Big 12 Basketball: Way-too-early power rankings for 2024-25 season

1. Kansas Jayhawks

2023-24 season record: 23-11 (10-8 Big 12)

For a program that was the preseason No. 1 team, Kansas ended things with a thud, getting blown out by Gonzaga in the Round of 32. A lack of depth was viewed as the problem and that was something Coach Bill Self made sure to fix. The team lost star wing Kevin McCullar Jr. and senior guard Nick Timberlake but already more than made up for them.

From the transfer portal are four notable guards. AJ Storr is a 6’6 guard who led Wisconsin in scoring (16.8 ppg). Riley Kugel is an NBA Draft prospect who a number of 20+ point games at Florida in the past two years. Rylan Griffen started at Alabama this past season, averaging 11.2 ppg on 39% shooting from deep. And Zeke Mayo was the Summit League Player of the Year, leading South Dakota State with 18.8 ppg and 3.5 apg while shooting nearly 40% from deep as well.

That doesn’t even include the stars coming back. All-American center Hunter Dickinson (17.9 ppg and 10.4 rpg) is back for a 5th year, along with former Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and starting point guard Dajuan Harris Jr. is back as well. Even if freshman wing Johnny Furphy doesn’t come back, this roster is still loaded.

On paper, it’s hard not to make the Jayhawks the early team to beat in the Big 12. But, the continuity advantage that teams like Houston and Iowa State have could be big down the road. We’ll see how the roster works out but for now, Coach Self’s work in the portal has certainly paid off.