Here's a peek at the Big 12's top newcomers for next season

We continue our "New Guys" week (it started Monday with our All-Freshmen team for 2012-13) by spotlighting some key newcomers in the Big 12 for next season.

We chose eight players – an "Elite Eight," as it were – who, for various reasons, should make an immediate impact in their first season with their new team. These are not the best eight players signed by league schools; instead, they are guys who should receive ample opportunity to make a splash.

Each of these eight (four are freshmen and four are four-year transfers) will play important minutes right away, either as key starters or vital role players. We have listed them in reverse order of their expected impact.

[Related: Super-athletic twins plan to play football and basketball together in college]

We'll continue our "New Guys" week with a look at the Pac-12's key newcomers on Saturday.

8. Iowa State PG Korie Lucious
Particulars: 5-11/175, Sr.; transfer from Michigan State, preceded by Milwaukee Pius XI
Buzz: Lucious transferred to Iowa State after he was dismissed from Michigan State in January 2011. He is a former four-star recruit who was an OK distributor but a poor shooter with the Spartans. He shot 37.7 percent from the field as a freshman – and his shooting percentage went down from there. If he concentrates on his distributor duties with the Cyclones, who lost their top three assist men, he should be fine. He is the second former Spartans guard to transfer to Iowa State with one season of eligibility left in as many seasons; Chris Allen finished up as a Cyclone this past season.

7. West Virginia C/F Aaric Murray
Particulars: 6-10/240, Jr.; transfer from La Salle, preceded by Concordville (Pa.) Glen Mills
Buzz: Murray is a former top-50 recruit who led La Salle in scoring (15.2 ppg), rebounds (7.7 rpg) and blocks (2.3 bpg) as a sophomore in 2011-12. While Murray is athletic and runs the floor well, he'll need to be more physical to put up those types of numbers in the Big 12. But there is no doubt he fills a hole on a WVU team seeking talented big men. Murray's defensive prowess should especially appeal to coach Bob Huggins.

6. West Virginia PG Juwan Staten
The move: 6-1/190, Soph.; transfer from Dayton, preceded by Mouth of Wilson (Va.) Oak Hill Academy
Buzz: WVU needs a point guard, and Staten will be asked to fill that hole. Staten shot poorly as a freshman at Dayton in 2010-11 (38.8 percent from the floor, including an are-you-serious? 15.4 percent from 3-point range), but he did average 5.4 assists per game and had a 2.1-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. He is a solid defender with big-time quickness. Staten did not get along all that well with then-Dayton coach Brian Gregory or some of his teammates in his one season as a Flyer, so that bears watching next season.

5. Baylor C Isaiah Austin
Particulars: 7-0/215, Fr.; 5-star prospect from Arlington (Texas) Grace Prep
Buzz: Austin is the latest mega-recruit for Baylor. He is athletic and highly skilled; he is an excellent ballhandler for a guy his size, is a good passer and can hit to 15 feet. He also is a solid shot-blocker. But he must become tougher and more physical, which might come with added bulk and strength. Baylor's frontcourt is undergoing a big-time makeover – the top three big men are gone – so Austin should get a lot of minutes right away. Austin definitely has the skill level to make an immediate impact, but is he tough enough (mentally and physically) to be a freshman star?

4. Texas C Cameron Ridley
Particulars: 6-10/245, Fr.; 4-star prospect from Richmond (Texas) George Bush
Buzz: Texas lacked a post presence this past season, but that won't be the case with Ridley on campus. He is an old-style, back-to-the-basket center. He can hit the 12- to 15-footer, but is far more comfortable banging away in the low post. Ridley also has good defensive skills. Texas has a good group of returning guards and should remain a perimeter-oriented team. But Ridley's physical style of play will be a boon to a Texas team that should contend for the Big 12 title next season.

3. Kansas PF Perry Ellis
Particulars: 6-8/220, Fr.; 5-star prospect from Wichita (Kan.) Wichita Heights
Buzz: Ellis is used to winning; he helped his high school team to four consecutive state titles and also was Kansas' Gatorade player of the year four times. Kansas is looking for a power forward to replace Thomas Robinson, and Ellis is expected to take Robinson's old starting spot. Ellis can score, but he also doesn't mind doing the dirty work in terms of rebounding and providing solid low-post defense. He is not an elite athlete, but he generally is too athletic for other big men to handle; while Ellis can play small forward, he is better-suited as a power guy.

2. Iowa State F/G Will Clyburn
Particulars: 6-7/205, Sr.; transfer from Utah, preceded by Marshalltown (Iowa) CC and Romulus (Mich.) High
Buzz: Clyburn was one of the better players on the West Coast in 2010-11, when he averaged 17.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals for Utah after transferring in from a junior college. Iowa State got big production from a handful of transfers this past season, and coach Fred Hoiberg will be hoping for more of the same next season. Clyburn has a good chance of leading Iowa State in scoring.

1. Oklahoma State SG Marcus Smart
Background: 6-4/220, Fr.; 5-star prospect from Flower Mound (Texas) Marcus
Buzz: Smart is a tough perimeter prospect who does a little bit of everything, and does it all well. He has a nice outside stroke; he also possesses the strength to overpower smaller defenders and the quickness to get by taller defenders. Smart also should help add some intangibles Oklahoma State lacked this past season, when the Cowboys underachieved.

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