Jeff Goodman and the Field of 68 have provided Big 12 country with an anonymous coaches poll evaluating each of the conference’s hoops jobs from top to bottom.
For the sake of clarity, the poll includes both longtime coaches and assistants from each conference, and there’s no one evaluative method: simply an aggregate of responses ultimately scoring and ranking of the best and worst jobs in the league.
So, where does everyone come out?
The Field of 68’s Big 12 Men’s Basketball Job Rankings:
- Kansas (18) – 288
- Arizona – 268
- Texas Tech – 236
- BYU – 228
- Houston – 222
- Iowa State – 194
- Baylor – 184
- Cincinnati – 146
- Kansas State – 128
- West Virginia – 124
- TCU – 96
- Arizona State – 94
- Oklahoma State – 76
- Utah – 74
- UCF – 54
- Colorado – 52
First impressions and obvious observations
While it’s not entirely clear how each team is “scored,” Kansas seemingly absorbed 18 votes just by how the poll is formatted. It’s also apparent that NIL spending plays a pretty big factor in where each school lands on this respective list.
Kansas, Arizona Texas Tech and BYU consuming the top 4 is particularly telling, considering their respective men’s basketball budgets, both reported or rumored, range between $4-7 million annually. It’s also worth mentioning the Big 12’s recent Players Era deal investing $50 million across all 16 schools.
We’re talking roughly $20.5 million per school, and just 20% of that is going toward the hardwood.
Kansas is No. 1, and it’s not hard to understand why
Perhaps the least argued position on this list rests atop the rest, as Kansas stands out as one of the most lucrative coaching jobs in the country.
Bill Self has disputed figures in the past, but an April CBS Sports article reported Kansas (along with Big 12 neighbors Houston and Kansas State) is willing to spend upwards of $8 million on constructing its roster. Estimates seems to blossom year-to-year and often doubling for programs willing to cut a bigger check for a winning season.
But Lawrence, particularly, shines atop the conference hill as the best job available in 2026. Forget the dollar figures, and consider the program’s robust basketball history and legacy of success with four national titles since 1952 (Kansas counts the disputed Helms titles from 1922 and 1923) with two of those belonging to Self.
Kansas, which leads Big 12 operating budgets with $156 million (2024), spent $49 million on a multi-phase project to modernize Allen Fieldhouse.
Self, currently in his 23rd season with the Jayhawks, is 63 years old and undoubtedly weighing his exit amid a “lifetime contract,” that he signed in 2021 and amended in 2023 as five-year rolling contract. He’s is the highest-paid coach in college hoops (worth roughly $53 million) and can certainly step away whenever he’d like.
Should Iowa State be higher?
As far as fan bases go, Iowa State has staked its reputation as ready-to-travel in both camps, basketball and football. But the Cyclones check in at No. 6 on a list, and while it’s possible they’ve been overlooked in this particular poll, it’s still surprising given the thorough job T.J. Otzelberger has done in Ames since 2021.
No. 2 Iowa State, even after an 84-63 road loss at Kansas on Tuesday, is still among the favorites for the conference title this season, and Otz has a roster worth roughly $5 million, according to the Sports Business Journal. So why are the Clones sixth?
While Houston is the lowest of the three in terms of NIL budget ($2.1 million), the Cougars have a reputation as a perennial contender with one of the lowest operating budgets in the Big 12. BYU, additionally, has raised its own profile under Kevin Young, top recruit A.J. Dybantsa and a $12 million hoops budget.
Another large part of the equation is facilities. Houston’s Toyota Center (19,000 seats) and BYU’s Marriott Center (17,987 seats) trump the 54-year-old Hilton Coliseum, which seats just 14,356 attendees.
The best fan reactions
Unsurprisingly, the Big 12 behemoth on X had plenty of say in response to this particular poll. Here’s a few of the best outtakes from the comments:
