This is a historic class for Iowa State on the recruiting front. And you better believe Kansas, Baylor and Texas are going to be in the mix with some blue-chippers. Let's take a deep dive into the Big 12 Conference during the early signing period.

 

TOP DOG

Omaha Biliew is the No. 1 player coming into the Big 12 this season, and he’s not going to Kansas. He’s not going to Baylor, Texas or Oklahoma either. No, the 6-foot-8 forward is staying close to home and playing for the Iowa State Cyclones. 

This is a massive get for TJ Otzelberger. After digging through the archives of the moder recruiting era, we found that Biliew is the highest-rated prospect to sign with Iowa State. HoopSeen has him as the No. 10 player in the class. 

His combination of length, strength, athleticism and motor is elite. The guy’s a physical specimen, and he’ll be able to make an immediate impact as a relentless hustle player. 

 

TOP OF THE CLASS 

Kansas has a good recruiting class. I know, I know, shocker right? Kansas’ incoming backcourt is where this group shines the most. Chris Johnson and Elmarko Jackson headline the class as two top-30 guys in the class. Bill Self has had some killers at the guard spot in recent memory, and these two guys can be next in line in that linage. Rounding out the class is top-100 guard Jamari McDowell. 

With all of that perimeter talent, one has to wonder whether Bill Self and company will add a big. Kansas always has one of those physically-imposing centers. Maybe they’re banking on Ernest Udeh returning and building around him. I’d look out for them to add at least one frontcourt piece though. 

The rich could get richer. 

 

THREE CLASSES I LOVE 

1. Iowa State has a top-ten player coming in in Omaha Biliew. We covered him at the top, but he’s not the only member of this historic Cyclones class. They have more top-100-caliber guys coming in to bolster the perimeter as scorers  Is this the best Iowa State class ever? It’s up there for sure. Milan Momcilovic and Jelani Hamilton are potent scorers with potential to hang serious points on the board in Ames. Of course, Kayden Fish is a 6-foot-6 forward who will help this program remain strong moving into the future.
2. Jerome Tang is going to get the Little Apple rockin’ in the future. I firmly believe that. This first class is a step in the right direction. Tang helped build the Baylor program into the Juggernaut that it is. Where they had success was in their evaluation and development of guards, Tang has a pair of great ones coming to Manhattan in Dai Dai Ames and RJ Jones. These are Big 12 guards who’ll be foundational pieces in the Kansas State rebuild. 
3. Well, I just talked about Baylor’s reputation and success with guards. Guess what? They have more coming in with Ja’Kobe Walter and Miro Little. We’re high on what Walter can bring to Baylor. He’s No. 18 in our rankings, and it’s his upside as a defender that I love the most. They didn’t have to go far to get Little. Hailing from Finland, Little was right in the Bears’ backyard. 

 

THE OUTSIDE OF THE TOP 100 PLAYER THAT I LOVE

 

Texas Tech has become a consistent winner on the back of its defense and toughness, right? That’s what I think of when I think of the Red Raiders at least. 

 

A guy who fits that like a glove is Jason Jackson out of Florida. He’s an athletic guard who has a motor that doesn’t quit. That’s what you need to have to succeed in Mark Adams’ system, so this pairing is as good as there is in the league. 

 

 

Texas Tech has become a consistent winner on the back of its defense and toughness, right? That’s what I think of when I think of the Red Raiders at least. 

 

A guy who fits that like a glove is Jason Jackson out of Florida. He’s an athletic guard who has a motor that doesn’t quit. That’s what you need to have to succeed in Mark Adams’ system, so this pairing is as good as there is in the league. 

 

 

BEST FRONTCOURT

 

It’s an interesting recruiting cycle in the Big 12 so far. There are some programs who are typically known for having bigs, but the incoming frontcourt talent isn’t as robust as one might expect. Omaha Biliew is our top guy in the class, so that makes him the best big. 

 

However, I want to use this space to discuss Ron Holland and his recent commitment to Texas. This is a big one for Chris Beard and the Longhorns. The 6-foot-8 forward is staying home in Texas to anchor the frontcourt in Austin. In every facet of the game, Holland is bringing plenty of versatility and potential with him. 

 

While he’s valuable around the rim in a more traditional role, Holland’s perimeter potential could have us talking about him in more of a modern-day, super-sized wing. 

 

BEST BACKCOURT 

There are a ton of great guards coming into the Big 12. It’s one of the themes of this recruiting cycle. Kansas has the top two in the class. Both Chris Johnson and Elmarko Jackson rank inside of the top 30. In addition to having those two, they also have Jamari McDowell coming in who checks in at No. 100. 

Johnson and Jackson could turn into the kinds of Kansas guards we’ve seen Bill Self succeed with in the past. This duo could conjure memories of Frank Mason and Devonte’ Graham with their ability to take over games. 

With the talent and depth coming into Lawrence, it’s a no-brainer that Bill Self has the best stable of guards coming into the league. 

 

HEY, I HAVE A HOOPSEEN CHAPTER 

Mark Adams and Texas Tech went deep into the Sunshine State and got themselves one of the bounciest, most athletic guards in the Big 12’s singing class in Jason Jackson. 

We’ve been privy to the Jackson show plenty at HoopSeen. His layup-line show has drawn plenty of crowds on our platform. 

Let’s rewind to the 2021 Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions when Justin Young wrote this about Jackson when he saw the future Red Raider in the 16U division: “You could make an argument that he was the best two guard overall in the entire event, regardless of class. Jackson has high-level prospect and top 50 national prospect written all over him and he’ll be trending that way the rest of his high school career. He said he’s already hearing from the likes of LSU, Virginia Tech, Florida and Central Florida. That’s a good start. Jackson has a game that warrants blue blood attention. He’s one of several high-level, all-gas, no-brakes elite level prospects on this loaded E1T1 squad. He was outstanding all weekend and looks like his projection should continue onward and upward.”

 

THE THREE THINGS I LIKE THE MOST

1. This feels weird to say, but one of the things I like the most isn’t Big 12 related right now. Houston and Cincinnati are both in the AAC and have fantastic classes coming in. The reason that I like this for the Big 12 is that both of these teams will be joining the league next season. Thus, these 2023 recruits will be playing their first seasons of college ball in the Big 12. 
2. The Kansas State backcourt. This is the kind of class that can jumpstart a program. In college basketball, success is ultimately determined by NCAA Tournament success. Guards win in the tournament, and the Wildcats have a great pair coming in. 
3. In a guard-heavy class, Brandon Garrison going to Oklahoma State gives the league a big to have to worry about for the foreseeable future. He’s a classic big who knows what he does well and doesn’t try to stray from the path. I love Garrison’s fit with the Cowboys and think that he’ll develop well throughout his time with the Cowboys. 

CONFERENCE SUPERLATIVES

TOP PG: Dai Dai Ames, Kansas State
TOP SG: Ja’Kobe Walter, Baylor
TOP SF: Ron Holland, Texas
TOP PF: Omaha Biliew, Iowa State 
TOP C: Brandon Garrison, Oklahoma State
TOP CLASS: Kansas
TOP SLEEPER: Jace Posey, TCU
TOP SHOOTER: RJ Jones, Kansas State
TOP SCORER: Ja’Kobe Walter, Baylor
TOP REBOUNDER: Omaha Biliew, Iowa State 
TOP PRO PROSPECT: Omaha Biliew, Iowa State

Ranking the classes
1. Kansas
2. Iowa State
3. Baylor
4. Kansas State
5. Oklahoma State
6. TCU
7. Texas Tech
8. Oklahoma