A first look at who is coming and going in the Big Ten for the 2019-20 season
With the spring signing period beginning this week and the deadline to declare for the 2019 NBA draft rapidly approaching, it’s time for our first look at who is coming and going in the Big Ten for the 2019-20 season.
(Note: This is the first post in a series that will be updated multiple times in the coming months. In most instances, only scholarship players are included. If we missed anything, please email corrections to [email protected] or post in the comments.)
Illinois
· Returning: Alan Griffin, Trent Frazier, Kipper Nichols, Tevian Jones, Andres Feliz, Ayo Dosunmu, Giorgi Bezhanishvili, Da’Monte Williams, Samba Kane, Anthony Higgs
· NBA draft early entrants: None
· Arriving: Kofi Cockburn (247Composite top 100), Antwan January, Bernard Kouma
· Departing: Aaron Jordan (graduation), Adonis De La Rosa (graduation)
Notes: As of now, Dosunmu has not opted to test the draft waters despite being projected as a potential late first round pick. If he returns to Champaign, Illinois will be a team on the rise next season.
Indiana
· Returning: De’Ron Davis, Justin Smith, Al Durham Jr., Race Thompson, Jerome Hunter, Rob Phinisee, Damezi Anderson
· NBA draft early entrants: Romeo Langford, Devonte Green
· Arriving: Trayce Jackson-Davis (247Composite top 100), Armaan Franklin
· Departing: Juwan Morgan (graduation), Evan Fitzner (graduation), Zach McRoberts (graduation), Jake Forrester (transfer), Clifton Moore (transfer)
Notes: The Hoosiers have three available scholarships with Langford off to the NBA and Forrester and Moore opting to transfer. This roster is far from complete.
Iowa
· Returning: Jordan Bohannon, Jack Nunge, Isaiah Moss, CJ Fredrick, Ryan Kriener, Connor McCaffery, Cordell Pemsl, Luka Garza
· NBA draft early entrants: Joe Wieskamp, Tyler Cook
· Arriving: Pat McCaffery (247Composite top 100), Joe Toussaint
· Departing: Nicolas Baer (graduation), Maishe Dailey (transfer)
Notes: Wieskamp is expected to return to school and Cook is not, which deals the Hawkeyes a major blow on the frontline.
Maryland
· Returning: Jalen Smith, Eric Ayala, Joshua Tomaic, Aaron Wiggins, Serrel Smith Jr., Darryl Morsell, Ricky Lindo Jr.
· NBA draft early entrants: Bruno Fernando, Anthony Cowan
· Arriving: Makhi Mitchell (247Composite top 100), Donta Scott, Makhel Mitchell
· Departing: Ivan Bender (graduation)
Notes: The return of Smith is a major development for Mark Turgeon and the Terps, who should be a preseason top 25 team.
Michigan
· Returning: Zavier Simpson, Jon Teske, David DeJulius, Isaiah Livers, Austin Davis, Adrian Nunez, Colin Castleton, Brandon Johns, Eli Brooks
· NBA draft early entrants: Jordan Poole, Ignas Brazdeikis, Charles Matthews
· Arriving: Jalen Wilson (247Composite top 100), Cole Bajema
· Departing: None
Notes: Matthews is staying in the draft for sure and Brazdeikis and Poole are both unlikely to return. Look for the Wolverines to be active on the grad transfer market this spring and also with Franz Wagner, the younger brother of Moritz Wagner.
Michigan State
· Returning: Cassius Winston, Nick Ward, Joshua Langford, Aaron Henry, Kyle Ahrens, Xavier Tillman, Foster Loyer, Gabe Brown, Thomas Kithier, Marcus Bingham Jr.
· NBA draft early entrants: None
· Arriving: Malik Hall (247Composite top 100), Rocket Watts (247Composite top 100), Julius Marble
· Departing: Matt McQuaid (graduation), Kenny Goins (graduation)
Notes: If Winston and Ward both return, the Spartans will be one of the favorites to cut down the nets next April.
Minnesota
· Returning: Eric Curry, Gabe Kalscheur, Daniel Oturu, Jarvis Omersa, Marcus Carr, Michael Hurt, Payton Willis
· NBA draft early entrants: Amir Coffey
· Arriving: Tre Williams, Sam Freeman
· Departing: Jordan Murphy (graduation), Isiah Washington (transfer), Dupree McBrayer (graduation), Brock Stull (graduation), Matz Stockman (graduation)
Notes: The Golden Gophers are losing a ton from a team that beat Louisville in the first round of the NCAA tournament. It could be a retooling season for Richard Pitino, who just received a contract extension.
Nebraska
· Returning: Karrington Davis, Brady Heiman, Amir Harris, Dachon Burke, Nana Akenten, Thorir Thorbjarnarson
· NBA draft early entrants: Isaiah Roby
· Arriving: Jervay Green, Akol Arop
· Departing: Isaac Copeland (graduation), James Palmer Jr. (graduation), Thomas Allen (transfer), Glynn Watson Jr. (graduation), Tanner Borchardt (graduation), Johnny Trueblood (graduation)
Notes: Fred Hoiberg takes over for Tim Miles next season and there’s plenty of work to be done this spring to fill out the roster.
Northwestern
· Returning: A.J. Turner, Ryan Greer, Miller Kopp, Pete Nance, Anthony Gaines, Ryan Young
· NBA draft early entrants: None
· Arriving: Robbie Beran (247Composite top 100), Jared Jones, Daniel Buie
· Departing: Aaron Falzon (transfer), Barret Benson (transfer), Vic Law (graduation), Dererk Pardon (graduation), Jordan Ash (transfer), Ryan Taylor (graduation)
Notes: After a disappointing season in 2018-19, Northwestern also has a ton of work to do this spring to fill out its roster. As it stands, the Wildcats are a bottom three team in the league next season.
Ohio State
· Returning: Musa Jallow, CJ Walker, Andre Wesson, Luther Muhammad, Duane Washington Jr., Justin Ahrens, Kyle Young
· NBA draft early entrants: Kaleb Wesson
· Arriving: DJ Carton (247Composite top 100), Alonzo Gaffney (247Composite top 100), EJ Liddell (247Composite top 100), Ibrahima Diallo
· Departing: CJ Jackson (graduation), Jaedon LeDee, Keyshawn Woods (graduation)
Notes: Assuming Kaleb Wesson is back, the Buckeyes should be in the mix in the top tier of the Big Ten with a strong returning nucleus and the Big Ten’s best recruiting class.
Penn State
· Returning: Lamar Stevens, Myles Dread, Rasir Bolton, Daniil Kasatkin, Izaiah Brockington, Myreon Jones, Mike Watkins, John Harrar, Jamari Wheeler, Trent Buttrick
· NBA draft early entrants: None
· Arriving: Seth Lundy, Abdou Tsimbila, Patrick Kelly
· Departing: Josh Reaves (graduation), Deivis Zemgulis (graduation)
Notes: Stevens hasn’t announced his plans for next season, but his decision is one of the bigger stay or go decisions in the conference this offseason.
Purdue
· Returning: Matt Haarms, Aaron Wheeler, Eric Hunter, Trevion Williams, Emmanuel Dowuona, Evan Boudreaux, Sasha Stefanovic, Nojel Eastern
· NBA draft early entrants: Carsen Edwards
· Arriving: Mason Gillis, Isaiah Thompson, Brandon Newman
· Departing: Ryan Cline (graduation), Grady Eifert (graduation)
Notes: Purdue is losing its most important piece in Edwards and two tremendous role players in Cline and Eifert, but there’s a lot of young talent remaining in West Lafayette to provide optimism heading into next season.
Rutgers
· Returning: Geo Baker, Eugene Omoruyi, Myles Johnson, Mamadou Doucoure, Montez Mathis, Shaq Carter, Ron Harper Jr., Caleb McConnell, Jacob Young, Peter Kiss
· NBA draft early entrants: None
· Arriving: Paul Mulcahy
· Departing: Shaquille Doorson (graduation), Issa Thiam (dismissed from program)
Notes: The Scarlet Knights have two scholarships open after the early March dismissal of Thiam, who was arrested for domestic violence.
Wisconsin
· Returning: D’Mitrik Trice, Brevin Pritzl, Micah Potter, Aleem Ford, Kobe King, Brad Davison, Nate Reuvers, Trevor Anderson, Taylor Currie, Joe Hedstrom
· NBA draft early entrants: None
· Arriving: Tyler Wahl
· Departing: Ethan Happ (graduation), Charles Thomas (graduation), Khalil Iverson (graduation), Tai Strickland (transfer)
Notes: A new era of Badger basketball will commence next winter as Happ, one of the program’s all-time greats, has used up his eligibility.
Filed to: 2019-2020 Big Ten preview