With the official begin of observe subsequent month, UMHoops and Contained in the Corridor have partnered to deliver you our annual preseason breakdown of the highest gamers within the Huge Ten. This yr, the listing has been expanded after the addition of 4 packages to the convention.
The collection is damaged into seven elements, with one submit every weekday by means of Friday, August 30. Our second installment taking a look at gamers 30-26 for the 2024-25 season is obtainable beneath:
Beforehand: 40-31
30. Julian Reese, Maryland (6-foot-9, ahead, senior)
2023-24 stats (32 video games): 13.7 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 1.9 blocks, 1.3 apg, 54.6% FG in 31.9 minutes
Why he may outperform this rating: Reese’s constant manufacturing was misplaced within the shuffle of Maryland’s disappointing season. He averaged 13.7 factors and 9.5 rebounds per sport as a junior and anchored the very best protection within the league.
Why he may underperform this rating: 5-star freshman Derik Queen doesn’t repair Maryland’s spacing points and is doubtlessly an ungainly match with Reese. If the match collectively isn’t nice, Queen’s emergence may restrict Reese’s upside. The free throw stroke has been a significant challenge for the final two years – 57 p.c and 53 p.c – and Reese’s 2-point capturing proportion dipped eight proportion factors final yr (63 p.c to 55 p.c).
29. Kylan Boswell, Illinois (6-foot-2, guard, sophomore)
2023-24 stats (36 video games at Arizona): 9.6 ppg, 3.6 apg, 2.3 rpg, 1.4 steals, 39.6% FG, 37.9% 3PFG in 27 minutes
Why he may outperform this rating: Brad Underwood has developed a robust status for taking advantage of switch portal expertise. Boswell was probably the most improved gamers within the nation final season and began for an Arizona workforce that earned a 2-seed within the NCAA match. He’s an elite bounce shooter who makes photographs off the catch (40.5 p.c) or off the dribble (141 makes an attempt) and there are many photographs out there in Champaign.
Why he may underperform this rating: Boswell was in a position to excel in Caleb Love’s shadow final season and hasn’t confirmed that he is usually a go-to choice and first creator. He shot simply 41 p.c on twos final season and doesn’t create many seems to be on the rim. He solely tried 43 photographs on the basket in halfcourt settings final yr, per Synergy, simply over one per sport.
28. Danny Wolf, Michigan (7-foot, middle, junior)
2023-24 stats (32 video games at Yale): 14.1 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.3 blocks, 47.2% FG, 34.5% 3PFG in 30.8 minutes
Why he may outperform this rating: The Yale switch was probably the greatest mid-major bigs within the nation final season and practically averaged a double-double. He’s an elite rebounder who completed tenth within the nation in defensive rebounding proportion, per KenPom. Wolf can be a succesful perimeter shooter – 34.9 p.c on threes – which ought to permit him to play loads of minutes alongside fellow 7-footer Vladislav Goldin in a revamped Michigan frontcourt underneath Dusty Could.
Why he may underperform this rating: There are questions on how Wolf’s sport may translate to the Huge Ten, notably given his restricted athleticism and the actual fact he shot simply 50.7 p.c on twos final season. Wolf took numerous jumpers final season – and he’s a stable shooter – however he wants to complete extra effectively to achieve his ceiling.
27. Jaden Akins, Michigan State (6-foot-4, guard, senior)
2023-24 stats (35 video games): 10.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.2 apg, 1.1 steals, 41% FG, 36.4% 3PFG in 28.5 minutes
Why he may outperform this rating: The roster alternative is lastly there. Akins has been a constant starter for the Spartans over the past two seasons, nevertheless it has all the time been Tyson Walker and AJ Hoggard working the present, with Malik Corridor and Joey Hauser offering scoring within the frontcourt.
Now, Akins is a senior and each alternative ought to be out there for him to step into a bigger function. It’s arduous to say what that appears like as a result of we haven’t seen it, however the photographs, playmaking alternatives and positional alternatives ought to lastly be out there to match Akins’ expertise.
Why he may underperform this rating: Not everybody makes a senior leap. Akins’ sport is perhaps higher suited to play as a floor-spacing defender. He hasn’t proven important playmaking chops throughout his Michigan State profession and has by no means shot higher than 50 p.c contained in the arc. He’s a confirmed ground spacer and defender, however perhaps the youthful gamers round him see bigger function will increase.
26. TJ Bamba, Oregon (6-foot-5, guard, senior)
2023-24 stats (33 video games at Villanova): 10.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.8 apg, 43% FG, 36.9% 3PFG in 28.1 minutes
Why he may outperform this rating: Oregon has aspirations to win the Huge Ten and including Bamba was a step in the proper course for Dana Altman. He’s a 3-and-D wing who will welcome the problem of guarding the league’s finest perimeter gamers. He was part of a significant defensive turnaround final season at Villanova. Bamba is a succesful catch-and-shoot risk who shot 37 p.c from deep final season whereas averaging double figures. Whereas his utilization took a step again final season at Villanova from his breakout junior season at Washington State, he’s positively able to being a featured scorer.
Why he may underperform this rating: Whereas Bamba’s 3-point capturing is a energy – he made 40.6 p.c of his triples in Huge East play final season – his effectivity contained in the arc wasn’t nice when he was the go-to scorer at Washington State. Bamba will likely be requested to assault lots in isolation within the Oregon offense and he’s simply 45.2 p.c for his profession on 2s.
Filed to: 2024-25 Huge Ten preview
