Big 12 Basketball: 3 most desirable programs in conference realignment

Oklahoma State

It’s hard to find which school should occupy the final spot on this list. But as it likely comes down to either the West Virginia Mountaineers, Oklahoma State Cowboys, or Texas Tech Red Raiders, we do have to choose one of that trio. Oklahoma State gets the call here thanks to the potential of the program, but it’s not an easy decision.

Texas Tech misses out due to the fact that the Longhorns hired away the head coach that brought that men’s hoops program to prominence in Chris Beard. And West Virginia is even closer to Oklahoma State. The difference between West Virginia and Oklahoma State mostly has to do with the potential on the recruiting trail, and the historic success of the program.

You could really take head coach Mike Boynton and the Pokes or head coach Bob Huggins and the Mountaineers in this spot, and you have a win.

Oklahoma State showed the potential of this hoops program by landing the No. 1 high school prospect in the nation last year in point guard Cade Cunningham. And there’s some longevity now to the program with a star guard like Avery Anderson returning for Boynton.

Once some of the NCAA sanctions subside in the next few years for the Pokes, this should continue to be one of the more potent men’s hoops programs in the entire country. That’s what makes Oklahoma State such an appealing fit for any other major conference from the perspective of a hoops program.