BYU's Robert Wright III was one of two players unanimously voted to the All-Big 12 Preseason Team, the league announced on Thursday morning. The announcement, reported on October 15, also noted that the Cougars were picked to finish sixth in the annual preseason poll voted on by the league's head coaches.
Wright III and Texas Tech's JT Toppin were the only two players to receive unanimous selections. Other members of the All-Big 12 Preseason Team include Arizona's Motiejus Krivas, named Preseason Player of the Year, and Ivan Kharchenkov. Other selections include Arizona State's Paulius Murauskas, named Preseason Newcomer of the Year, and Kansas' Tyran Stokes, named Preseason Freshman of the Year. The list also features Iowa State's Tamin Lipsey, TCU's Xavier Edmonds, and Houston's Dedan Thomas Jr. and Joseph Tugler.
In the preseason poll, defending regular season and tournament champions Arizona was selected to win the league, receiving 12 of the 16 first-place votes. Houston was picked in second place with four first-place votes, followed by Kansas, Iowa State, and Texas Tech. The Cougars earned 148 points to secure the sixth spot. Rounding out the top 10 are TCU, Cincinnati, West Virginia, and Baylor. Behind the top 10, Oklahoma State placed 11th, followed by Arizona State, UCF, Colorado, Kansas State, and Utah.
Wright III returns for his junior season following a campaign where he averaged 18.1 points, 4.6 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game. His performance helped the Cougars reach the NCAA Tournament for the 33rd time in program history. The 6-foot-1 guard from Wilmington, Del., scored in double figures in 32 of 35 games he started last season. His notable performances included a career-high 39 points in an overtime victory over Colorado and a game-winning buzzer-beater against Clemson at Madison Square Garden during the Jimmy V Classic.
BYU will open the 2026-27 regular season on Monday, Nov. 2, against Ohio State at the Delta Center. The tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. MT on FS1.
