Way-Too-Early 2026-27 Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings: Illinois Leads the Pack?

The Wildcats were decimated by the transfer portal, and superstar forward Nick Martinelli is out of eligibility. Player to watch: Angelo Ciaravino

17. Penn State

Another squad that has faced massive roster turnover, the Nittany Lions are starting almost entirely fresh after finishing dead last in the Big Ten a year ago.Player to watch: Ivan Juric

16. Rutgers

The Scarlet Knights appear poised to once again come up short on firepower, destined for yet another bottom-tier Big Ten season.Player to watch: Tariq Francis

15. Washington

The Huskies had a middling campaign a year ago, and they have seen the majority of last season’s crew dart for greener pastures. Meanwhile coach Danny Sprinkle hasn't been able to land any game-changers through the portal thus far.  Player to watch: Ryan Beasley

14. Oregon

Dana Altman has built a fairly impressive transfer haul, but the Ducks also lost a handful of contributors from an extremely underwhelming 2025-26 team. Player to watch: Jasper Johnson

13. Wisconsin

Wisconsin coach Greg Gard hasn’t provided much optimism for a Badgers fanbase reeling from offseason losses. Player to watch: Nolan Winter

12. Ohio State

The Buckeyes’ freshman class has an incoming star and the transfer class is solid, but they did lose a lot in Bruce Thornton and Devin Royal departing. Player to watch: Anthony Thompson

11. Minnesota

Niko Medved in Year 2 is going to be a scary sight in the Big Ten, especially with four key returnees and Medved’s reunion with guard Kyan Evans.  Player to watch: Jaylen Crocker-Johnson

10. Maryland

Maryland's retention may be less than ideal, but Buzz Williams can really recruit. How quickly he can mesh all the fresh faces remains to be seen, though.Player to watch: Baba Oladotun

9. Iowa

The loss of Bennett Stirtz is nothing to gloss over, but Iowa has an even more important piece of the puzzle returning: Ben McCollum.Player to watch: Kael Combs

8. Nebraska

With four of the top six in Nebraska’s 2025-26 rotation out of the mix, Fred Hoiberg’s club appears poised for a step back – but not a big one, thanks to Pryce Sandfort running it back.  Player to watch: Braden Frager

7. UCLA

The Bruins have a lot working for them: They retained a few key pieces, built a solid portal class and have Mick Cronin running the show. Player to watch: Trent Perry

6. USC

The Trojans bring in a loaded freshman class and a transfer haul not far behind – plus Rodney Rice is back. Player to watch: Rodney Rice

5. Indiana

The Hoosiers put in work in the portal. And based on Darian DeVries’ track record of doing more with less, he should be in line to surpass the already lofty expectations for 2026-27.Player to watch: Markus Burton

4. Purdue

Yes, the Boilermakers will be without their cornerstone veteran trio, but Caden Pierce is a severely overlooked addition and Matt Painter is ... Matt Painter. Player to watch: Caden Pierce

3. Michigan State

The Spartans only lose their starting frontcourt – a void that will quickly be filled – meaning Jeremy Fears Jr. (who declared for the NBA Draft while maintaining college eligibility) and Tom Izzo should continue wreaking havoc on the entire league. Player to watch: Cam Ward

2. Michigan

If Michigan returns both Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr., the Wolverines move to the top this list – but that isn’t the expectation. Player to watch: Elliot Cadeau

1. Illinois

"The Retention" was a successful endeavor in Champaign – and, for now, it makes Illinois the team to beat.Player to watch: David Mirkovic