Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark Annie Rice/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Strength of hoops program could earn UConn a spot in Big 12

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated 6/6/23

Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark has to make some big moves to keep his conference relevant. The loss of Oklahoma and Texas to the SEC in 2024 can't be understated. So much so that the admittedly smart additions of Cincinnati, Houston, UCF and BYU pale in comparison to the Longhorns and Sooners walking out the door.

With that said, Yormark still does have an opportunity to go all-in on the basketball side of things. Kansas is a national powerhouse and Baylor isn't that far behind. Per reports, targeting big-time basketball programs is exactly what the Big 12 is trying to do.

UConn and Gonzaga, two of the best programs in the country, are both reportedly targets, and it seems to be serious enough that basketball coaches in the existing Big 12 have already given their nod of approval for the Huskies, according to insider Brett McMurphy.

Big 12 basketball coaches in favor of adding UConn to Big 12, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ. UConn “in the mix” as an all-sports addition to the Big 12, sources said
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) June 6, 2023

Frankly, this is a smart move by the Big 12. There's no way the conference is going to be able to compete with the SEC and Big Ten (which is adding USC and UCLA) football-wise. UConn and Gonzaga have nothing-burger football programs anyhow, so they won't move the needle at all.

A basketball conference that features UConn, Gonzaga, Kansas, Iowa State, West Virginia, Baylor and Houston is a college basketball superpower, though.

Sure, the SEC has Kentucky and the Big Ten will have UCLA, USC, Michigan State and Indiana, but even that lineup pales in comparison to what the Big 12 will feature in hoops.

Who cares if UConn's football program barely registers a blip? UConn basketball is a blue-chip program, and the Big 12 would look really strong with the Huskies in the fold.

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