By ADAM ZAGORIA
NEW YORK — With rumors swirling that UConn may eventually be headed to the Big 12 Conference despite a $30 million buyout to the Big East, several of the league’s stars say the Huskies would be a dangerous addition to an already potent league.
“It would be real tough, the 12 is already tough as it is,” said former Baylor star Keyonte George, a projected first-round pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft.
UConn is the reigning national champion and the previous two champs came out of the Big 12 in Baylor in 2021 and Kansas in ’22.
“Yeah, so the national champions, they coming in and trying to continue what they did the year before,” George said. “The 12 is already, every night is tough, but going up there and playing at their place [at UConn], I think it’ll be real tough.”
Outgoing Kansas star Gradey Dick, a projected lottery pick, concurred.
“That’s what makes college basketball, college basketball, that’s what makes it more exciting,” Dick said.
“I was talking about how crazy the Big 12 was last year so you put the reigning champs in there and that’s a fun season ahead,” Dick said.
UConn is actually slated to visit Allen Fieldhouse Dec. 1 in a matchup of the last two NCAA champions in the Big East-Big 12 Challenge.
“That’s how you sell the pitch right there, the two reigning champs,” Dick said. “Obviously, it’s not a secret what UConn has coming back, but my boys over at Kansas, they got their stuff refilled, too, so it’s going to be a fun, competitive game.”
As for the rumblings of UConn going to the Big 12, Huskies coach Dan Hurley told reporters Tuesday in Connecticut:
“There’s a lot of speculation on social — and I don’t know much more than you guys know. Uncertainty is probably the hardest thing for human beings to deal with. Speculation is a pain in the ass, but I feel like the program is in a great position.”
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