Way-too-early 2024-25 Big 12 basketball rankings: Can Oklahoma State avoid last place?
With the addition of Houston this season and Arizona next season, Big 12 men's basketball is getting even better.
The conference should sustain juggernaut status in the 2024-25 season.
Iowa State should be a legitimate national title contender. Kansas should be back to being Kansas. Baylor is in limbo (more on that below), and Cincinnati and BYU are dark horses to compete for the conference crown.
OSU and West Virginia have new coaches and Big 12 staples Kansas State and Texas Tech have question marks.
But this is April 2024! With the coaching carousel still spinning and the transfer portal whirring, who knows how silly this will all sound by April 2025.
With this season in the books, here’s my way-too-early Big 12 men’s basketball outlook for 2024-25.
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1. Houston
In college basketball, nothing stays the same. Except for Kelvin Sampson’s Cougars.
Defensive Player of the Year Jamal Shead is expected to declare for the NBA Draft, but the Cougars plan to return their other four starters from last season’s 32-5 team. That includes leading scorer LJ Cryer.
In the last four seasons, Houston has made a Final Four, an Elite Eight and two Sweet 16s. No reason to think these Cougars won’t make another Big 12 and national title run.
2. Iowa State
The Cyclones have improved in each of T.J. Otzelberger’s first three seasons. The 2023-24 Cyclones went 29-8 and advanced to the Sweet 16.
And much of that team is likely to stay intact. Keshon Gilbert and Tamin Lipsey, two of the best guards in the conference, are expected to return for another season in Ames. Same goes for All-Big 12 Freshman forward Milan Momcilovic.
Iowa State has already added three players via the transfer portal, including former Charlotte center Dishon Jackson.
The defending Big 12 Tournament champs should only get better.
3. Kansas
Kansas just had its worst season of the Bill Self era. A one-year blip or the start of a trend? Likely the former.
The stay-or-go decision of star big man Hunter Dickinson and rising sophomore Johnny Furphy will certainly alter the Jayhawks’ outlook, and the loss of Kevin McCullar will hurt, but KU should still enjoy a bounceback season.
The Jayhawks have reloaded with a No. 3-ranked recruiting class that includes five-star center Flory Bidunga and a pair of four-star guards in Labaron Philon and Rakease Passmore.
Kansas also plucked top guards Zeke Mayo (South Dakota State) and Riley Kugel (Florida) from the transfer portal.
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4. Baylor
Scratch everything you’re reading if Scott Drew takes the Kentucky job.
Let’s assume Drew returns to Waco for his 22nd season with the Bears. Baylor hasn’t advanced past the second round of the NCAA Tournament in the three seasons since winning the national title, but Drew annually has the Bears at or near the top of the conference.
Only once in the last 13 seasons has Baylor finished under .500 in Big 12 play. That’s crazy.
Freshman guard Ja’Kobe Walter is off to the NBA, but the Bears have a top-10 recruiting class coming in. It’s headlined by forward VJ Edgecombe, the fifth-ranked player in the 2024 class, according to 247Sports.
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5. BYU
So much hinges on Jaxson Robinson’s decision to either return for his senior season or declare for the NBA Draft. The former Ada star led the Cougars in scoring at 14.2 points per game.
The Cougars will be plenty deep even if Robinson leaves. BYU, as of now, is expected to return every other key contributor except guard Spencer Johnson.
There’s a lot of excitement about former four-star guard Collin Chandler, who’s set to debut after returning from a two-year mission.
6. Arizona
Oumar Ballo became the top-ranked player in the transfer portal when he announced his intention to leave Arizona. The 7-foot center, who followed coach Tommy Lloyd from Gonzaga to Arizona, was a two-time All Pac-12 player for the Wildcats. He averaged 12.9 points, 10.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.
Ballo and graduate forward Keshad Johnson are definitely gone, and leading scorer Caleb Love is likely off to the NBA.
Arizona will have no problem attracting top talent in the portal, but the Wildcats will likely take a step back.
7. Cincinnati
Guards Day Day Thomas and Dan Skillings Jr. announced their plans to return, which is huge news for Wes Miller’s Bearcats. Guard Simas Lukosius is also expected to be back.
UC will also add a pair of top-75 recruits in Tyler Betsey and Tyler McKinley.
The Bearcats struggled in their first Big 12 season, but Cincinnati should be an NCAA Tournament team in 2025.
8. West Virginia
By hiring Darian DeVries from Drake, West Virginia also lured DeVries’ son, Tucker, away from the Bulldogs.
Tucker DeVries was the two-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year at Drake. Last season he averaged 21.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.
Guard Kerr Kriisa entered the transfer portal, but West Virginia’s offseason is far from complete.
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9. Kansas State
Guard Cam Carter is transferring from Kansas State to LSU, but the Wildcats secured a portal commitment from former Michigan guard Dug McDaniel.
David Castillo, the former Bartlesville guard who transferred to Sunrise Christian in Wichita, is a top-50 player in the 2024 class.
Jerome Tang is an excellent recruiter. The Wildcats aren’t likely to stay down for long.
10. Texas Tech
Pop Isaacs, the Red Raiders’ leading scorer, entered the transfer portal. Two other Texas Tech starters exhausted their eligibility.
Coach Grant McCasland has a lot of holes to plug if the Red Raiders are to stay in the top half of the conference.
11. Colorado
It looks to be a rebuilding year for the Buffs as Cody Williams, the brother of Thunder forward Jalen Williams, and Tristan da Silva are likely off to the NBA.
Two other starters, J’Vonne Hadley and Eddie Lampkin, have entered the portal.
Colorado has been average to above average throughout Tad Boyle’s tenure, but it’s hard to see the Buffs finishing better than .500 in Big 12 play next season.
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12. TCU
Jamie Dixon taking TCU to the NCAA Tournament in three consecutive seasons is no small feat.
The Frogs did good work in the portal last offseason, and they’ll have to do the same to remain competitive next season with the losses of fifth-year seniors Emmanuel Miller and Jameer Nelson Jr and former OSU guard Avery Anderson.
13. UCF
The Knights exceeded expectations in their first Big 12 season, and UCF got a big boost when top scorer Jaylin Sellers announced he’s returning for his senior season.
Mikey Williams is a wild card. The former five-star prospect didn’t play at Memphis last season due to legal issues stemming from a shooting. He transferred to UCF, but who knows when or if Williams will play or how he’ll look upon returning.
Coach Johnny Dawkins received a well-deserved two-year extension with the Knights.
14. Utah
The Utes have much to replace, including leading scorer and rebounder Branden Carlson as well as other key contributors like Cole Bajema and Rollie Worster.
Utah hasn’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2015-16. Coach Craig Smith, entering his fourth season, went 23-37 in Pac-12 play.
15. Arizona State
Four of Arizona State’s top-five scorers either graduated or plan to transfer.
Bobby Hurley, who’s made three NCAA Tournaments in nine seasons as coach, will have his hands full in the Big 12.
The Sun Devils are bringing in a pair of top-100 recruits in Amier Ali and Sammie Yeanay, but there will be work to do in the portal.
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16. Oklahoma State
First-year coach Steve Lutz hasn’t shied away from the work in front of him.
Four of OSU’s five starters have entered the transfer portal: Javon Small, Brandon Garrison, Quion Williams and Eric Dailey. Bryce Thompson, who’s recovering from season-ending shoulder surgery, could return.
Barring major portal acquisitions, OSU fans shouldn’t have high expectations for the Cowboys in Year 1 under Lutz.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Way-too-early Big 12 basketball 2024-25 poll: Can OSU avoid last?
