A Reason to Feel Slighted? Not a Single Cowboy Mentioned in Big 12 Preseason Awards

(The Big 12 Conference primarily generated this story, but Pokes Report publisher Robert Allen added to it.)

STILLWATER – If Mike Boynton was looking for a reason to motivate his team; mixed with a few established stars with pride like Bryce Thompson and John-Michael Wright and some talented newcomers and highly regarded freshmen; then the Big 12 Conference coaches just gace him his first. The Big 12 Preseason All-Conference team came out and the reason we’re so late getting it up was there was no reason to be alerted to it. There wasn’t a single Oklahoma State player get a vote. That meant not a single honorable mention of a Cowboy on the team.

Today, Friday, the Big 12 will release the preseason poll and that may add to the package and give Boynton all the ammo he needs to put a chip on the Cowboys shoulder the size of a boulder. My guess is Oklahoma State will have a double-digit next to them in the preseason poll. I’m not saying that isn’t fair, jut saying it should be extra motivating to any member of that team. 

Kansas senior Hunter Dickinson is the first student-athlete to garner both Big 12 Men’s Basketball Preseason Player and Newcomer of the Year to highlight the 2023-24 awards and team as voted on by the league’s head coaches. Dickinson is the 11th Jayhawk to collect the player award and the fifth to earn newcomer. Ja’Kobe Walter picked up Baylor’s third consecutive Preseason Freshman of the Year recognition.

Dickinson was joined on the Preseason All-Big 12 Team by his teammate Dajuan Harris Jr., L.J. Cryer, TCU’s Emanuel Miller and Texas’ Max Abmas.

A fourth-year transfer from Michigan, Dickinson earned many national and conference honors with the Wolverines, including Consensus All-America Second Team in 2021. He was a three-time All-Big Ten selection with first team honors in 2022 and 2023. The 7-2 center averaged 17.2 points and 8.4 rebounds for his career and led Michigan in points and rebounds each of the last three seasons. Dickinson has compiled career statistics of 1,617 points, 787 rebounds and 149 blocked shots. The general studies major was named to the All-Big Ten Academic Team in 2022 and 2023.

Walter played his senior season of high school at Link Academy in Branson, Missouri, helping the team to a 24-1 record in 2022-23. He was a McDonald’s All-America selection and ESPN’s No. 17-rated player. Originally from McKinney, Texas, Walter led MHS to its first state championship game, where he scored a team-high 23 points against Duncanville. He averaged 23.3 points and 7.6 rebounds during his junior year and was 5-6A Offensive Player of the Year. Walter also earned a spot on the 2021-22 Texas Association of Basketball Coaches All-State Team and the 6A All-State Tournament Team.

Preseason Player of the Year: Hunter Dickinson, Kansas, C, 7-2, Sr., Alexandria, Va./Michigan

Preseason Newcomer of the Year: Hunter Dickinson, Kansas, C, 7-2, Sr., Alexandria, Va./Michigan
 

Preseason Freshman of the Year: Ja’Kobe Walter, Baylor, F, 6-5, McKinney, Texas/Link Academy (Mo.)

Preseason All-Big 12 Team

L.J. Cryer, Houston, G, 6-1, Sr., Katy, Texas/Morton Ranch/Baylor

Hunter Dickinson, Kansas, C, 7-2, Sr., Alexandria, Va./DeMatha Catholic/Michigan

Dejuan Harris Jr., Kansas, G, 6-2, Jr., Columbia, Mo./Rock Bridge

Emanuel Miller, TCU, F, 6-7, Sr., Scarborough, Ontario/Prolific Prep/Texas A&M

Max Abmams, Texas, G. 6-0, Gr., Rockwall, Texas/Jesuit College Prep/Oral Roberts

Honorable Mention (listed alphabetically by school):
Jalen Bridges (Baylor), RayJ Dennis (Baylor), Ja’Kobe Walter (Baylor), Jamal Shead (Houston), Kevin McCullar  Jr. (Kansas), Arthur Kaluma (Kansas State), Tylor Perry (Kansas State), Dylan Disu (Texas), Tyrese Hunter (Texas), Dillon Mitchell (Texas), Jesse Edwards (West Virginia).

Coaches are not permitted to vote for their own student-athletes.