JT Toppin has been named a unanimous All-Big 12 Preseason Team selection, according to a notice from Texas Tech Athletics. The Red Raiders were picked fifth in the Monster Energy Big 12 Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll following votes from the league's head coaches ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Toppin, entering his third season at Texas Tech, has earned Consensus All-America Second Team honors and All-Big 12 First Team honors during the past two seasons. This marks his second consecutive selection to the All-Big 12 Preseason Team, making him the first Red Raider to receive the preseason honor twice, joining Andre Emmett who was selected before the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons. In the single season Toppin did not appear on the All-Big 12 Preseason Team, he was named the 2025 Big 12 Player of the Year. He previously averaged 21.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game before a season-ending injury.
In the Preseason Coaches' Poll, Texas Tech earned 180 points to secure the fifth spot. Arizona was picked to win the conference for the second straight season with 220 points and 12 first-place votes. Houston followed in second with 214 points and four first-place votes. Kansas was slated third with 186 points, followed by Iowa State in fourth with 181 points. Other teams included BYU in sixth, TCU in seventh, Cincinnati and West Virginia tied for eighth with 116 points, Baylor in tenth with 102 points, Oklahoma State in eleventh with 98 points, Arizona State in twelfth with 75 points, UCF in thirteenth with 55 points, Colorado and Kansas State tied for fourteenth with 34 points, and Utah in sixteenth with 24 points.
The Red Raiders finished the previous season with a 12-6 record in conference play, tying for third place after being picked third in that preseason poll. The team is scheduled to open the 2026-27 season on November 2 against Jackson State at United Supermarkets Arena. Texas Tech will begin Big 12 play with a road game at Cincinnati on January 2, 2027, before hosting Baylor on Wednesday, January 6.
Other preseason honors include Motiejus Krivas of Arizona as Preseason Player of the Year, Paulius Murauskas of Arizona State as Preseason Newcomer of the Year, and Tyran Stokes of Kansas as Preseason Freshman of the Year.
