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Big 12 Basketball: Way-too-early preseason power rankings for 2019-20

By Jason Kinander

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 08: Kyler Edwards #0 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders reacts after his teams 85-77 loss to the Virginia Cavaliers during the 2019 NCAA men's Final Four National Championship game at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 08, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 08: Kyler Edwards #0 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders reacts after his teams 85-77 loss to the Virginia Cavaliers during the 2019 NCAA men's Final Four National Championship game at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 08, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 23: Head coach Shaka Smart of the Texas Longhorns gestures during the championship game of the 2018 Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational basketball tournament against the Michigan State Spartans at the Orleans Arena on November 23, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Michigan State defeated Texas 78-68. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 23: Head coach Shaka Smart of the Texas Longhorns gestures during the championship game of the 2018 Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational basketball tournament against the Michigan State Spartans at the Orleans Arena on November 23, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Michigan State defeated Texas 78-68. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images) /

1. Texas Longhorns

The Texas Longhorns were one of just five teams to finish their season with a win, winning the NIT after an NCAA Tournament snub.

While the Longhorns will lose star freshman Jaxson Hayes and senior star Kerwin Roach, they’ll return quite a bit, and bring in a whole lot of talent.

Returning are Elijah Mitrou-Long, Jericho Sims, Jase Febres, Courtney Ramey, and Matt Coleman. The Longhorns have the best returning group in the Big 12 right there, not even considering what they’ll be adding.

The big x-factor is Andrew Jones. Jones has missed the majority of the last two seasons due to Leukemia but was a major difference-maker when healthy, and if he is fully healthy next season, then Texas will have a huge boost in the form of Jones.

The biggest factor as a whole for Texas in their number one ranking is their recruiting class, which is the best in the Big 12.

The Longhorns have the #13 class in the country, which is headlined five-star center Will Baker. In addition to Baker, the Longhorns have a pair of top-60 recruits in Kai Jones and Donovan Williams.

Next. Way-too-early preseason top-25 for 2019-20. dark

The Longhorns not only have the best group of returning players in the Big 12, but they also have by far the best recruiting class. This could very well be Shaka Smart’s best team on paper in Austin, and in my opinion, this is a team that can compete for a National Championship all things considered.

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