You can crank up the old school Eminem and Kanye West, because the early to mid 2000s are back! At least they are from a Big Ten basketball perspective. Yes, the Illinois Fighting Illini and Michigan State Spartans are once the class of the conference. Both were #1 seeds in the 2001 NCAA Tournament. Both made the Final Four in 2005.
There is a drop-off to the rest of the league, after this top-tiered two. So let’s run through it all, live from Rosemont, IL for Big Ten Basketball Media Days.
1. Illinois Fighting Illini
This feels every bit like the late 2004 portion of the 2004-05 season. The hype is justified.
2. Michigan State Spartans
Jeremy Fears Jr. has become that perfect Grayson Allen type- you love him if he’s on your team. But if he’s not on your team, then well…
3. USC Trojans
These guys are going to be a lot better than people think, because they are truly talented and deep. And I say that as somebody who doesn’t really believe in the NBA Draft stock of Alijah Arenas.
4. Purdue Boilermakers
Yes, the band has finally broken up, but don’t right them off completely. Matt Painter knows what he’s doing, even if he has a less talented bunch to work with.
5. Michigan Wolverines
The powerhouse/juggernaut/evil empire of mercenaries, whatever you want to call them, take a step back this season. But, a step back from that level is still extremely elite.
6. Iowa Hawkeyes
Ben McCollum is an amazing coach. No, they won’t likely make the Elite 8 again, but they’ll be better than most people believe.
7. UCLA Bruins
At this point, Mick Cronin and his personality overshadows anything and everything that happens on the court. Expect another season of that.
8. Nebraska Cornhuskers
We’re just not as high on the Huskers as others may be, but we do think
9. Ohio State Buckeyes
Anthony Thompson has top five overall pick potential. He really does play like a smaller, SF version of Kevin Durant; in some ways. However, Thompson doesn’t have the strongest supporting cast to work with.
10. Wisconsin Badgers
Greg Gard has a high floor and low ceiling. We don’t see that changing this year, but if he can get some March wins again…the Badger faithful will be okay with a pedestrian regular season.
11. Northwestern Wildcats
NU is really starting to really build a true NBA Draft tradition right now. And that could continue with Jack Karasinski. The Cats will be better than most people think.
12. Indiana Hoosiers
Is this going to be another year of IU is back!? Is IUMBB back?
No, sorry, Indiana Hoosiers men’s basketball is not “back.” It’s a football school now.
13. Maryland Terrapins
Terps are going to be much better, but after last season, there is nowhere else to go but up. Baba Oldatun has top ten overall pick potential. However, his supporting cast is lacking, to say the least.
14. Minnesota Golden Gophers
Moving in the right direction, maybe, but it’s going to take time.
15. Oregon Ducks
Dana Altman retires as Hall of Very Good head coach (16 seasons, 382 wins at Oregon), so props to him.
However, last year’s team was a major disappointment, and this team is much less talented than last year’s edition.
16. Washington Huskies
We’re just not big believers in Danny Sprinkle and what he’s built, over here.
17. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
They really had their moment recently…the Scarlet Knights produced the 2nd (Dylan Harper) and the 5th (Ace Bailey) overall picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. And yet, they couldn’t even produce a postseason berth or even a winning record with that.
They won’t do anything with this bunch.
18. Penn State Nittany Lions
You have heard program leadership speak publicly about the lack of resources devoted to this program. That honestly says it all right there.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.