The Big 12 has put its preseason spotlight on a familiar name at the top and a loaded crop of talent across the rest of the league.
Arizona center Motiejus Krivas was named the conference’s preseason Player of the Year as the Big 12 rolled out its men’s basketball preseason honors ahead of 2026 Basketball Media Days later this month at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. Krivas is set to anchor a Wildcats team coming off a Final Four run, and he arrives with plenty of hardware already attached to his name: First Team All-Big 12 and a spot on the league’s All-Defensive Team.
His junior season showed why Arizona is leaning on him again. Krivas held opponents to 36.7% whenever he touched the ball while averaging 10.4 points on 56.9% shooting, 8.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.
Arizona State landed the conference’s Newcomer of the Year in Paulius Murauskas, a top-10 transfer from St. Mary’s who brings an immediate boost to the Sun Devils.
Murauskas was a two-time All-West Coast Conference First Team forward and posted 18.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game last season as a junior. The move also comes after Randy Bennett’s departure for Tempe.
Kansas grabbed the Freshman of the Year award with Tyran Stokes, who chose the Jayhawks over Kentucky and quickly became one of the biggest names in the class. Stokes is the No. 1 high school prospect in the country, a McDonald’s All-American and a three-time gold medalist with USA Basketball. He becomes the second straight Kansas player to earn the preseason freshman honor, following Darryn Peterson.
The league’s preseason team reflects just how much high-end talent is spread across the Big 12. Arizona placed both Ivan Kharchenkov and Krivas on the list, while Arizona State’s Murauskas made it as well. BYU’s Robert Wright III, Houston’s Dedan Thomas Jr. and Joseph Tugler, Iowa State’s Tamin Lipsey, Kansas’ Stokes, TCU’s Xavier Edmonds and Texas Tech’s JT Toppin round out the group.
In Other News...
Kansas States Rivalry Win Raised One Big Question About This Team
Kansas State kept its grip on the Sunflower Showdown with another win over Kansas, rolling to a 35-24 victory at Bill Snyder Family Stadium and stretching the streak to 18 straight in the rivalry. The Wildcats leaned on a ground attack that piled up more than 300 rushing yards, while the defense delivered the kind of timely stops that usually decide these games, including a key interception by Logan Bartley. Joe Jackson emerged as the game MVP, giving the Wildcats a performance that fit the physical, old-school feel of the rivalry.
Still, the bigger takeaway for Kansas State is not just that it handled Kansas again, but what the game may say about the rest of the season. The offense showed it can control a game on the ground, the defense made enough disruptive plays to matter, and special teams and coaching each played a part in a performance that deserved a full set of grades. The question now is whether this was simply a rivalry statement, or a more useful snapshot of what the Wildcats can be when everything lines up. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Just Tightened Its Grip On This Rivalry Again
Kansas State was staring at an early 10-point hole in its annual Sunflower Sundown matchup, but the Wildcats settled in and turned the rivalry back their way again. Avery Johnson helped steady the offense with a strong two-way effort, throwing for 209 yards and a touchdown while adding 132 yards on the ground, and Joe Jackson gave the run game the kind of volume and finishing power that can change a game like this.
The rally pushed Kansas State to 4-2 overall and 1-2 in Big 12 play, while also extending its remarkable winning streak in the series to 19 straight. In a rivalry that tends to expose every weakness, the Wildcats found enough answers after the rough opening quarter to keep control of a matchup they have owned for years. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Suddenly Has A Key Availability Concern Before Kickoff
Garrett Oakleys status is one of the main things to watch as Kansas State heads into its rivalry game against Kansas. The starting tight end is officially listed as out, which adds a notable wrinkle for the Wildcats as they get ready for a matchup that already has plenty of attention around it. For a team trying to settle in before kickoff, losing a key piece of the offense changes the feel of the buildup.
Oakleys absence leaves Kansas State with another question to answer in a game that comes with all the usual extra layers, from predictions and betting angles to weather and broadcast details. In a rivalry setting like this, availability can matter just as much as anything else, and the Wildcats now have one more thing to sort through before the opener. [Read more 🡒]