Big 12 Players Dislike New Interactive LED Tournament Floor

Kansas State forward Taj Manning calls the floor an "eye-sore" that causes headaches for players.

Published on Mar. 12, 2026

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The Big 12 conference unveiled a new interactive LED floor for their tournament in Kansas City, but at least one player, Kansas State forward Taj Manning, is not a fan. Manning said the constantly changing and flashing lights of the floor are an "eye-sore" that induce headaches, and that players just want to play on a traditional hardwood court.

Why it matters

The new LED floor was intended to provide an innovative and visually engaging experience for fans, but it seems the player experience has been overlooked. If the floor is causing issues like headaches and reducing athletic performance, the conference may need to reconsider the design or revert to a more conventional hardwood surface.

The details

The LED floor is made of two pieces of laminated safety glass with programmable LED lights underneath, designed to be more springy and elastic than a traditional hardwood floor. However, Kansas State's Taj Manning said the constantly changing lights and flashing are an "eye-sore" that are inducing headaches for players. Manning stated that "no one wants to play on it" and players just want to return to a traditional hardwood court.

  • The Big 12 conference unveiled the new interactive LED floor this week for the 2026 Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City.
  • The comments from Kansas State forward Taj Manning came after his team's loss to BYU in the tournament on March 11, 2026.

The players

Taj Manning

A forward for the Kansas State Wildcats men's basketball team.

Ryan Gilbert

A reporter for 247Sports who interviewed Taj Manning about the new LED floor.

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What they’re saying

“Its just an eye-sore. It's constantly changing. Flashing different lights and all that. No one wants to play on it. We just want traditional hardwood.”

— Taj Manning, Kansas State forward (247Sports)

What’s next

The Big 12 conference will likely need to evaluate the feedback from players like Taj Manning and consider making adjustments to the LED floor, such as reducing the intensity and frequency of the light changes, in order to provide a better playing experience for the athletes.

The takeaway

While innovative technology can enhance the fan experience, the needs of the players should remain the top priority. The Big 12's new interactive LED tournament floor may have gone too far in prioritizing visual effects over the comfort and performance of the athletes competing on it.