The dust has (mostly) settled in the transfer portal. Who has emerged at the top of the new-look Big Ten pecking order?
Isaac Trotter
Welcome to a new-look Big Ten with 18 teamsspread from the East Coast to the West Coast. UCLA, Washington, Oregon and USC have entered the fray and being competitive in hoops is a priority for all four programs. Itkickstarted USC to chase Eric Musselman for its vacancy. It's why UCLA has pushed so many buttons to build a contender this offseason. It's why Washington just had to get Danny Sprinkle from Utah State and whyit couldn't letGreat Osobor waltz to Louisville or Texas Tech. It's why Oregon is trying so hard torun it back after an improbable March Madness run.
A winning basketball program matters.
The Big Ten is shaping up to be highly competitive across the board. There might not be a no-doubt, top-10 team in the country, but it will be a dogfight to finish in the top-5 in this new generation.
The options in the college basketball transfer portal are dwindling and most of the Big Ten rosters are virtually set. The next domino is a fewkey stay-or-go decisionsfor the NBA Draft. Iowa's Payton Sandfort, Minnesota transfer Cam Christie and Oregon star center N'Faly Dante are three needle-moving names who have until the May 29 deadline to exit the draft and maintain NCAA eligibility.
Those decisions could shape the conference race next year. One or two late splashes in the portal could have a bigimprinton what is expected to be a heated race for the crown.
RELATED: The $2 million NIL deal that rocked Big Ten basketball
Let's dive into the way-too-early, Big Ten power rankingsin a league withno elite team, fartoo many competent squads and zero outright disaster rosters.
1. UCLA
Projected starting lineup:
- G Dylan Andrews
- Wing Kobe Johnson
- Wing Lazar Stefanovic
- F Tyler Bilodeau
- F William Kyle III
Top bench options: F Brandon Williams, C Aday Mara, F Eric Dailey Jr., G Dominick Harris, G Trent Perry, G Skyy Clark, G Trent Perry, G Sebastian Mack
Thescoop: One (1) bad season did a number on Mick Cronin. UCLAsmashed in the portal andbuilt one of the deepest teams in the country. There are so many good pieces on this roster. Andrews' pull-up jumper should be deadly in Year 3. Johnson was far from the problem at USC. He could be a nasty two-way dude at UCLA.The Bruinscouldn'tmake a layup to save their lives last year, so they went into the portal for Bilodeau who was highly efficient around the rim. UCLA couldn't make a jumper last year, so it went into the portal and landed Dominick Harris who shot over 40% from downtown on high volume.
UCLA's frontcourt depth wasn't good enough last year, so it went into the portal for Bilodeau, William Kyle III and Eric Dailey Jr. who all do something else well. Bilodeau is skilled and has soft touch. Dailey is a terrific driver who can attack long closeouts with a vengeance. Kyle has an insane wing span and should be that play-finisher UCLA's frontcourt needed. Oh, and Brandon Williams is still around andthe soon-to-be-sophom*oreisn't going to give up his minutes without a fight.
Some hard conversationsmight be on tapbecause thereisn'tplaying time for everybody. That feels like just the way Cronin likes it. The defensive effort should be top-notch to avoid the pine.
2. indiana
Projected starting lineup:
G Trey Galloway
Wing Mackenzie Mgbako
F Malik Reneau
C Oumar Ballo
Top bench options:G Kanaan Carlyle, G/F Bryson Tucker, F Luke Goode
Thescoop: Indiana may very well have the most resources of any team in the Big Ten. It flexed its muscles in the transfer portal, reeling in Myles Rice, Kanaan Carlyle and Oumar Ballo, to transform the makeup of this roster. It alsoshored up twoof its biggest weaknesses. Indiana was a poor rebounding team last year. Ballo will help change that. Indiana's guards were terrible in pick-and-rolls last year. Rice and Carlyle will help change that.
The talent is clear, but the fit of Reneau and Ballo together could be a bit clunky unless Mike Woodson opts to ditch the two-big lineup, at times. He has the roster flexibility to doit thanks to the addition of freshman sensation Bryson Tucker and Illinois transfer sharpshooter Luke Goode. Will he pull the trigger during the moments when Ballo and Reneau are crowded on top of each other? If Woodson is open to acclimating to more pace and space, Indiana can be the Big Ten's best team.
3. Purdue
Projected starting lineup:
- G Braden Smith
- G Fletcher Loyer
- Wing Myles Colvin
- Wing Camden Heide
- F Trey Kaufman-Renn
Top bench options: Wing Kanon Catchings, F Caleb Furst, C Will Berg
Thescoop: Having an All-Big Ten point guard like Smith makes life so much easier. Even without two-time National Player of the Year Zach Edey, Purdue is expected to be a real contender in 2024-25. Smith will be a Big Ten Player of the Year nominee and Loyer is a trusty secondary option.
But Purdue didn't add a single player in the transfer portal because it didn't have any open scholarships. This offseason is a bet on young, talented wings like Cam Heide, Myles Colvin and incoming ballyhooed freshman Kanon Catchings being absolute dudes. With Matt Painter at the helm and Smith holding the keys, Purdue has the infrastructure to cover up their flaws and maximize their strengths. It's also time for Trey Kaufman-Renn to prove Purdue right. His stage is set.
(I am worried about Purdue's defense. Edey was incredible at limiting shots at the rim, but Painter must have something up his sleeve with 7-foot-2 big man Will Berg)
4. Oregon
Projected starting lineup:
- G Jackson Shelstad
- G TJ Bamba
- Wing Brandon Angel
- F Kwame Evans
- C Nate Bittle
Top bench options: Wing Jadrian Tracey, G Keeshawn Barthelemy, G Ra'Heim Moss, Wing Mookie Cook
Thescoop: Full disclosure, Oregon would be No. 1 in the preseason Big Ten power rankings if N'Faly Dante gets the extra year of eligibility and returns for another season. With Zach Edey gone, Dante very well could be the best center in college basketball next year. An answer from Dante on the NBA draft or back to college is coming soon.
Until then, Oregon still has a squad.This portal cycle featured so many prized freshmen exiting after one year, but that was not the case at Oregon. The Ducks got Shelstad, Evans and Cook back for their respective sophom*ore seasons. Shelstad and Evans could be legitimate stars next season, and the portal additions of Angel and Bamba are just perfect. This team is good. It could be special with Dante in the fold.
5. Michigan
Projected starting lineup:
- G Tre Donaldson
- G Roddy Gayle Jr.
- G Nimari Burnett
- C Danny Wolf
- C Vlad Goldin
Top bench options: G Rubin Jones, F Sam Walters, F Will Tschetter
Thescoop: The Dusty May era starts now. May pitched transfers Vlad Goldin and Danny Wolf on playing together in the Michigan frontcourt, but he didn't jam his way into a corner, either. If it doesn't work, playing a four-guard lineup with Jones on the floor could be the way. Or knockdown snipers like Walters or Tschetter could play the 4 next to Wolf or Goldin at center. Michigan has some real roster flexibility at its disposal,andMay isn't beholden to playing one specific way on either end of the floor.
Michigan's guardsmightmake or break this club. Donaldson has to adjust to a higher-volume role, and it's time for the Gayle breakout season to finally happen. The Ohio State transfer has all the physical and mental tools to be a star. The May-Gayle marriage could be perfect,which is why the Ohio State transferhad to jump enemy lines to make it happen.
Michigan's talent level is hard to ignore in this new-look Big Ten.
6. Illinois
Projected starting lineup:
- G Kylan Boswell
- Wing Tre White
- Wing Ty Rodgers
- F Ben Humrichous
- C Tomislav Ivisic
Top bench options: G Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, F Carey Booth, F Morez Johnson
The scoop: Six of Illinois' currenteight-man rotation are newbies, but Brad Underwood is good at this whole roster-building thing. Illinois loaded up on positional size, skill and shooting across the board. Lead guards under Underwood have been a cheat code, and Boswell could be tremendous. Humrichous, a sweet-shooting Evansville transfer, might be a pro one day, and do not sleep on the Ivisic addition. The Croatian big man will be 21 when the season starts, and if he had been in the portal,Ivisic would've beennear that topcrop of traditional centers.
Illinois is still looking to plug the last few gaps on its scholarship chart, but the current pieces should work well. Illinois is onesplashy addition away from potentially being a Big Tenpreseason frontrunner, but it's getting late...
7. Rutgers
Projected starting lineup:
- G Dylan Harper
- G Jeremiah Williams
- Wing Ace Bailey
- F Zach Martini
- C Emmanuel Ogbole
Top bench options: G Tyson Acuff, G Jamichael Davis, G Jordan Derkack
Thescoop: If Rutgers can land one of the top shot-blockers in the final hour of the transfer portal cycle, there may be some justified buzz for Steve Pikiell's bunch to be league winners. The table is set for Harper and Bailey to be program-elevating,five-star killers, and the supporting cast around 'em is rock-solid. This roster is missing that back-line anchor. Cliff Omoruyi (he left and will transfer to Alabama) would've been perfect. Even with new, young faces, you know Pikiell is going to build a vicious defense. But it's hard to win with freshmen in this league. Good thing Harper and Baileymight be special.
8. Maryland
Projected starting lineup:
- G Ja'Kobi Gillespie
- G DeShawn Harris-Smith
- G Selton Miguel
- F Julian Reese
- F/C Derik Queen
Top bench options: G Rodney Rice,F Jordan Geronimo,G Jahari Long
Thescoop: The talent is certainly there (again). A Reese-Queen frontcourt is tantalizing because bothare notone-trick ponies. Queen can make plays for others, and he's highly capable in the dribble hand-off game.The five-star big man hasalot of skill at his disposal. Reese is a proven Big Ten monster. Maryland should be terrific on the glass with the big fellas on the floor together. But there will still be shooting concerns. Miguel shot it well last year. Can he keep it up? Can Rodney Rice or Jahari Long be knockdown snipers off the bench at high volume? Has DeShawn Harris-Smith improved at all in that area? Gillespie was highly efficient from downtown and at the rim at Belmont. Will that mostly stick in the Big Ten?
9. Nebraska
Projected starting lineup:
- G Rollie Worster
- G Connor Essegian
- Wing Brice Williams
- Wing Juwan Gary
- C Braxton Meah
Top bench options: Wing Gavin Griffiths, F Andrew Morgan, G Ahron Ulis
Thescoop: Nebraska would be near the top of the projections with a healthy Rienk Mast. Oh, what could have been. Thankfully, Fred Hoiberg has Williams back, and that Year 2 transfer jump is going to be somethin'. Essegian and Griffiths should be twonet-shredders who can help replace Keisei Tominaga and CJ Wilcher. Worster is thick, strong, reliable and tough. The Utah transfer point guard will command heavy minutes from Day One, and he'll team up with Gary to make those hard-nosed winning plays that every good team so desperately needs. Nebraska is banking on Meah and Morgan collectively replacing Mast. That's easier said than done.
10. Ohio State
Projected starting lineup:
- G Bruce Thornton Jr.
- G Meechie Johnson
- Wing Micah Parrish
- F Devin Royal
- C Aaron Bradshaw
Top bench options: F Sean Stewart, GJuni Mobley, F Evan Mahaffey
Thescoop: Ohio State will go as far as its backcourt takes it. Thornton (a regular) and Johnson (a boomerang) have to be the engines of Jake Diebler's squad. Former five-star big men like Aaron Bradshaw and Sean Stewart are looking to get their careers back on track in Columbus. Those were strong additions, but Ohio State certainly needs more pop from its wings to ease the every-playburden that Thornton and Johnson could have. Mismatch-huntingforward Devin Royalwill be ahuge breakout candidate.
11. Michigan State
Projected starting lineup:
- G Jeremy Fears Jr.
- G Jaden Akins
- Wing Frankie Fidler
- F Xavier Booker
- C Carson Cooper
Top bench options: G Jase Richardson, G Tre Holloman, F Coen Carr, G Kur Teng
Thescoop: Being bullish on Michigan State requires a little faith. With AJ Hoggard and Tyson Walker exiting, can Akins finally emerge asa go-to guard? Will Fears be fully recovered from getting, uh, shot?!? Is Xavier Bookerout ofTom Izzo's doghouse once and for all? In recent history, MSU's highly-touted freshmenseem tonearly sinkbefore theystart swimming. Will Jase Richardson and Kur Teng buck that trend? Fidler is a little flawed, but the Nebraska-Omaha transfer is a bucket. He'll figure it out. Running it back with this center situation, except subbing in Szymon Zapala for Mady Sissoko, feels like a choice...
12. iowa
Projected starting lineup:
- G Drew Thelwell
- G Josh Dix
- Wing Payton Sandfort
- F Seydou Traore
- C Owen Freeman
Top bench options:G Brock Harding, Wing Pryce Sandfort, F Ladji Dembele
Thescoop: If Iowa can get Payton Sandfort back for another season (as projected), the Hawkeyes have a Big Three that can play with anybody. Dix, Sandfort and Freeman will be highly productive. But Iowa's player developmentwill be the ultimatepivot point in the crowded middle of the Big Ten standings. If Harding, Pryce Sandfort, Dembele or Traore explode into no-doubt dudes, Iowa could vault past more than a few clubs. Keep an eye onthe Thelwell addition. The Morehead State transfer point guard needs to prove himself on the defensive end at the Big Ten level, or Harding could take his spot and run away with it.
If Sandfort stays in the NBA Draft, the conversation around Iowa will change significantly.
13. Wisconsin
Projected starting lineup:
- G Camren Hunter
- G Max Klesmit
- G John Blackwell
- F Xavier Amos
- C Steven Crowl
Top bench options: G Daniel Freitag, Wing John Tonje, F Nolan Winter
Thescoop: Wisconsindidn't do anything wrong, it justgot gouged in the portal. Losing both AJ Storr and Chucky Hepburn is devastating. Kudos to Greg Gard. Hedidn't sulk. The roster is not desolate, but the margin for error is gone. Camren Hunter needs toknock the rust off in a hurry after missing all of last year, and Xavier Amos has the tools to make the MAC-to-the-Big Ten jump, but it might be choppy for spurts. The late addition of John Tonje should be enormous. It didn't go according to plan at Missouri last year, but he can hoop.With Storr and Hepburn, Wisconsin may have been the No. 1teamin the league. Klesmit, Crowl and Blackwell provide Wisconsin with a solid floor, buta lotneeds to go right for the Badgers to contend for a title.
14. Washington
Projected starting lineup:
- G Zoom Diallo
- G DJ Davis
- Wing Tyler Harris
- F Great Osobor
- C Franck Kepnang
Top bench options: G Mekhi Mason, F Chris Conway, G Tryee Ihenacho, F Wilhelm Breidenbach
Thescoop: Noted rich man Great Osobor(reported $2 Million NIL deal) should keep Washington very competitive in the new-look Big Ten, but Danny Sprinkle needs lots of things to go right to compete for a banner. Portland transfer Tyler Harris is a sparkling breakout candidate. If top-50 freshman Zoom Diallo can knock off Luis Kortright or Tyree Ihenacho for the starting point guard gig, that'd be enormous.
This Washington backcourt has some unproven pieces left and right, but the frontcourt is so deep behind Osobor. Big man Franck Kepnang had somevery bright moments this past season, and Oakland transfer Chris Conway has so much more to his game than some might realize.
15. USC
Projected starting lineup:
- G Desmond Claude
- Wing Chibuzo Agbo
- Wing Saint Thomas
- F Terrance Williams II
- F Josh Cohen
Top bench options: G Clark Slajchert, G Bryce Pope, F Matt Knowling, F Rashaun Agee
Thescoop: First-year coach Eric Musselman has put together a veteran-laden roster at USC, but the Trojans need Claude to be a monster if the engines on the Muss Bus want to fire up for good. The Xavier transfer has all the tools to be fantastic.USC isbankingon additions like Thomas, Agbo and Williams to provide the floor spacing for Claude to be best-maximized. Musselman has a long track record of figuring these things out, but the frontcourt defensive situation looks dire ... on paper. And the backcourt depth is still a concern.
16. Penn State
Projected starting lineup:
- G Ace Baldwin
- G D'Marco Dunn
- Wing Nick Kern
- F Zach Hicks
- F Kachi Nzeh
Top bench options: G Freddie Dilione, Wing Eli Rice, F Puff Johnson, C Miles Goodman
Thescoop:Penn Statewill have lots of the same faces. Baldwin, an All-Big Ten guard, isso good at what he does,and Penn State's role players like Kern, Dunn, Hicks and Johnson settled into nice roles as the season progressed. They were solid in Year 1. They should be improved in Year 2. But Penn State has major questions at the 5 anddoesn't have many proven shot-creators outside of Baldwin.Mike Rhoades is swinging bigwith the addition of Tennessee transfer guard Freddie Dilione V.IfDilione hits in a major way, Penn State won't finish second-to-last.
17. Northwestern
Projected starting lineup:
- G Jalen Leach
- G Ty Berry
- Wing Brooks Barnhizer
- Wing Nick Martinelli
- C Matt Nicholson
Top bench options: C Keenan Fitzmorris, G Justin Mullins, F Luke Hunger
Thescoop: Northwestern has some fair depth questions, but the continuity of getting four starters back should loom large on the defensive end. The quartet of Nicholson, Barnhizer, Berry and Martinelli shouldkeep Northwestern afloat even in the post-Boo Buie era. Northwestern coach Chris Collins is certainly banking on Leach being a big-time hit in the portal, and the player-development has to be sharp to offset Buie's brilliance.
18. Minnesota
Projected starting lineup:
- G Lu'Cye Patterson
- G Mike Mitchell Jr.
- Wing Femi Odukale
- F Dawson Garcia
- F Frank Mitchell
Top bench options: Wing Brennan Rigsby, G Isaac Asuma, F Parker Fox
Thescoop: The league will be stout if Minnesota is the worst team in the Big Ten. Garcia is a stud and Mitchell should be better in Year 2 with the program, but this roster has a few major holes.Pharrel Payne was supposed to be the proven center, but he transferred to Texas A&M. Cam Christie was supposed to be the deadeye wing, but he has rapidly risen up NBA Draft boards. Minnesota had to find another point guard after Elijah Hawkins dipped for Texas Tech. Ben Johnson has rebounded with rock-solid additions across the board, despite not having elite resources compared to its Big Ten peers. Patterson is going to be a dude, and Odukale can sit down andreally guard, but Minnesota might need a lot to go right to escape the Big Ten cellar.
