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USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Updated Big Ten basketball power rankings for 2025-26 season after NBA draft decisions
AI-assisted summary Several key Big Ten basketball players, including Michigan's Yaxel Lendeborg and Wisconsin's John Blackwell, withdrew from the NBA draft and will return to school. Penn State center Yanic Konan Niederhauser will remain in the NBA draft, dealing a blow to the Nittany Lions. With rosters finalized, USA TODAY projects Purdue as the top Big Ten team for the 2025-26 season, followed by Michigan and UCLA. Wisconsin is projected to finish fourth in the Big Ten due to Blackwell's return and the addition of San Diego State transfer Nick Boyd. The college basketball offseason reached a significant milestone this week, as the NBA draft early-entry candidates were forced to decide whether to stay in the draft or return to college. That date saw several of the Big Ten's projected top players return to school, including Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg, Wisconsin guard John Blackwell and Oregon center Nate Bittle. Lendeborg headlines that group after joining Michigan this offseason as the top-ranked player in the transfer portal. He, Blackwell and Bittle all project as 2026 draft prospects, assuming they continue their respective trajectories through the 2025-26 season. Meanwhile, one notable player to remain in the draft is Penn State center Yanic Konan Niederhauser. The former Northern Illinois transfer led the Big Ten in blocks (2.3) last season and would've been a frontrunner for 2025-26 Defensive Player of the Year had he returned. His departure is a major blow to a Penn State program that is reeling, now entering year three under Mike Rhoades. With rosters now finalized after a busy transfer window and those NBA draft decisions, here are our latest Big Ten power rankings for the 2025-26 season. 18. Penn State Nittany Lions 2024-25 Record: 16-15 (6-14 Big Ten) Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle Notable Departures: Ace Baldwin Jr. (graduation), Puff Johnson (portal), Yanic Konan Niederhauser (draft) Notable Additions: Josh Reed (Cincinnati), Kayden Mingo (high school), Mason Blackwood (high school) Konan Niederhauser's departure is crushing for Penn State's chances this season. Not only will his 12.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game be challenging to replicate, but his sheer presence on the court affected opposing game plans. Talents like that are hard to come by, especially at center. An NCAA Tournament berth would be a major surprise for the Nittany Lions this season. Get more (Penn State) news, analysis and opinions on Nittany Lions Wire 17. Rutgers Scarlet Knights 2024-25 Record: 15-17 (8-12 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Ace Bailey (draft), Dylan Harper (draft), Lathan Sommerville (portal), Jeremiah Williams (portal) Notable Additions: Baye Fall (Kansas State), Darren Buchanan (George Washington), Lino Mark (high school), Chris Nwuli (high school), Harun Zrno (international) Rutgers went 15-17 with two top-three NBA draft prospects in the lineup. With those two now gone, how can we expect the team to suddenly improve dramatically? 16. Washington Huskies 2024-25 Record: 13-18 (4-16 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Great Osobor (graduation), Tyler Harris (portal), Wilhelm Breidenbach (portal), Mekhi Mason (portal) Notable Additions: Wesley Yates III (USC), Bryson Tucker (Indiana), Jacob Ognacevic (Lipscomb), Lathan Sommerville (Rutgers), Quimari Peterson (East Tennessee State) Washington is the last team in this ranking's bottom tier. The Huskies struggled in their first year in the Big Ten, even with top transfer Great Osobor leading the way. Sprinkle has won wherever he's been, so expect some improvement in 2025-26. It still may not be enough to reach the conference tournament. Get more (Washington) news, analysis and opinions on Huskies Wire 15. Minnesota Golden Gophers 2024-25 Record: 15-17 (7-13 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Dawson Garcia (graduation), Lu'Cye Patterson (graduation), Mike Mitchell Jr. (graduation), Femi Odukale (portal), Parker Fox (graduation) Notable Additions: Bobby Durkin (Davidson), Langston Reynolds (Northern Colorado), B.J. Omot (Cal), Jalen Crooker-Johnson (Colorado State), Chansey Willis Jr. (Western Michigan) Minnesota has newfound hope with Niko Medved at the helm. While the former Colorado State coach has an impressive track record of success, Minnesota has proven as a challenging place to win, especially with Wisconsin dominating recruiting in the state. Medved would do well to get the Gophers to the conference tournament in his first year. 14. Nebraska Cornhuskers 2024-25 Record: 21-14 (7-13 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Brice Williams (graduation), Juwan Gary (graduation), Andrew Morgan (graduation), Rollie Worster (graduation) Notable Additions: Pryce Sandford (Iowa), Kendall Blue (St. Thomas), Jamarques Lawrence (Rhode Island) Nebraska was flying high midway through the 2024-25 season. It had just reached its first NCAA Tournament in 10 years and was positioned for another postseason run. Then, the team lost its last five games and six of its last seven. While it went on to win the College Basketball Crown (postseason tournament), Nebraska's end-of-year stretch clouds its 2025-26 expectations. The major question is who carries the scoring load with Brice Williams (20.4 points per game) and Juwan Gary (14.6 points per game) both gone. Get more (Nebraska) news, analysis and opinions on Cornhuskers Wire 13. Northwestern Wildcats 2024-25 Record: 17-16 (7-13 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Brooks Barnhizer (graduation), Ty Berry (graduation), Matthew Nicholson (graduation), Jalen Leach (graduation) Notable Additions: Jayden Reed (USF), Max Green (Holy Cross) Collins returns All-Big Ten forward Nick Martinelli to lead his 2025-26 team. The Wildcats battled significant injuries last season and were much better than their final record shows. While the team's ceiling is far from a conference contender, it has a stable floor around 20 wins per season. 12. Indiana Hoosiers 2024-25 Record: 19-13 (10-10 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Malik Reneau (portal), Oumar Ballo (draft), Mackenzie Mgbako (portal), Myles Rice (portal), Luke Goode (graduation), Trey Galloway (graduation), Bryson Tucker (portal), Anthony Leal (graduation) Notable Additions: Tucker DeVries (West Virginia), Reed Bailey (Davidson), Lamar Wilkerson (Sam Houston), Conor Enright (DePaul), Tayton Conerway (Troy), Nick Dorn (Elon) Indiana is a major wild card in 2025. Darian DeVries reshaped the roster after taking over as head coach. His additions were headlined by his son, Tucker, one of the portal's top-20 players. While many significant questions exist, DeVries' coaching pedigree suggests an NCAA Tournament berth as a possibility. 11. Iowa Hawkeyes 2024-25 Record: 17-16 (7-13 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Everyone Notable Additions: Bennett Stirtz (Drake), Brendan Hausen (Kansas State), Tavion Banks (Drake), Alvaro Folgueiras (Robert Morris), Cam Manyawu (Drake), Isaia Howard (Drake) Iowa could be one of the Big Ten's most exciting teams in 2025. New head coach Ben McCollum takes over the program, bringing with him a five-star transfer prospect and All-Conference-caliber player in Bennett Stirtz. The Hawkeyes may be a few years away from fully rounding into form, but Stirtz's presence should ensure the team is competitive from Day 1. Get more (Iowa) news, analysis and opinions on Hawkeyes Wire 10. Maryland Terrapins 2024-25 Record: 27-9 (14-6 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Deriq Queen (draft), Julian Reese (portal), Ja'Kobi Gillespie (portal), Rodney Rice (portal), Selton Miguel (graduation), DeShawn Harris-Smith (portal), Notable Additions: Myles Rice (Indiana), Pharrel Payne (Texas A&M), Darius Adams (high school), Solomon Washington (Texas A&M), Isaiah Watts (Washington State), Elijah Saunders (Virginia), David Coit (Kansas) Buzz Williams takes over Maryland with a clean sheet, as nearly the team's entire rotation left for the NBA or the portal after the 2024-25 season. Rice (10.1 points per game at Indiana last season) and Payne (10.4 ppg at Texas A&M) will be key to the Terrapins' early performance. 9. USC Trojans 2024-25 Record: 17-18 (7-13 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Desmond Claude (portal), Wesley Yates (portal), Chibuzo Agbo (graduation), Saint Thomas (portal), Rashaun Agee (portal), Josh Cohen (graduation) Notable Additions: Rodney Rice (Maryland), Chad Baker-Mazara (Auburn), Alijah Arenas (high school), Ezra Ausar (Utah), Jacob Cofie (Virginia), Jerry Easter (high school), Gabe Dynes (Yale), Amarion Dickerson (Robert Morris) USC disappointed last season in year one under Eric Musselman. While expectations should drop following that campaign, the team excelled in the portal this offseason, headlined by Rice and Baker-Mazara. The Trojans have an intriguing combination of experience and young talent. They project as a classic high-ceiling, low-floor team. Get more (USC) news, analysis and opinions on Trojans Wire 8. Oregon Ducks 2024-25 Record: 25-10 (12-8 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Brandon Angel (graduation), T.J. Bamba (graduation), Keeshawn Barthelemy (graduation), Jadrian Tracey (portal) Notable Additions: T.K. Simpkins (Elon), Miles Goodman (Penn State), Devon Pryor (Texas) Dana Altman deserves the benefit of the doubt, as the Ducks haven't won fewer than 20 games during any year of his tenure (since 2010-11). The 2024-25 team was so-so by Altman's standards, though it still won 25 games and finished near the Big Ten's top group. Center Nate Bittle withdrawing from the draft is major news for the team's 2025-26 chances. He'll enter the year as arguably the Big Ten's best center and its preseason favorite for Defensive Player of the Year. Get more (Oregon) news, analysis and opinions on Ducks Wire 7. Ohio State Buckeyes 2024-25 Record: 17-15 (9-11 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Micah Parrish (graduation), Meechie Johnson (portal), Evan Mahaffey (portal), Aaron Bradshaw (portal), Sean Stewart (portal) Notable Additions: Gabe Cupps (Indiana), Brandon Noel (Wright State), Christoph Tilly (Santa Clara), A'mare Bynum (high school) Ohio State received a major boost as veteran guard Bruce Thornton withdrew from the NBA draft this week. After averaging 17.7 points and 4.6 rebounds per game and earning second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2024-25, he'll enter 2025-26 with hopes of a first-team All-Conference breakthrough. The Buckeyes were better last season than their 17-15 record indicates. A positive regression in close games should at least make them an NCAA Tournament team. Get more (Ohio State) news, analysis and opinions on Buckeyes Wire 6. Illinois Fighting Illini 2024-25 Record: 22-13 (12-8 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Kasparas Jakucionis (draft), Will Riley (draft), Morez Johnson (portal), Carey Booth (portal) Notable Additions: Andrej Stojakovic (Cal), Zvonimir Ivisic (Arkansas), Brandon Lee (high school), Keaton Wagler (high school), David Mirkovic (international), Mihailo Petrovic (international) Brad Underwood reloaded the roster yet again this offseason. The Illini lost leading contributors Jakucionis, Riley and Johnson, all of whom were freshmen last season. Stojakovic (17.9 points, 4.7 rebounds per game at Cal last season) was a major transfer recruiting win. He should claim the team's No. 1 role on an offense that seems to excel regardless of the personnel. 5. Michigan State Spartans 2024-25 Record: 30-7 (17-3 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Jaden Akins (graduation), Frankie Fidler (graduation), Szymon Zapala (graduation), Tre Holloman (portal), Jase Richardson (draft), Xavier Booker (portal) Notable Additions: Kaleb Glenn (FAU), Jordan Scott (high school), Cam Ward (high school), Trey Fort (Samford) Michigan State surprised many with its Big Ten title run last season. The team then lost many of its primary contributors from that team, headlined by star freshman Jase Richardson. Since Tom Izzo is still on the sideline, expect the Spartans to again compete for a title. Get more (Michigan State) news, analysis and opinions on Spartans Wire 4. Wisconsin Badgers 2024-25 Record: 27-10 (13-7 Big Ten) Notable Departures: John Tonje (graduation), Max Klesmit (graduation), Steven Crowl (graduation), Kamari McGee (graduation), Carter Gilmore (graduation), Xavier Amos (portal) Notable Additions: Andrew Rohde (Virginia), Austin Rapp (Portland), Nick Boyd (San Diego State), Braeden Carrington (Tulsa), Zach Kinziger (high school) Wisconsin is a major winner from the early-entry deadline, as star guard John Blackwell returned to the program. The team could have one of the better starting units in the conference, headlined by Blackwell, Nolan Winter and San Diego State transfer Nick Boyd. There remains a question off the bench after the transfer departure of forward Xavier Amos. For more, here is our latest projection of Wisconsin's roster and rotation. 3. UCLA Bruins 2024-25 Record: 23-11 (13-7 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Sebastian Mack (portal), Kobe Johnson (graduation), Aday Mara (transfer), Dylan Andrews (portal), William Kyle (portal), Lazar Stefanovic (graduation) Notable Additions: Donovan Dent (New Mexico), Xavier Booker (Michigan State), Jamar Brown (Kansas City) UCLA landed one of the transfer portal's top players in Dent. While the team saw several top players depart, including center Aday Mara, it projects as a Big Ten contender this season. All it has to do is overcome significant travel disadvantages, which coach Mike Cronin likes to mention. Get more (UCLA) news, analysis and opinions on UCLA Wire 2. Michigan Wolverines 2024-25 Record: 27-10 (14-6 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Vlad Goldin (graduation), Danny Wolf (draft), Tre Donaldson (portal), Will Tschetter (graduation), Nimari Burnett (graduation), Sam Walters (portal), Rubin Jones (graduation) Notable Additions: Aday Mara (UCLA), Morez Johnson (Illinois), Elliot Cadeau (North Carolina), Yaxel Lendeborg (UAB) Michigan officially added top-ranked transfer Yaxel Lendeborg to its roster this week, as the former UAB forward withdrew from the draft. Dusty May surprised everyone with a breakthrough 27-win season in 2024-25. That total could improve even further with another year of continuity and a terrific transfer class on the court. Get more (Michigan) news, analysis and opinions on Wolverines Wire 1. Purdue Boilermakers 2024-25 Record: 24-12 (13-7 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Caleb Furst (graduation), Cam Heide (portal), Myles Colvin (portal) Notable Additions: Oscar Cluff (South Dakota State) This ranking is pretty simple. Purdue has the two best players in the Big Ten entering 2025-26 in forward Trey Kaufman-Renn and guard Braden Smith. The team has also been the conference's best over the last decade. 2025-26 looks like another top-end Matt Painter team, assuming center Oscar Cluff is the impact addition many believe him to be. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
NBA draft 2025: 50 early entry players withdrew ahead of deadline
The NBA announced on Friday that 50 early entry players withdrew their names from the draft, which will be held on June 25-26 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The league said that 106 players filed as early entry candidates this year. The number of early entry players was down from 195 last year, due to the rise of name, image, and likeness (NIL), as players were afforded more earning potential by staying in college. College players had until Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. EDT to withdraw and maintain their remaining eligibility. While many announced their intentions well before the deadline, several players used their allotted time by waiting until Wednesday evening to make a decision. Several of the prospects who returned to school had the opportunity to compete in the draft combine earlier this month and attend team workouts and interviews. There, they received feedback about their draft stock to help make their decision ahead of the withdrawal deadline. Players such as Florida sophomore Alex Condon, Michigan senior Yaxel Lendeborg, Auburn freshman Tahaad Pettiford, Alabama freshman Labaron Philon and Houston junior Milos Uzan were among the top players who withdrew from the draft. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle The remaining field of draft-eligible players, typically those playing for international clubs, has the right to withdraw their names from consideration by 5 p.m. EDT on June 15.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
The 2025 NBA draft deadline has passed. Who are the college basketball winners and losers?
The 2025 NBA draft deadline has passed. Who are the college basketball winners and losers? Only 106 players declared early for the NBA draft, the league announced earlier this month, the smallest number of early entrants since 91 players declared as underclassmen in 2015. The reason is obvious: NIL. The ability for college athletes to land major-money deals for their name, image and likeness has changed the equation for many borderline draft picks, who now have the option of making more money in school than sitting near the end of the bench for an NBA franchise. The 106-player list of entrants has been trimmed in the past few weeks as many high-profile players have decided to spend at least one more season on the college ranks. That includes standouts who will compete for postseason hardware - led by new Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg, Florida forward Alex Condon and Kentucky guard Otega Oweh. In the bigger picture, the biggest winner of the declaration deadline has to be the SEC. After a record-setting year that established the SEC as the strongest conference in the country, the league could be even better this season with a deep collection of players opting out of the draft. Led by Michigan, the SEC and Duke, here are the biggest winners and losers from the deadline: Winners Michigan The Wolverines will start as the favorite in the Big Ten and one of the top-ranked teams in the preseason USA TODAY Sports men's basketball poll after convincing Lendeborg to follow through on his transfer from Alabama-Birmingham. The senior was one of the most productive players in the country last year, averaging 17.7 points, 11.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game, joining Larry Bird as the only players in Division I history to post at least 600 points, 400 rebounds and 150 assists in a season. (That pretty much says it all.) With Lendeborg in the middle and three additional impact transfers - former North Carolina guard Elliot Cadeau, former Illinois forward Morez Johnson and former UCLA center Aday Mara - joining the mix, coach Dusty May has constructed a roster built for a Final Four run. Florida Condon had an uneven NCAA tournament but came up huge in the championship game against Houston, illustrating his potential along with the need to hone his game before taking the next step into the NBA. Junior center Rueben Chinyelu also backed out of the draft, while forward Thomas Haugh decided not to enter the process and will see an increase in minutes with three key seniors, led by Walter Clayton Jr., gone from last year's team. The Gators also added one of the biggest transfers of the spring in former Arkansas guard Boogie Fland - another player that considered turning pro before staying in school. The SEC The bad news for the SEC: Florida is going to be really good, once again. But key draft decisions will help some of the top teams in the league bring down the Gators. Surprisingly, Alabama will bring back sophomore guard LaBaron Philon, who started 29 games as a rookie and was widely expected to land in the back half of the first round. Auburn guard Tahaad Pettiford will return in an effort to boost his draft stock, he said this week. Texas A&M forward Mackenzie Mgbako will stick with the Aggies after transferring in from Indiana. Karter Knox will return to Arkansas for his sophomore season, giving John Calipari's second team a big boost – though it's not all great news for the Razorbacks. And Oweh's decision to opt out of the draft is huge for the Wildcats, who can build an SEC contender around the all-conference pick. Houston The defending runners-up had counted on an elite recruiting class to stay in the mix for the national championship. But Houston will now bring back guard Milos Uzan, too, after the senior averaged 11.4 points and 4.3 assists per game in his first year in coach Kelvin Sampson's system following two years at Oklahoma. Uzan and returning contributors Emanuel Sharp and Joseph Tugler will be the building blocks for what should again be one of the top teams in the country. Losers Duke That Duke was dinged by early draft entrants was totally expected: Cooper Flagg is more than ready to shine in the NBA, sharpshooting guard Kon Knueppel has the toolbox to play major minutes as a rookie and center Khaman Maluach is a hugely promising but unfinished prospect who could develop into a menace on the defensive end. The Blue Devils hoped to replace a chunk of this lost production with transfer Cedric Coward, who began his career on the Division III level, spent two years at Eastern Washington and then played six games last year at Washington State before suffering a shoulder injury. But Coward blew up during draft workouts and should land somewhere in the first round as one of the draft's fastest-rising prospects. Arkansas Knox should take on more responsibility as a scorer and work on developing his overall game before hopping into the draft next spring. He'll be the centerpiece of a rotation that also will include guard DJ Wagner, two frontcourt transfers in Nick Pringle (South Carolina) and Malique Ewin (Florida State), and two five-star freshmen in Darius Acuff and Meleek Thomas. The bad news for Arkansas is the decision to stay in the draft by 6-foot-6 forward Aduo Thiero, who averaged 15.2 points per game after following Calipari from Kentucky. With Thiero, the Razorbacks might've been seen as the team to beat in the SEC.
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Top players to withdraw from 2025 NBA Draft and return to NCAA, including Tahaad Pettiford
The 2025 NBA Draft is less than a month away, and pretty soon, we will know exactly which players are eligible to hear their names called to turn pro. Despite receiving invitations to the 2025 NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, however, some players have decided to withdraw as early entrants from this class and instead return to college for another season. Some of the most notable names to make that choice include Yaxel Lendeborg (who will transfer from UAB to Michigan) and Auburn guard Tahaad Pettiford. Some players who have decided to stay in the draft include Carter Bryant (Arizona), Thomas Sorber (Georgetown), and Cedric Coward (who committed to Duke from Washington State). The most notable players who have yet to make their announcements are Adou Thiero, Miles Byrd, Jamir Watkins, RJ Luis Jr., Yanic Konan Niederhäuser, and Otega Oweh. These candidates will have until May 28 at 11:59 p.m. ET to withdraw from the draft if they wish to play in the NCAA next season. Meanwhile, for more prospect coverage, here is our latest NBA mock draft at For The Win. The best takes and the sharpest bets on all the hoops storylines you need to know. Sign up for our Layup Lines newsletter, hitting your inbox on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 1. Yaxel Lendeborg TEAM: Michigan Wolverines (via UAB) 2. Tahaad Pettiford TEAM: Auburn Tigers 3. Boogie Fland TEAM: Florida Gators (via Arkansas) 4. Alex Condon TEAM: Florida Gators 5. Isaiah Evans TEAM: Duke Blue Devils 6. Darrion Williams TEAM: NC State Wolfpack (via Texas Tech) 7. Milos Uzan TEAM: Houston Cougars 8. Mackenzie Mgbako TEAM: Texas A&M Aggies (via Indiana) 9. Karter Knox TEAM: Arkansas Razorbacks 10. PJ Haggerty TEAM:Kansas State Wildcats (via Memphis)
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Wisconsin basketball Big Ten rival five-star transfer withdraws from NBA draft
The Michigan Wolverines, led by head coach Dusty May, got even stronger on Tuesday as transfer commit Yaxel Lendeborg (UAB) has withdrawn from the NBA Draft and will return to college for his senior season. Lendeborg ranks as the No. 1 big man in the transfer portal and helps the Wolverines maintain the second-best transfer portal class in the country, per 247 Sports. Lendeborg, along with transfer commits Aday Mara (UCLA), Morez Johnson Jr. (Illinois), and Eliot Cadeau (North Carolina), will help the reigning Big Ten Tournament champions compete with the top of the conference next season. Advertisement During May's tenure in Ann Arbor, the Wolverines have brought in two top-tier transfer classes, ranked tenth and second, respectively. The Badgers have had their own successful offseason, landing transfers Nick Boyd (San Diego State), Andrew Rohde (Virginia), and Austin Rapp (Portland), all three of whom are expected to be starters. Head coach Greg Gard and his staff have done an excellent job reloading on talent, but will have to go toe to toe with Michigan's talented roster next season. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin rival Michigan transfer Yaxel Lendeborg NBA draft withdraw
