Arizonafinally ended its Final Four drought, Bill Self returns (with the nation's top-ranked recruit), while Kelvin Sampson has almost an entire reset in Houston.
The Big 12 features some of college basketball's best teams and top players. We polled writers within the USA TODAY Network who cover Big 12 schools for their preseason predictions, all-conference teams and preseason awards ahead of Big 12 media days, which run Oct. 20-21 in Kansas City.
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Here's a look at how our writers think the 2026-27 season will shake out in the Big 12:
Big 12 basketball preseason poll, predicted order of finish
- Arizona
- Houston
- Iowa State
- Kansas
- Texas Tech
- BYU
- Baylor
- West Virginia
- Cincinnati
- TCU
- Oklahoma State
- Arizona State
- UCF
- Kansas State
- Utah
- Colorado
2026-27 preseason All-Big 12 basketball team
* denotes unanimous selection
FIRST TEAM
- Tyran Stokes, Kansas*
- Motiejus Krivas, Arizona
- Caleb Holt, Arizona
- Rob Wright III, BYU
- Dedan Thomas, Houston
SECOND TEAM
- JT Toppin, Texas Tech
- Joseph Tugler, Houston
- Bruce Branch III, BYU
- Paulius Murauskas, Arizona State
- Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State
Also receiving votes (listed in order of votes): Ivan Kharchenkov, Arizona; Dylan Mingo, Baylor; Xavier Edmonds, TCU; Keanu Dawes, Kansas; Killyan Toure, Iowa State; Cruz Davis, Texas Tech; Darrion Williams, Texas Tech; Donovan Atwell, Texas Tech; Derek Dixon, Arizona; Brandon Rechsteiner, Kansas State; Collin Chandler, BYU; Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, Texas Tech; Blake Buchanan, Iowa State; Taylen Kinney, Kansas; Jamarion Batemon, Iowa State; Barrington Hargess, Colorado; MJ Collins, Cincinnati; Tre White, Kansas.
Big 12 basketball preseason Player of the Year
Tyran Stokes, Kansas.
The nation's No. 1-ranked recruit, Stokes has the ability to play almost every position on the court. “I mean, he’s a great player, great — I think he’s just like a great centerpiece of the team," Kansas' Trent Perry said of the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NBA Draft.
More: Bill Self says Tyran Stokes is positionless and among best passers he’s had at KU
Also receiving votes: Motiejus Krivas, Arizona; JT Toppin; Rob Wright III, BYU, Caleb Holt, Arizona, Keanu Dawes, Kansas.
Big 12 basketball preseason Newcomer of the Year (non-freshman)
Dedan Thomas, Houston
On his third stop, Thomas was Mountain West Freshman of the Year at UNLV in 2024 and made 15 starts for LSU last year before injury cut short his season. The point guard averaged 15.3 points and 6.5 assists last season and will fill the void left by Kingston Flemings, who left the Cougars for the NBA after one season.
Also receiving votes: Paulius Murauskas, Arizona State.
Big 12 basketball preseason Freshman of the Year
Tyran Stokes, Kansas
Also receiving votes: Caleb Holt, Arizona.
Poll participants: Scott Springer (Cincinnati Enquirer), Ben Hutchens (The Oklahoman), Jordan Mendoza (USA TODAY), Wyatt Wheeler (Topeka Capital Journal), Nathan Giese (Lubbock Avalanche-Journal), Michelle Gardner (Arizona Republic), Jordan Guskey (Topeka Capital Journal), Eugene Rapay (Des Moines Register), Travis Hines (Des Moines Register), John Leuzzi (USA TODAY Network), Craig Meyer (USA TODAY Network), Austin Curtright (USA TODAY),Chris Boyle (Daytona News-Journal).
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nation's top recruit adds juice to Big 12 basketball preseason poll. See our rankings