As part of its 2024–25 men’s basketball preseason coverage, Sports Illustrated is rolling out previews for the five high-major conferences, plus the top mid-majors nationally. Previously: ACC, Big East and Big Ten. Next up is the Big 12.
The Big 12 has perennially been the best conference in college basketball, and realignment has only added fuel to that fire. Last year’s addition of Houston gave the league another elite team, and one more top-tier program in Arizona joins the fray this season. The top of this conference is stacked, with five potential top-10 teams and a host of other talented squads that could be knocking on the door before long. Can Kansas, which has long dominated the conference, get back to the top after a disappointing 2023–24? It’s going to be a fascinating year in the Big 12.
