The Big 12’s dominance in the 2024-25 preseason AP Top 25 men’s basketball poll—it’s a hell of a story! When the poll dropped on October 14, 2024, the Big 12 didn’t just show up; it took over the top like it owned the place. Five teams crashed the top 10, and six landed in the full 25, making it clear this conference is a juggernaut heading into the season.
Kansas led the charge at No. 1, grabbing 30 first-place votes. Bill Self’s squad, stacked with vets like Hunter Dickinson—who’s back for a fifth year and snagged Preseason Player of the Year honors again—plus transfers like AJ Storr from Wisconsin and Zeke Mayo from South Dakota State, looks ready to roll. They’re not just a team; they’re a statement after last year’s early NCAA exit to Gonzaga. Then you’ve got Houston at No. 4, riding Kelvin Sampson’s relentless system. They lost Jamal Shead to the NBA but reloaded with depth—think Joseph Tugler and Terrance Arceneaux—and a top-tier recruiting class. Iowa State slid in at No. 5, a sneaky-good pick after a 29-8 run last year, bringing back key pieces and adding transfers like Curtis Jones from Buffalo.
Baylor’s at No. 8, with Scott Drew in his 22nd year mixing returners with big-time transfers like Jeremy Roach from Duke and Norchad Omier from Miami. And Arizona, the Big 12 newbie, rounded out the top 10 at No. 10. Tommy Lloyd’s got Caleb Love back and added Oakland’s Trey Townsend to a squad that’s itching to shake off its NCAA Tournament ghosts in a new conference. Cincinnati capped the Big 12’s ranked teams at No. 20—their first AP appearance since 2018-19—thanks to a roster overhaul under Wes Miller.
The numbers are wild: three of the top five, five of the top 10, and the Big 12 became the first conference ever to pack five teams into the preseason top 10 since the poll started in 1961-62. Beyond the ranked six, Texas Tech (58 votes), Kansas State (30), BYU (14), and Arizona State (2) were among those “receiving votes,” showing the league’s depth. The SEC had more teams overall with nine in the Top 25, but none matched the Big 12’s top-heavy punch—Alabama at No. 2 was their highest.
This isn’t just hype. The Big 12’s been the top-rated conference by KenPom four of the last six years, and with realignment adding Arizona, it’s only gotten tougher. Nine of its 16 teams hit the NCAA Tournament last year. Kansas is the latest champ from 2021-22, and Houston’s been a 30-win machine. Self said it best: “Every year we talk about the Big 12 being the toughest conference, and with the four additions, it became even stronger.” Posts on X echoed that—folks were buzzing about the Big 12’s “loaded” lineup and calling it the season’s powerhouse.
