2025-2026 College Basketball Conference Preview: Big 12 Fantasy Outlook

The Big 12 is coming off a successful season that saw seven of the 16 teams in the newly expanded league make an appearance in the NCAA Tournament with Houston finishing just two points shy of taking home the school's first national championship. The Cougars finished the Big 12 season four games clear of second-place Texas Tech and have now won the conference's regular season title in each of its first two seasons in the league. Houston enters this season as the favorite to take home their third-consecutive crown and are in strong consideration to start the year as the top team in the land. Texas Tech, BYU and Arizona are all projected to begin the season ranked among the top-15 teams in the country and appear to be the biggest threats to Houston's crown.

Big 12 College Basketball Preview for 2025-26

The conference remains relatively stable on the coaching front, though West Virginia and Utah are each indoctrinating a new head man this season. The Mountaineers, who surprisingly finished at .500 in conference play last season, brought in Ross Hodge from North Texas to replace the outgoing Darian DeVries, who bolted for Indiana after just one season in Morgantown. 

Meanwhile, the Utes took a page from BYU and turned to the NBA assistant ranks to find their new coach with Dallas Mavericks assistant and Utah alum Alex Jensen taking over for Craig Smith, who was let go after four seasons. As is the new standard for incoming coaches, each has pieced together a roster filled with players from the portal as the two programs will feature a combined 15 incoming transfers this season. 

While Hunter Dickinson has (finally) run out of college eligibility, the Big 12 does return its reigning player of the year -- Texas Tech forward JT Toppin. The transfer from New Mexico, who also earned newcomer of the year, led the Red Raiders to a trip to the Elite Eight with sights on achieving greater heights this season. 

Despite the league's success last season, only three players from the Big 12 were selected in the first round of the NBA draft -- freshman VJ Edgecombe from Baylor, BYU's Egor Demin and Arizona's Carter Bryant. That leaves a large number of quality players returning to a conference that will also feature a few game-changing transfers, as well as five of the top-10 incoming freshmen according to the 2025 ESPN Top 100. Let's take a look at the players set to make the biggest impact in the Big 12 this season. 

Top Big 12 Players 

Overall: JT Toppin, F, Texas Tech

Hunter Dickinson entered last season as the clear frontrunner to take home Big 12 Player of the Year honors, but it was Toppin who proved to be the best big man in the conference on his way to securing those accolades. While certainly not flying completely under the radar, Toppin moved on from New Mexico to Lubbock without the cache of other more ballyhooed transfers but was an instant difference-maker for the Red Raiders, being named as a second-team All-American to go along with his all-conference achievements. The 6-foot-9 junior makes an impact on both sides of the court, finishing within the top five in the conference in scoring, rebounding and blocks. Toppin leads our projections in both scoring and rebounding this season and is on the shortlist of frontrunners for National Player of the Year honors. Toppin flirted with entering the NBA Draft, but a hefty $4 million NIL deal helped solidify his return to Texas Tech. He'll now look to again pace the Big 12 in production while also leading the Red Raiders to becoming one of the biggest threats to take down Houston and securing their first conference title since 2019. 

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Also Considered: Richie Saunders, G, BYU: PJ Haggerty, G, Kansas State; Milos Uzan, G, Houston; Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas; Joshua Jefferson, F, Iowa State; Jaden Bradley, G, Arizona

Scoring: PJ Haggerty, G, Kansas State

Toppin tops our projection model in scoring, but I'd like to focus on Haggerty, who was one of the most coveted players to enter the portal. The high-scoring guard signed with Kansas State in the offseason, his fourth school in as many seasons. Following a brief six-game stint with TCU, Haggerty has averaged over 21 points in each of the last two seasons, first with Tulsa, then last season averaged 21.7 points on 47.6-percent shooting while at Memphis to lead the American Conference. While the Tigers are not in a power conference, they did schedule eight games last season against power-conference foes. In those eight games, Haggerty averaged 21.25 points. On a team that is coming off a disappointing season and not returning any of its top-seven scorers, Haggerty was brought in to be the unquestioned focal point of the revamped offense in the Little Apple. 

Also Considered: Richie Saunders, G, BYU; JT Toppin, F, Texas Tech; Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas; Emanuel Sharp, G, Houston

Rebounding: Flory Bidunga, C, Kansas

Once again, JT Toppin is projected to lead the Big 12 in rebounding so I'll shift our focus this time to the sophomore big man from Kansas. Bidunga was a five-star recruit for the Jayhawks a year ago but was limited to just 16.2 minutes per contest as he was the main backup to Hunter Dickinson. However, during a stretch of four-consecutive starts in place of Dickinson last year, Bidunga showed off his full potential, averaging 11.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots across 28.8 minutes per contest while posting two double-doubles. Perhaps most telling, that string of games took place during conference play and included a matchup against Houston and its defensive fiend Joseph Tugler. Bidunga is the biggest threat to match or exceed Toppin's production on the glass and is set to be a breakout star this season for the Jayhawks.

Also Considered: JT Toppin, F, Texas Tech; Keba Keita, C, BYU; Moustapha Thiam, C, Cincinnati; Tobe Awaka, C, Arizona; Joseph Tugler, C, Houston

Assists: Christian Anderson, G, Texas Tech

As you can see below in the "also considered" list, the Big 12 is loaded with high-quality point guards this season. But the one player that's coming in a bit under the radar is Anderson. As a freshman, Anderson was the first guard off the bench for the Red Raiders, occasionally spelling point guard and Big 12 assist leader Elijah Hawkins but primarily playing off the ball. This includes starting the final five games during tournament season for injured wing Chance McMillan. Perhaps most importantly, across those five starts, Anderson averaged 38 minutes, showing that coach Grant McCasland had no issue playing Anderson big-time minutes in the most important games of the season. This year, he takes over at his natural position and will be the main ball distributor for JT Toppin and the rest of the high-powered Texas Tech offense.

Also Considered: Robert Wright, G, BYU; Milos Uzan, G, Houston; Moe Odum, G, Arizona State; Jaden Bradley, G, Arizona; Tamin Lipsey, G, Iowa State; Brock Harding, G, TCU

Center: Joseph Tugler, C, Houston

In many ways, Tugler is the heart and soul of the Houston Cougars. He is a defensive menace that was a finalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award despite averaging just over 20 minutes per contest. He'll be asked to shoulder a larger load this season with J'Wan Roberts gone, and I expect to see his time on the floor increase into the high 20s. That should allow him to push for close to double figures in points while finishing among the league leaders in rebounds along with adding a combination of three-to-four steals and blocked shots per game. 

Also Considered: Flory Bidunga, C, Kansas; Keba Keita, C, BYU; Moustapha Thiam, C, Cincinnati

Freshman: Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas ; A.J. Dybantsa, F, BYU  

I know it's a bit of a cop out to list two players but these are the top two recruits in the country according to the ESPN 100. Of the two, it's the second-ranked Peterson who will be relied on more by his team from the start. Peterson is expected to immediately serve as the focal point of Kansas' offense. Peterson is a true combo guard with good size who will start on the wing for Kansas but has the ability to handle as well. The one question in his game is his scoring from beyond the arc, but he has the stroke that suggests he should be able to improve on that aspect of his game. 

While Peterson might be the better fantasy performer this season, Dybantsa is rated as the top recruit in the country and is currently the favorite to go first overall in next season's NBA Draft. BYU Coach Kevin Young has compared the 6-foot-9 forward to Paul George, and the five-star recruit projects as both an elite shot maker and an elite defender. Dybantsa won't need to shoulder all of the load for a Cougar squad that features a prolific scorer in Richie Saunders and an elite point guard in Baylor transfer Robert Wright, but it's that particular skillset the Cougars have lacked in the past and are counting on as the final piece to the puzzle when it comes to competing for the conference championship. 

Also Considered: Chris Cenac, F, Houston; Koa Peat, F, Arizona; Brayden Burries, G, Arizona; Tounde Yessoufou, F, Baylor; Jamarion Batemon, G, Iowa State

Big 12 Fantasy Sleepers

Kanye Clary, G, Oklahoma State

Clary joins the Cowboys after a lower leg injury limited him to just seven games last season with Mississippi State. Prior to that, Clary was a burgeoning star at Penn State, averaging 18.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists across 20 starts for the Nittany Lions prior to his controversial dismissal from the team in February of 2024. Clary is now fully healthy and is a perfect fit at point guard for what looks to be a much improved and fast-paced Oklahoma State offense. 

Riley Kugel, G, UCF

Another Mississippi State transfer, Kugel's numbers held steady across his three seasons in the SEC, averaging between 9.2-9.9 points and between 2.8-3.5 rebounds while playing roughly 23 minutes per contest each season. However, to find his true potential, we can look directly at the final 10 games of his freshman season while with Florida. Kugel averaged 17.3 points and 3.7 rebounds while shooting nearly 50 percent from the floor and just under 40 percent from beyond the arc, leading to his selection the following season to the preseason All-SEC second team. Kugel wasn't able to fully break through with the Gators or the Bulldogs but will be given every opportunity to do so this season with UCF -- a team that features a guard-friendly system and is replacing its entire starting unit from last season. 

Anthony Dell'Orso, G/F, Arizona

Dell'Orso joined the Wildcats last year following two productive seasons at Campbell, including averaging 19.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.6 steals as a sophomore prior to his move to Tucson. The junior Aussie started 28 of 37 games last season, though he only saw 18.2 minutes per contest, as he played a secondary role to star sixth-man KJ Lewis, who has since moved on to Georgetown. Despite the lack of playing time, Dell'Orso shot a career-best 41.3 percent from beyond the arc and was a capable producer when given the minutes. Dell'Orso saw at least 24 minutes in six games last season, averaging 13.2 points while reaching double figures in five of those. With Lewis no longer in the mix, the floor for Dell'Orso's minutes should be in the mid-twenties with the potential for more. That leaves him as a prime sleeper who can shoot the lights out while producing sneaky numbers off the glass and on the defensive end. 

Also Considered: Barrington Hargress, G, Colorado; Brock Harding, G, TCU; Bangor Dak, F, Colorado; Abdi Bashir, G, Kansas State

Top Big 12 Basketball Transfers 

PJ Haggerty, G, Kansas State

Haggerty was featured earlier but the top transfer in the Big 12 deserves a little space here as well. The star junior is also a capable rebounder and ball distributor, adding 5.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists last season at Memphis while also chipping in with 1.8 steals. And while he's not a major threat from beyond the arc, he's worked to improve that area of his game, improving from 28.9 percent two years ago to 36.4 percent on 3.1 attempts per game last season. Kansas State may be coming off a disappointing season but they are a sleeper team in the Big 12 after landing upon one of the top players in the country. 

Robert Wright, G, BYU

Despite his highly-touted pedigree, Wright has flown a bit under the radar thanks to sharing the court with three 2025 NBA Lottery picks, first Cooper Flagg and Derik Queen in high school, then VJ Edgecombe last year at Baylor. Wright moved into the starting lineup full time in mid-January, averaging a solid 10.7 points and 3.9 assists across those 19 tilts to earn a spot on the Big 12 all-freshman team. After the season, Wright entered the portal looking for a better fit to his style of play and Baylor's loss became BYU's gain. Wright joins an ascending Cougar squad seemingly on the cusp of greatness and his play-making ability should fit like a glove in coach Kevin Young's aggressive offensive style. 

Michael Rataj, F, Baylor

Rataj had a breakout campaign last season with Oregon State, more than doubling his previous career high with 16.9 points while adding 7.2 rebounds during his third season with the Beavers. He's parlayed that production into a spot with a revamped Baylor squad that's hoping to fill the shoes of last year's star transfer Norchad Omier. While not a double-double machine like Omier, Rataj can certainly hold his own on the glass, totaling 10 double doubles last season. Rataj figures to pace the Bears in both scoring and rebounding this season is also expected to finish amongst the league leaders in both categories.

Moustapha Thiam, C, Cincinnati

Thiam arrives in Cincinnati with Big 12 experience, having started all 34 games as a freshman last season with UCF. The 7-foot-2 center was an impact player from the jump with the Knights, averaging 10.4 points, 6.4 boards and 2.6 blocks while seeing 28.7 minutes of action per game. The minute total is a bit unusual for a player of Thiam's size, especially as a freshman, but that not only speaks to his endurance, it speaks to his ability to stay on the floor after having fouled out of only three games. Thiam has elite athleticism and while his strength is as a rim protector and finisher, he also has the touch to step outside and knock down triples, connecting on nearly 30 percent of his three-point attempts last season. The scary part is, Thiam is still developing with an upside that could place him firmly among the elite talents in the Big 12 by season's end. 

LeJuan Watts, F, Texas Tech

Texas Tech faced a major void when Darrion Williams, who finished second on the team in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals, entered the portal. However the Red Raiders quickly found a reasonable facsimile to Williams when they plucked the multi-faceted Watts from Washington State following a breakout campaign that saw him average 13.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists for the Cougars last season. Watts is efficient from the floor (54.9 percent), adept from three (42.2 percent) and is a good passer who at getting the ball to his big men and at starting the break. While Williams will be missed, Watts promises to be a high-quality complement to both Christian Anderson and JT Toppin. 

Also Considered: Nate Johnson, G, Kansas State; Kennard Davis, G, BYU; Moe Odum, G, Arizona State; Obi Agbim, G, Baylor; Tre White, G, Kansas

Top-10 Players in the Big 12

1. JT Toppin, F, Texas Tech
    
2. PJ Haggerty, G, Kansas State
    
3. Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas  
    
4. Richie Saunders, G, BYU  
    
5. Milos Uzan, G, Houston  
    
6. Joshua Jefferson, F, Iowa State  
    
7. Christian Anderson, G, Texas Tech
    
8. A.J. Dybantsa, F, BYU
    
9. Jaden Bradley, G, Arizona
    
10. Emanuel Sharp, G, Houston

*Note: These rankings are at the discretion of the article author, and may not necessarily correspond with RotoWire's official 2025-26 college basketball player rankings.

Projected Big 12 Team Standings

1. Houston
    
2. BYU
    
3. Texas Tech
    
4. Iowa State
    
5. Arizona
    
6. Kansas
    
7. Kansas State
    
8. Cincinnati
    
9. Baylor
    
10. Oklahoma State
     
11. West Virginia
     
12. TCU
     
13. Utah
     
14. UCF
     
15. Arizona State
     
16. Colorado

After cruising to the conference crown last season by finishing four games clear of second place Texas Tech, Houston begins the year as the favorite to take home its third-consecutive Big 12 championship. BYU is poised to take the next step and stands as Houston's biggest challenger, while Texas Tech may be even better last year's squad that finished just five points shy of making their way to the Final Four.

The next three schools should find themselves within the top-20 nationally, though each appear to be a step behind the top of the conference. Iowa State remains an elite defensive team and sits at the top of this tier, while Arizona is highly talented but could be a bit volatile due to its reliance upon a couple of freshmen in the starting lineup. Don't sleep on Kansas, which starts a bit further down the rankings than usual due to massive turnover with its roster, though that may be a good thing after last season's massive disappointment.

Kansas State and Cincinnati lead the next group of six teams that all have a legitimate shot to make the NCAA tournament. Oklahoma State and West Virginia are the sleepers from this group, while TCU is the steady Eddie of this group. Baylor's inclusion is unfamiliar territory for a Bears squad that is turning over its entire roster.

The bottom tier lacks the talent of any of the teams above them, and it would be a shock if any of these four teams win more than a handful of games in conference. Of this group, Utah may be the most likely to pull off an upset, while UCF, Arizona State and Colorado will battle each other for last place.

Projected Team Rotations

Editor's Note: This table is not edited following publication, but check out RotoWire's 2025-26 college basketball projections for our full player list, which can be filtered by conference, and is updated to account for recent news and injury information.

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