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Houston Tabbed As Big 12 Men's Basketball Favorite, TTU's Toppin Named Preseason Player of the Year
POSTED: October 16, 2025 -- 4:35 p.m. CT
Fresh off an appearance in the NCAA Championship game, Houston was picked as the favorite in the Big 12 men's basketball preseason poll. This is the Cougars' first time sitting atop the preseason poll, after checking in at No. 2 in each of their first two seasons as part of the Big 12.
Texas Tech's JT Toppin was named Preseason Player of the Year, returning to Lubbock after capturing postseason player of the year honors in 2024-25. Toppin is the second Red Raider to be named Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year, and first since the 2003-04 season. Toppin averaged 18.2 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.
Kansas' Darryn Peterson was picked as the Preseason Freshman of the Year, becoming the 10th Jayhawk to earn that distinction. The Naismith Trophy High School Player of the Year, he comes to Lawrence after averaging 30.4 points per game at Napa Christian High School. Peterson was a McDonald's All-American that was tabbed as the No. 1 recruit in the nation by 247Sports.com and On3.com.
LeJuan Watts joined Toppin as Red Raiders to earn preseason distinction as Preseason Newcomer of the Year. The Washington State transfer averaged 13.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game for the Cougars in 2024-25. Watts is the fourth Texas Tech player to be voted as the Conference's top newcomer in the preseason, and the first since 2020.
Toppin and Peterson were joined by BYU's AJ Dybantsa and Houston's Milos Uzan as unanimous selections to the preseason All-Big 12 Team. Richie Saunders (BYU), Emanuel Sharp (Houston), JoJo Tugler (Houston), Tamin Lipsey (Iowa State), P.J. Haggerty (Kansas State) and Christian Anderson (Texas Tech) complete the 10-man team. Lipsey is making his second consecutive appearance on the Preseason All-Big 12 team.
Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team or student-athletes.
2025-26 Big 12 Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
Rank |
Team (First-place votes) |
Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Houston (14) | 224 |
| 2. | BYU (1) | 204 |
| 3. | Texas Tech | 200 |
| 4. | Arizona (1) | 179 |
| 5. | Iowa State | 170 |
| 6. | Kansas | 163 |
| 7. | Baylor | 137 |
| 8. | Cincinnati | 120 |
| 9. | Kansas State | 117 |
| 10. | TCU | 90 |
| 11. | West Virginia | 79 |
| 12. | Oklahoma State | 77 |
| 13. | Utah | 50 |
| 14. | UCF | 39 |
| 15. | Colorado | 37 |
| 16. | Arizona State | 34 |
2025-26 Preseason Player of the Year: JT Toppin, Texas Tech
2025-26 Preseason Newcomer of the Year: LeJuan Watts, Texas Tech
2025-26 Preseason Freshman of the Year: Darryn Peterson, Kansas
2025-26 Preseason All-Big 12 Team
AJ Dybantsa, BYU*
Richie Saunders, BYU
Emanuel Sharp, Houston
Joseph Tugler, Houston
Milos Uzan, Houston*
Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State
Darryn Peterson, Kansas*
P.J. Haggerty, K-State
Christian Anderson, Texas Tech
JT Toppin, Texas Tech*
* - unanimous selection
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