KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The 16 teams that make up the Big 12 gathered at T-Mobile Center for men’s basketball media day on Wednesday.
All 16 coaches and players from all 16 programs were in attendance to talk about the upcoming season, which starts the first full week of November.
Here are four takeaways from the day.
KANSAS’ TOUGH ROAD TO WIN THE BIG 12
Kansas was named the favorite to win the Big 12 in the preseason coaches’ poll and selected No. 1 in the AP preseason Top 25. The Jayhawks may have as stacked a roster as any team in the nation.
Each year, Kansas is usually the favorite to win this league. But three other teams received a first-place vote and four other Big 12 teams were in the preseason Top 10, which is a first. Plus, coach Bill Self said, there will be “three or four schools that will be in the Top 25 at some point.”
Each year this league seems to get tougher, but with four new schools — including national power Arizona — is the league the toughest to win its ever been? Self said yes.
“I can tell you, hands down, this is going to be the hardest year to win our league,” Self said.
Self cited the unbalanced schedule and said that, perhaps, there isn’t a win-at-all-costs mentality in this league this season — as in not sacrificing everything just to win the league title.
He also mentioned that all 16 Big 12 teams were in the Top 90 in computer rankings going into the season, backing up his statement that “this league has no bottom.”
It means managing the mental aspect of the grind of playing two games a week for 10 weeks in league play an important part of league play.
“You better be equipped to be disappointed because nobody’s gonna run the table,” he said.
‘ADAPT AND LET’S GO’
Much of the talk at Big 12 media day was about the departure of Tony Bennett as the coach at Virginia. Just 55 years old, many felt Bennett had many years ahead of him. But, Bennett cited NIL and transfer portal as some of the factors that led to his retirement.
Houston coach Kelvin Sampson has more than a decade on Bennett but he’s still going strong. He’s evolved, he said on Wednesday. But he also said that if he coached now the way he coached at the start of his career he probably wouldn’t make it in today’s world.
The Cougars were voted second in the Big 12 preseason coaches’ poll and two of his players — guard L.J. Cryer and forward J’Wan Roberts — were selected preseason all-conference first-team.
He knows he has to deal with NIL and the transfer portal today. But he’s found a way to compartmentalize it, sort of a philosophy of “adapt and let’s go.”
“I enjoy teaching, I enjoy coaching, I enjoy mentoring, I enjoy trying to make a difference in our kids’ lives,” he said. “I enjoy that and I refuse to let NIL or transfer portal penetrate my joy. I keep my joy. I still love doing that and I don’t spend my time worrying about it.”
Related: Could Big 12 Coaches be Targeted to Replace Tony Bennett?
BAYLOR’S NEW EXPERIENCE
Few schools did as well in the transfer portal as Baylor, and the Bears only took in two notable transfers.
First, the Bears lured in four-year Duke starter Jeremy Roach. Named the Big 12 preseason co-Newcomer of the Year and a preseason All-Big 12 Second Team member, he was a team captain for the Blue Devils last season. He played 130 games for Duke with 108 starts, led them to a Final Four and scored more than 1,000 career points.
Toward the end of the summer the Bears landed Miami forward Norchad Omier. Another player with Final Four experience, he averaged 17.0 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 1.2 assists and 0.8 blocks last season.
For Scott Drew, having two players with a combined seven years of collegiate experience join his roster makes his life a little bit easier.
“Jeremy and Norchad have been a part of great programs under great coaches,” Drew said. “They not only bring experience, confidence and talent but a lot of knowledge. Any offensive or defensive concepts (we introduce) they grasp. They’re coaches out there. They help our younger guys.”
Baylor was picked fourth in the Big 12 preseason coaches’ poll and is coming off a second-round exit in the NCAA Tournament for the third straight season after winning the 2021 national title.
Omier and Roach were selected All-Big 12 preseason second team and VJ Edgecome was preseason freshman of the year. Roach was also the co-newcomer of the year.
OTZ’S PUNISHMENT
Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger was so late for his morning press conference that he arrived at the end of his 10-minute window.
He provided no reason why, but he assured everyone there would be consequences.
“I assure you I’ll be running sprints to be accountable,” the fourth-year coach said.
Media day is scheduled to the minute so it’s possible other media commitments made him late for the televised portion. He talked with the media during the breakout session without delay.
The Cyclones were picked to finish third in the conference by the league’s coaches in the preseason poll. Guard Tamin Lipsey was selected to the All-Big 12 preseason first team and guard Keshon Gilbert was selected preseason second-team.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
