Way-too-early Big 12 basketball rankings: Arizona, Houston and Kansas headline wide-open league - CBS Sports
Way-too-early Big 12 basketball rankings spotlight a wide-open league as the offseason transfer portal reshapes rosters. After weeks of movement, eight of the Big 12's top-30 scorers left for rival programs, including Kansas' Flory Bidunga signing with Louisville and Iowa State's Milan Momcilovic choosing Kentucky. Baylor's Tounde Yessoufou headed to St. John's, while Texas snagged TCU's David Punch and Colorado's Isaiah Johnson. The offseason churn has left rosters less proven, but Cincinnati and Arizona State have added significant coaching hires that could influence depth and competitiveness in 2026-27. To contextualize rosters, the article uses a tiered framework, with Arizona at the forefront of Tier 1. It notes a 2025-26 36-3 record (16-2 in Big 12) and a No. 1 seed before a Final Four exit, underscoring the program's defense and fast transition. The projected 2026-27 lineup includes G Derek Dixon (UNC transfer), G Caleb Holt, wings Cameron Holmes and Ivan Kharchenkov, and 7-foot-2 Motiejus Krivas, with a deep bench of Mandaquit, Brnovic, Mawut, Jarusevicius, Otten, Aiyamenkhue and James. Overall, the piece argues the Big 12's depth should keep the league competitive despite turnover.
