The 2026 men’s basketball All-Big 12 first team included three freshmen, but excluded one many wouldn’t have predicted at the season’s tip-off.
BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, Houston’s Kingston Flemings and Arizona’s Brayden Burries all made the All-Big 12 first team as voted on by USA TODAY Network reporters. Dybantsa and Flemings were the only unanimous selections.
Kansas freshman star Darryn Peterson, who missed 11 games this season, was named to the second team.
Dybantsa was voted Big 12 Player of the Year and unanimous Big 12 Newcomer of the Year.
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Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd was named Big 12 Coach of the Year after guiding the Wildcats to the league’s regular-season title and a likely No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Arizona will be looking to make its first Final Four since 2001.
Kansas big man Flory Bidunga earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, after tying second in the nation in blocked shots.
Here are the All-Big 12 first and second teams and postseason awards as voted on by USA TODAY Network reporters who cover the conference.
2026 All-Big 12 basketball first, second teams
* denotes unanimous selection
FIRST TEAM
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Kingston Flemings, Houston*
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Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State
SECOND TEAM
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Christian Anderson, Texas Tech
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Milan Momcilovic, Iowa State
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PJ Haggerty, Kansas State
Also receiving votes: Motiejus Krivas (Arizona), Koa Peat (Arizona), Emanuel Sharp (Houston), Robert Wright III (BYU), Tre White (Kansas), Melvin Council Jr. (Kansas), Themus Fulks (UCF), Terrence Brown (Utah), Xavier Edmonds (TCU), Baba Miller (Cincinnati), Honor Huff (West Virginia).
2026 Big 12 basketball Player of the Year
BYU star freshman AJ Dybantsa received half the votes for Big 12 Player of the Year from our voters. Joshua Jefferson (Iowa State), JT Toppin (Texas Tech) and Arizona’s Brayden Burries also received votes.
Dybantsa lived up to the considerable hype, averaging 24.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists. However, as a team, the Cougars struggled down the stretch without Richie Saunders, losing eight of their final 12 games and finishing Big 12 play 9-9.
2026 Big 12 basketball Coach of the Year
Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd led the Wildcats to a 29-2 overall record and 16-2 mark in the Big 12 on their way to winning the regular-season conference title.
UCF’s Johnny Dawkins received two votes, while Texas Tech’s Grant McCasland and Kansas’ Bill Self also received consideration.
2026 Big 12 basketball Newcomer of the Year
Dybantsa may have split opinion on overall Player of the Year, but there was no question here as the BYU star freshman was a unanimous pick for Big 12 Newcomer of the Year.
2026 Big 12 basketball Defensive Player of the Year
Kansas big man Flory Bidunga was a near unanimous selection here. Bidunga averaged 9.0 rebounds a game and a Big 12-best 2.7 blocks per game, which tied for second in the nation.
Voters for USA TODAY Network Big 12 postseason awards included: Christopher Boyle (Daytona Beach News-Journal), Nathan Giese (Lubbock Avalanche-Journal), Scott Springer (Cincinnati Enquirer), Wyatt Wheeler (Topeka Capital-Journal), Jordan Guskey (Topeka Capital-Journal), Austin Curtright (USA TODAY Network), Eugene Rapay (Des Moines Register), Travis Hines (Des Moines Register), Scott Wright (The Oklahoman), Jacob Unruh (The Oklahoman).
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2026 All-Big 12 basketball first, second teams, player, coach of year
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