A first look at who is coming and going in the Big Ten for the 2020-21 season

  • 04/13/2020 10:43 am in

With numerous graduate transfers making decisions in recent weeks and several players declaring for the 2020 NBA draft, it’s time for our first look at who is coming and going in the Big Ten for the 2020-21 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: Trent Frazier, Ayo Dosunmu, Giorgi Bezhanishvili, Da’Monte Williams, Austin Hutcherson, Jermaine Hamlin, Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk, Jacob Grandison
· NBA draft early entrants: Kofi Cockburn (testing)
· Arriving: Andre Curbelo (247Composite top 100), Adam Miller (247Composite top 100), Coleman Hawkins
· Departing: Alan Griffin (transfer), Kipper Nichols, Tevian Jones (transfer), Andres Feliz

Notes: The big question with the Illini right now is the status of Dosunmu for next season. As of Monday, April 13, he has not made a public decision on whether he intends to declare for the 2020 NBA draft.

Indiana

· Returning: Justin Smith, Al Durham Jr., Joey Brunk, Race Thompson, Jerome Hunter, Rob Phinisee, Damezi Anderson, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Armaan Franklin
· NBA draft early entrants: None
· Arriving: Anthony Leal (247Composite top 100), Trey Galloway, Jordan Geronimo
· Departing: Devonte Green, De’Ron Davis

Notes: Indiana is still hopeful that it will have another member in its 2020 recruiting class as Evansville Reitz five-star point guard Khristian Lander is attempting to reclassify and enroll for next season.

Iowa

· Returning: Jordan Bohannon, Joe Wieskamp, Jack Nunge, CJ Fredrick, Connor McCaffery, Pat McCaffery, Joe Toussaint
· NBA draft early entrants: Luka Garza (testing)
· Arriving: Ahron Ulis, Tony Perkins, Josh Ogundele, Keegan Murray, Kris Murray
· Departing: Ryan Kreiner, Cordell Pemsl (transfer)

Notes: Garza is testing the NBA draft waters after a terrific junior season that saw him capture Big Ten player of the year honors and a few national player of the year honors as well.

Maryland

· Returning: Eric Ayala, Joshua Tomaic, Aaron Wiggins, Serrel Smith Jr., Darryl Morsell, Donta Scott, Chol Marial
· NBA draft early entrants: Jalen Smith (staying in)
· Arriving: Jairus Hamilton (transfer from Boston College), Marcus Dockery, Aquan Smart
· Departing: Anthony Cowan, Ricky Lindo Jr. (transfer)

Notes: It’s looking like a rebuilding year in College Park with the graduation of Cowan, one of the league’s best point guards and the departure of Smith to the NBA.

Michigan 

· Returning: Austin Davis, Adrien Nunez, Brandon Johns, Eli Brooks, Cole Bajema, Franz Wagner
· NBA draft early entrants: Isaiah Livers (testing)
· Arriving: Mike Smith (graduate transfer from Columbia), Zeb Jackson (247Composite top 100), Isaiah Todd (247Composite top 100), Hunter Dickinson (247Composite top 100), Terrance Williams (247Composite top 100)
· Departing: Zavier Simpson, Jon Teske, David DeJulius (transfer), Colin Castleton (transfer)

Notes: Livers entered the draft, but has left the door open for a return. Michigan is also in the mix for five-star guard Joshua Christopher, who is announcing his decision today.

Michigan State

· Returning: Aaron Henry, Xavier Tillman, Foster Loyer, Gabe Brown, Thomas Kithier, Marcus Bingham Jr., Malik Hall, Rocket Watts, Julius Marble, Joey Hauser
· NBA draft early entrants: Xavier Tillman (testing)
· Arriving: Mady Sissoko (247Composite top 100), AJ Hoggard (247Composite top 100)
· Departing: Cassius Winston, Joshua Langford, Kyle Ahrens

Notes: There’s uncertainty regarding the status of Langford, who could apply for a waiver from the NCAA for additional eligibility due to multiple injuries.

Minnesota

· Returning: Eric Curry, Gabe Kalscheur, Jarvis Omersa, Tre’ Williams, Sam Freeman, Isaiah Ihnen, Bryan Greenlee
· NBA draft early entrants: Daniel Oturu (staying in), Marcus Carr (testing)
· Arriving: Brandon Johnson (graduate transfer from Western Michigan), Liam Robbins (transfer from Drake), Jamal Mashburn Jr. (247Composite top 100), Martice Mitchell
· Departing: Payton Willis (transfer), Michael Hurt, Alihan Demir

Notes: Minnesota is losing one of the league’s premier big men in Oturu and also has Carr testing the waters. If Carr doesn’t return, the Gophers could be in the bottom four of the Big Ten standings once again.

Nebraska

· Returning: Thorir Thorbjarnarson, Kevin Cross, Akol Arop, Shamiel Stevenson, Derrick Walker, Yvan Ouedraogo, Dalano Banton
· NBA draft early entrants: None
· Arriving: Kobe King (transfer from Wisconsin), Trey McGowens (transfer from Pittsburgh), Kobe Webster (graduate transfer from Western Illinois), Teddy Allen, Lat Mayen
· Departing: Cam Mack (transfer), Dachon Burke (transfer), Jervay Green (transfer), Haanif Cheatham, Matej Kavas

Notes: Fred Hoiberg will once again have a ton of new pieces to integrate as Nebraska’s top three scorers are gone. Fortunately for Husker fans, it appears the talent level in Lincoln is starting to move in the right direction.

Northwestern

· Returning: Ryan Greer, Miller Kopp, Pete Nance, Anthony Gaines, Ryan Young, Robbie Beran, Jared Jones, Boo Buie, Chase Audige
· NBA draft early entrants: None
· Arriving: Ty Berry, Matt Nicholson
· Departing: A.J. Turner, Pat Spencer

Notes: It’s shaping up to be another tough season for Chris Collins in Evanston as the Wildcats simply don’t have the talent to compete in a difficult Big Ten.

Ohio State

· Returning: Musa Jallow, CJ Walker, Duane Washington Jr., Justin Ahrens, Kyle Young, EJ Liddell, Ibrahima Diallo, Justice Seuing
· NBA draft early entrants: Kaleb Wesson (testing)
· Arriving: Jimmy Sotos (transfer from Bucknell), Seth Towns (graduate transfer from Harvard), Abel Porter (graduate transfer from Utah State), Eugene Brown III, Zed Key
· Departing: Andre Wesson, DJ Carton (transfer), Alonzo Gaffney (transfer), Luther Muhammad (transfer)

Notes: While Wesson is testing the waters, the expectation is that he will not return to Columbus. The Buckeyes are going to be integrating a ton of new pieces next season, including a sit out transfer in Seuing and two grad transfers in Towns and Porter.

Penn State

· Returning: Myles Dread, Izaiah Brockington, Myreon Jones, John Harrar, Jamari Wheeler, Trent Buttrick, Seth Lundy, Patrick Kelly
· NBA draft early entrants: None
· Arriving: Sam Sessoms (transfer from Binghamton), Dallion Johnson, DJ Gordon, Valdir Manuel, Caleb Dorsey
· Departing: Lamar Stevens, Mike Watkins, Curtis Jones Jr.

Notes: Penn State was a lock to make the NCAA tournament, but things won’t be as easy in 2020-21 without Stevens, one of the program’s all-time greats.

Purdue

· Returning: Aaron Wheeler, Eric Hunter, Trevion Williams, Emmanuel Dowuona, Sasha Stefanovic, Nojel Eastern, Brandon Newman, Mason Gillis, Isaiah Thompson
· NBA draft early entrants: None
· Arriving: Jaden Ivey (247Composite top 100), Ethan Morton (247Composite top 100), Zach Edey
· Departing: Matt Haarms (transfer), Evan Boudreaux, Jaahad Proctor

Notes: The surprise piece of offseason news for the Boilermakers is the departure of Haarms, who opted to leave West Lafayette as a graduate transfer.

Rutgers

· Returning: Geo Baker, Myles Johnson, Mamadou Doucoure, Montez Mathis, Ron Harper Jr., Caleb McConnell, Jacob Young, Peter Kiss, Paul Mulcahy
· NBA draft early entrants: None
· Arriving: Cliff Omoruyi (247Composite top 100), Mawot Mag, Dean Reiber, Oskar Palmquist
· Departing: Akwasi Yeboah, Shaq Carter

Notes: Rutgers should be well positioned to reach the NCAA tournament next season as every notable piece besides Yeboah is expected to return. The Scarlet Knights also add a top 50 player in Omoruyi.

Wisconsin

· Returning: D’Mitrik Trice, Micah Potter, Aleem Ford, Brad Davison, Nate Reuvers, Trevor Anderson, Joe Hedstrom, Tyler Wahl
· NBA draft early entrants: None
· Arriving: Ben Carlson (247Composite top 100), Johnny Davis, Lorne Bowman, Steven Crowl, Jordan Davis
· Departing: Brevin Pritzl, Kobe King (transfer)

Notes: After sharing the Big Ten regular season crown this season, the Badgers will be one of the favorites to win it again next season.

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