Big 12 Basketball: Ranking of top 25 players entering 2023-24 season

4. Dajuan Harris – Kansas

Certainly developed into a nightmare for oppositions, Harris enters his fifth year at Kansas, his fourth on the court, and his third as the starting point guard. He was a key cog on their national championship team two seasons ago and emerged even more last season, averaging 8.9 points and 6.2 assists with pretty solid shooting numbers.

Not only did Harris finish among the national leader in assists last season, he was also named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. He’s a selfless veteran who sets up his teammates well and also plays shutdown defense for the Jayhawks. Things will be a bit different in Kansas’s rotation this season, though Harris’s role should only be greater, especially with those new faces joining him in the backcourt.

3. LJ Cryer – Houston

A brand new combo guard with plenty of Big 12 experience, Houston was tasked with replacing most of their backcourt and got a major player in Cryer. He won the national championship for Baylor back as a freshman and really started coming into his own last season, averaging 15.0 points per game as a junior with great shooting numbers.

Cryer fills some of the hole left behind by Marcus Sasser and Tramon Mark and will play both guard positions for the Cougars. He shot 41% from outside the arc last season and will be leaned on as a scorer this season, Houston’s first in the Big 12. We’ll just have to see if the best long-range shooter in the Big 12 can step up his game on the defensive end and have another efficient offensive year while wearing a new uniform.