Kansas Jayhawks lead the pack in Big 12 Basketball tiers

While the Kansas basketball program is the most consistent in the sport, there is never an easy path in the Big 12. That is especially true after schools such as Houston and Arizona were added from conference realignment.

After entering last season ranked No. 1 nationally, the Jayhawks went on to have a disappointing and injury-riddled campaign. Bill Self bolstered his team significantly in the off-season, yet there are still a few colleges that can rival KU for the conference championship. X account "College Basketball Report" ranked all 16 schools in the Big 12 and created six tiers to group each:

Tier 1 teams on the list include Houston, which should contend for a Big 12 championship again in the 2024-25 campaign. Kelvin Sampson lost NPOY candidate Jamal Shead to graduation, but LJ Cryer, Emmanuel Sharp, and Oklahoma transfer Milos Uzan round out a gritty Cougars roster.

Baylor is also one of the best teams in the nation heading into this year. Their loaded starting lineup will consist of players such as Duke transfer Jeremy Roach and Langston Love. The Bears consistently sit near the top of Big 12 standings under head coach Scott Drew.

Finally, Iowa State and its defensive-oriented squad is the last team listed in Tier 1. They return plenty of talent from a year ago but could arguably slide down to Tier 2 with Arizona. The Wildcats should be a top team in the conference in their first Big 12 season.

Meanwhile, the Jayhawks will enter as Big 12 favorites and even a top contender to win it all. KU returns three starters, including All-American center Hunter Dickinson, and brought in a slew of high-profile transfers like Zeke Mayo and AJ Storr. Tier 1 seems like an appropriate ranking.

The regular season is less than a month away and Kansas basketball has more momentum than any team in the country. Despite consecutive Round of 32 exits, Coach Self will look to claim his second national championship in the past four years with another elite group.