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The Big 12 men's basketball preseason poll was unveiled on Thursday, and the Kansas Jayhawks are projected to be among the conference's top teams this season. The Jayhawks were chosen to finish third in the poll, which was voted on by the 16 Big 12 head coaches.
Arizona was picked to finish first, followed by Houston in second. That order mirrors the final Big 12 standings from last season, when Arizona captured the regular-season title with a 16-2 record, Houston finished second at 14-4, and Kansas placed third at 12-6.
The complete poll is as follows: 1. Arizona, 2. Houston, 3. Kansas, 4. Iowa State, 5. Texas Tech, 6. BYU, 7. TCU, T8. Cincinnati, T8. West Virginia, 10. Baylor, 11. Oklahoma State, 12. Arizona State, 13. UCF, 14. Colorado, 14. Kansas State, 16. Utah.
Kansas's placement at No. 3 in the preseason rankings appears entirely fair. Arizona deserves the top spot again after its performance last season and the roster that head coach Tommy Lloyd has assembled once more. The Wildcats are a legitimate national championship contender.
The same can be said for Kelvin Sampson and the Houston Cougars, who have been a powerhouse in the Big 12 since joining the conference in 2023. Houston won the regular-season title in its first year (2023-24), repeated in 2024-25, and finished as runner-up last year. The Cougars should be considered just as much of a national title threat as the Wildcats.
Meanwhile, Kansas features a new-look roster that appears to be its strongest on paper since the 2022 national championship team. The Jayhawks possess experience, talent, and depth, and if everything clicks, they too could be among the national title contenders come March.
With freshman Tyran Stokes—who was recently named a Preseason First Team All-American and is projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NBA Draft—the Jayhawks will have arguably the most talented player on the floor every time they play. If the supporting cast can contribute and head coach Bill Self can find a rotation that works, this team will be difficult to beat by the time Big 12 play begins in January.
Kansas fans will get their first look at how good this team can be when the Jayhawks take on Pitt State in their first exhibition of the season on Friday night. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT inside Allen Fieldhouse, with the game airing live on ESPN+.