JT Toppin Still in Mix For Big 12 Player of the Year, Says Insider
Texas Tech junior forward JT Toppin is still in the mix to win Big 12 Player of the Year, according to ESPN college basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla.
Fraschill took to social media to share his thoughts on Toppin's chances of winning the accolade.
"I'm not sure how the vote will go, but if you look purely at the numbers, @TexasTechMBB @j1izzle is still purely in the mix for @Big12Conference POY. Remember that I said 'in the mix.'"
I’m not sure how the vote will go, but if you look purely at the numbers, @TexasTechMBB @j1izzle is still purely in the mix for @Big12Conference POY. Remember that I said “in the mix.”
— Fran Fraschilla (@franfraschilla) March 2, 2026
Toppin was in the conversation for National Player of the Year before tearing the ACL in his right knee against Arizona State in February. Not only did the Sun Devils upset the Red Raiders that night, but the squad also lost their All-American big man.
He averaged 21.8 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game and led the nation with 234 made field goals and in his second season at Tech. Toppin was labeled as irreplaceable, given his abilities to score and defense on the interior.
Toppin sent a message to his fans, the program, the coaching staff, and his teammates a few days following the devastating injury.
“I appreciate all the love and support during this tough time. I know I’ll be back stronger and better because of it,” Toppin wrote via a post on Instagram. “Thank you to Texas Tech, Coach Mac (Grant McCasland), support staff, and my teammates and the fans for bringing out the best in me every day. I’ll be this team's biggest supporter the rest of the way.”
While Toppin will miss the remainder of the regular season as well as the NCAA Tourament this month, it appears he still has a shot at winning Big 12 Player of the Year based on Franschilla's remarks.
It could be argued that there is no more impactful player than Toppin in the conference, but Tech has more than handled business in the few games the team has played without him.
The Red Raiders have gone 3-0 without their best player, which included a monumental defeat over then-No. 4 Iowa State over the weekend. Tech climbed six spots in the latest Top 25 AP poll, which puts the team at No. 10 ahead of their matchup with the against TCU Tuesday.
If the program continues making the right adjustments without Toppin, Tech could go much further than expected. However, many insiders believes the team's hopes of a national championship are no longer a reality because of Toppin's absence.
As for the forward, head coach Grand McCasland believes he will return from the injury even stronger.
"I honestly believe that can make him stronger and that's what I told our team," he said. "I believe with all my heart that this will make him stronger. It's hard to see in the moment, but because of JT's competitiveness he will come back from this stronger."
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Valentina Martinez is an On SI writer. She has in depth knowledge of the college sports community and has covered professional sports extensively. She is a graduate of Arizona State University and covered Sun Devil Football, Men's Basketball, Baseball, Women's Volleyball and Softball.