Is this the best Big 12 basketball freshmen class ever? Bill Self thinks so

Bill Self grew up here in Big 12 country. He played at Oklahoma State. He’s coached 23 years at Kansas, the conference’s flagship program.

Never has Self seen a Big 12 freshmen class like this one.

“It’s not even close,” Self said.

Advertisement

Of the top-10 players in ESPN’s latest NBA mock draft, four of them are Big 12 freshmen. All four will be competing in the NCAA Tournament, which starts Thursday.

Kansas guard Darryn Peterson is the projected No. 1 pick. BYU wing AJ Dybantsa is the projected No. 2 pick. Houston guard Kingston Flemings and Arizona guard Brayden Burries are projected to go fifth and 10th in ESPN’s latest mock.

The list doesn’t end there.

Arizona’s Koa Peat (No. 19), Houston’s Chris Cenac Jr. (No. 22) and Baylor’s Tounde Yessoufou (No. 30) are all projected as first-rounders.

Almost a quarter of the first-round picks in this summer’s NBA Draft could be freshman from the Big 12.

Advertisement

“It’s an embarrassment of riches,” ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla said. “We’ve had some of the best freshmen in college basketball in the league over the last two decades, but they seem to have come one at a time. Blake Griffin, Kevin Durant, Trae Young, Michael Beasley …”

MUSSATTO’S MINUTES: Is this the year for Kelvin Sampson, Houston to win March Madness?

1 / 11

See March Madness top moments from NCAA media day, practice at Paycom Center in OKC

Troy’s head men’s basketball coach Scott Cross speaks to the media during practice and media day for the first round of the NCAA basketball tournament at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla., Wednesday March 18, 2026.

1 / 11

See March Madness top moments from NCAA media day, practice at Paycom Center in OKC

Troy’s head men’s basketball coach Scott Cross speaks to the media during practice and media day for the first round of the NCAA basketball tournament at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla., Wednesday March 18, 2026.

2 / 11

See March Madness top moments from NCAA media day, practice at Paycom…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/best-big-12-basketball-freshmen-114600013.html

Author :

Publish date : 2026-03-19 11:46:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.