Texas basketball in the Big 12: A look at the top players during the Longhorns' era
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – On Wednesday, the Texas basketball team will begin its final foray through the men's Big 12 Tournament with a second-round matchup against Kansas State.
Losing the Longhorns will sting a bit for the Big 12, considering that Texas ranks second behind Kansas in both conference winning percentage (.601) and regular-season conference titles (three) since the inception of the conference in the 1996-97 season. But it won’t hurt too much, since Kansas (21 regular-season conference titles) has carried the Big 12 since the start. And the conference will reload by replacing Texas and fellow SEC departee Oklahoma with traditional power Arizona as well as Utah, Colorado and Arizona State.
But Texas has delivered its share of star power over the past quarter-century in the Big 12, especially with its bevy of NBA products. Who have been the elite players in the Big 12 since it formed in 1996? And what would an all-Texas team look like in the Big 12 before the Longhorns' departure for the SEC in July?
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The all-time Big 12 team, 1996-2024
First team:
G Frank Mason, Kansas: A three-time All-Big 12 player from 2013-17, the hard-nosed guard earned national player of the year recognition as a senior after becoming the first Big 12 player to average at least 20 points, five assists.
G Buddy Hield, Oklahoma: Only one of two athletes to earn Big 12 player of the year honors, the 2015-16 national player of the year averaged more than 16 points a game in three straight seasons from 2012-13 to 2015-16.
G TJ Ford, Texas: After becoming the first freshman to lead the NCAA in assists in 2001-02, the point guard earned consensus player of the year honors in his final collegiate season in 2002-03 while guiding Texas to its lone Final Four.
F Blake Griffin, Oklahoma: Consensus player of the year in 2008-09 who played two seasons with the Sooners, he followed all-conference honors as a freshman by averaging 22 points and 14 rebounds in his second season.
F Raef LaFrentz, Kansas: The first athlete to win two player of the year awards in the Big 12, he also picked up two All-America honors while averaging 16 points and nine rebounds for his career.
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Second team
G Jared Butler, Baylor: Two-time All-American and Baylor’s first consensus first-team All-American played in all 94 of his collegiate games and led Bears to 2021 national championship.
G Acie Law IV, Texas A&M: The Dallas native became the first Aggie to ever have his jersey retired after starting all four seasons from 2003-04 to 2006-07 and earning multiple all-conference awards.
F Nick Collison, Kansas: First-team All-American honoree, a Big 12 player of the year and four-year starter led Kansas to back-to-back Final Fours in 2002 and 2003.
F Kevin Durant, Texas: The future NBA Hall of Famer spent just the 2006-07 season in Austin, but averaged 26 points and 11 rebounds while earning consensus national player of the year awards.
F Georges Niang, Iowa State: The versatile big man, who started all four seasons, earned two All-America honors while becoming the first player to lead the Cyclones to four straight NCAA berths.
Texas' all-time team in its Big 12 era
First team
G DJ Augustin, 2006-08: A two-year starter at point guard who earned first-team All-America honors in his final season, the 6-footer averaged 17 points, 6 assists in his decorated career.
G TJ Ford, 2001-03: The consensus All-American from the Houston suburbs in Fort Bend County averaged 13 points, 8.5 assists in his career and remains the program’s all-time leader in assists.
F Kevin Durant, 2006-07: The national player of the year in his lone season on campus, the 6-foot-11 small forward and one of the most talented players of his generation remains the single-season points leader for the program.
F PJ Tucker, 2003-06: The Big 12’s player of the year in 2005-06, the rugged 6-foot-5 banger averaged 13.5 points, 8 rebounds in his three seasons, including 16 points and 9.5 rebounds in his stellar junior season.
C Chris Mihm, 1997-2000: The 7-footer from Westlake, a first-team All-American, averaged a double-double in his final two seasons and remains the program’s all-time leader in blocks.
Second team
G Isaiah Taylor, 2013-16: Silky-smooth 6-1 point guard averaged at least 13 points, 4.5 assists while earning all-conference honors and starting all three of his seasons.
G AJ Abrams, 2005-09: The 5-foot-11 sharpshooter from McNeil High School in Round Rock averaged at least 15 points a game in three straight seasons and is the program’s points leader in the Big 12 era.
F Gabe Muoneke, 1995-2000: Multi-time all-conference pick, the 6-foot-7 bruiser finished his Texas career ranked in the program’s top 10 in rebounding, blocks, starts and games played.
F Jordan Hamilton, 2009-11: A first-team All-American in 2010-11, the 6-7 small forward averaged almost 19 points his final season.
F Damion James, 2006-10: The program’s all-time leader in rebounds, the 6-7 forward started four seasons and improved his scoring each year, culminating with 18 a game as a senior.
Wednesday's Big 12 Tournament
Texas vs. Kansas St., Kansas City, Mo., 6 p.m., ESPN+, 1300
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: As Big 12 era ends, Texas boasts some of top basketball players in history
