberts, Houston
- C: Norchad Omier, Baylor
CBB Review Preseason Big 12 Basketball Third Team
- G: Egor Demin, BYU
- G: Jeremy Roach, Baylor
- G: Keshon Gilbert, Iowa State
- F: Coleman Hawkins, Kansas State
- F: KJ Adams, Kansas
CBB Review Preseason Big East Basketball All-Freshmen Team
- G: Rob Wright, Baylor
- G: Egor Denim, BYU
- G: VJ Edgecome, Baylor
- F: Flory Bidunga, Kansas
- C: Jaden Quaintance, Arizona State
Your 2nd Team and 3rd team shows the title as BIG EAST