Arizona is our pick to hold off challenges from Houston and Kansas to win the Big 12 title this season, and if you saw what they did last year, you know they are coming in hot. They already ripped through the league, winning the title by multiple games, then took the conference tournament in dramatic fashion. And the cherry on top? They went all the way to the Final Four in Indianapolis! This isn’t just a hopeful pick, it’s a reflection of a team that knows how to win.
The Big 12’s Absolute Domination Continues
Let’s be real, the Big 12 was a beast last year, sending eight schools to the 2026 NCAA Tournament. That’s serious talent running through this league, and it didn’t stop there. We even saw Big 12 alums AJ Dybantsa from BYU and Darryn Peterson from Kansas go first and second in the 2026 NBA Draft! The league is stacked, and this season looks like more of the same. Three of the top eight teams in the preseason rankings over at BartTorvik.com are from the Big 12, with Arizona, Houston, and Kansas leading the charge in our CBS Sports projections. It is going to be a slugfest at the top, no doubt about it.
Kansas Rolls the Dice on a Freshman Sensation
For me, the real juice is in Lawrence, Kansas. Coach Bill Self is entering his 24th year, and believe it or not, he is trying to get his Jayhawks back to the Sweet 16 for the first time since he led them to their second national championship in 2022. To help make that happen, Self, a Naismith Memorial Hall of Famer, just landed Tyran Stokes, the top-ranked prospect in the Class of 2026. This dude is not just a highly touted recruit, he is already the favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NBA Draft! He is our pick for Big 12 Preseason Player and Freshman of the Year, and if he delivers, he would be just the third Kansas player to go No. 1 overall in the NBA Draft, joining legends Danny Manning and Andrew Wiggins. But let’s be real, Kansas is going to have to battle through Arizona and Houston, plus Texas Tech and Iowa State, if they want to get their hands on an 18th Big 12 regular-season title.
Don’t Sleep on These Young Guns
While Tyran Stokes is absolutely the headline grabber, he isn’t the only freshman ready to make a huge impact. If Stokes doesn’t snatch the Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors, then Arizona’s Caleb Holt is probably the guy to watch. This 6-foot-5 guard is ranked third in the Class of 2026 and is expected to start right away in Arizona’s backcourt. Talk about throwing him into the fire! With these kinds of young talents tearing it up and established powerhouses like Arizona and Kansas leading the way, the Big 12 season is going to be absolutely wild. Get ready, because these teams are coming to play!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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