Grading the Big Ten MBB teams in the transfer portal (so far)

The transfer portal continues to play a pivotal role in collegiate sports, especially for college basketball. The most recent national champions, Michigan, started an entire lineup of players who began their careers elsewhere. Nonetheless, with another portal cycle in the process (and with the portal entry deadline passed), it’s time to take a look at how Big Ten teams have done in this portal cycle. Keep in mind, these grades DO NOT include players who graduated or who are in the portal seeking an eligibility waiver.

Illinois Fighting Illini: B-

This one is tough to grade. Illinois is losing Keaton Wagler to the NBA Draft, and Kylan Boswell is graduating, but the guys who transferred out didn’t play much of a role for the Fighting Illini last season. Andrej Stojaković, David Mirković and Ivišić brothers Tomislav and Zvonimir are all returning. The only portal addition is Providence guard Stefan Vaaks, who was a unanimous Big East All-Freshman Team selection. Standing at a towering 6-foot-7 for a guard, Vaaks averaged 15.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game with the Friars last season. Judging on the portal alone, the player they got was an A+. However, it’s just one guy, making it hard to give Illinois higher than a B-.

Indiana Hoosiers: A+

Indiana put together not only the best transfer class in the Big Ten, but arguably a top-three class in the country. While they did lose Nick Dorn to the portal among others, the haul brought in by coach Darian DeVries is tremendous. Alabama forward Aidan Sherrell, Notre Dame guard Markus Burton, SMU 7-foot-2 center Samet Yiğitoğlu, Georgia Tech guard Jaeden Mustaf, Villanova guard Bryce Lindsay and Duke guard/forward Darren Harris round out the Hoosiers’ transfer portal spree. Of these six transfers, it wouldn’t be surprising to see five of them in the starting lineup come the first game of Indiana’s season. The Hoosiers signed six power conference players who, for the most part, were some of the most impactful players on their former teams.

Iowa Hawkeyes: C+

Yes, losing Alvaro Folguieras is big, but from a pure transfer portal perspective (Bennett Stirtz is headed to the NBA Draft), Iowa’s net gain may be greater than its net loss. Saint Mary’s 7-foot-3 center Andrew McKeever and Illinois State guard Ty’Reek Coleman join the Hawkeyes for the 2026-27 season. McKeever averaged 8.2 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. His 9.2 rebounds per game ranked first in the WCC and tied for 21st in the country. This number includes a whopping 3.8 offensive boards per game, good for first in the WCC and tying him for the 11th-best mark in the country. Coleman averaged 10.0 points per game and shot 41.6% from beyond the arc. Like Illinois, there aren’t many new portal additions, but what was added will prove to be important.

Maryland Terrapins: A

Coach Buzz Williams didn’t see much success in his first season with Maryland. However, with the Terrapins’ portal class this year, a massive turnaround seems more than likely. While Darius Adams and Myles Rice are two losses that sting, Andre Mills returns and Pharrel Payne will be healthy. The two key returnees, plus Maryland’s impressive recruiting class, which included top-15 recruit Baba Oladotun, aren’t even factored into this portal ranking, yet it’s still an A. The players incoming are New Mexico forward Tomislav Buljan, Tennessee guard Bishop Boswell, Arkansas guard DJ Wagner, Boston University guard Michael McNair, Oklahoma State forward Robert Jennings II and Queens forward Maban Jabriel. Buljan was named to the All-Mountain West Second Team as he averaged a double-double for the Lobos last season and shot 54.0% from the field, while McNair was named to the All-Patriot League First Team after averaging 16.9 points per game. Williams’ six transfers should help out a lot next season.

Michigan Wolverines: A

For Michigan, it’s going to be hard to ever top what it brought in last year. However, the Wolverines did a good job in the portal post-National Championship. Cincinnati 7-foot-2 center Moustapha Thiam is the headliner, after he was an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention in 2025-26. Tennessee forward J.P. Estrella and LSU forward Jalen Reed join Thiam to play for coach Dusty May. Michigan is once again emphasizing height in the portal, as it did last year, which turned out to be a massive success. If the Wolverines are among the top teams in the country next year, it won’t be a surprise.

Michigan State Spartans: C+

Like Illinois and Iowa, Michigan State didn’t do much in the transfer portal. The Spartans didn’t need to, however, as most of their roster from last season has returned, including Jeremy Fears Jr. and Coen Carr. Divine Ugochukwu is their only loss in the portal, but they brought in Charlotte’s center Anton Bonke for next year. Bonke is coming off a year in which he averaged 10.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game, while shooting 57.6% from the field and 34.2% from three. Not much has changed for Michigan State, but Bonke’s 7-foot-2 frame could be very useful in 2026-27.

Minnesota Golden Gophers: C

Minnesota didn’t really lose much in the portal, at least for players who aren’t seeking an eligibility waiver like Cade Tyson and Langston Reynolds. The two real losses were BJ Omot, who didn’t play at all for the Golden Gophers, and Chansey Willis Jr., who appeared in just seven games last season. The players coming in, though, are nothing spectacular. Minnesota’s transfer class includes North Carolina guard Kyan Evans, Michigan guard/forward Winters Grady, Michigan center Malick Kordel and Texas Tech guard Nolan Groves. There’s a real chance that Grady, Kordel and Groves all become key pieces for the Golden Gophers in the future, considering all of them just finished their freshman years, but the lack of proven talent brings this grade down. The upside is high, the floor is just low.

Nebraska Cornhuskers: A-

After Nebraska put together its best college basketball season ever, it doesn’t look like the Cornhuskers will be going anywhere from the top of the Big Ten. Coach Fred Hoiberg put together a tremendous portal class while losing not much in terms of production (excluding players who graduated). Belmont forward Sam Orme, Boston College forward/center Boden Kapke, San Diego State guard Taj DeGourville, Utah Valley guard Trevan Leonhardt, South Dakota State center Damon Wilkinson and Montana forward Kadyn Betts round out Nebraska’s portal haul this season. Orme was named to the All-MVC Second Team, averaging 12.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game while shooting 55.9% from the field and 39.7% from deep. Leonhardt was named to the All-WAC First Team after averaging 11.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.1 steals per game, all while shooting 50.5% from the field and 36.8% from 3-point range. Wilkinson was an All-Summit League Honorable Mention after averaging 13.9 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, while shooting 58.9% from the field. The Cornhuskers are back and ready to make noise once again in the conference.

Northwestern Wildcats: C

Excluding Nick Martinelli, who graduated, Northwestern’s roster was decimated by the portal. The Wildcats’ second, third and fourth-leading scorers all departed, totaling nine outgoing transfers. The biggest loss was arguably Tre Singleton, who was the highest-rated recruit ever when he joined Northwestern for the 2025-26 season. With so many departures, the Wildcats had to rebuild their roster. From the portal, they added Bellarmine forward Jack Karasinski, UC Santa Barbara forward Colin Smith, Mount St. Mary’s forward Luke McEldon, Northeastern guard LA Pratt, Drake forward Okku Federiko and BYU guard Aleksej Kostić. Karasinski was an All-ASUN First Team selection after leading the ASUN with 21.7 points per game (12th in the country) on 56/41.5/81 shooting splits. Smith averaged 11.9 points per game on 45.5/40.5/80 shooting splits. McEldon shot 64.5% from the field, tied for ninth-highest in the country. Pratt appeared in just three games for the Huskies, but was averaging 17.0 points per game across that stretch. Overall, it’s tough to grade this class because Northwestern replaced almost everybody on the roster through the portal.

Ohio State Buckeyes: B+

Despite Devin Royal transferring this offseason, Ohio State did a great job in the portal to help revamp its team as it enters the post-Bruce Thornton era. The Buckeyes brought in California guard Justin Pippen, Kentucky forward Andrija Jelavić, Memphis guard Curtis Givens III and Duquesne guard Jimmie Williams. Pippen, formerly a Michigan Wolverine and the son of Scottie Pippen, returns to the Big Ten after earning All-ACC Honorable Mention honors and averaging 14.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game. Williams was named to the All-A10 Third Team after averaging 15.1 points per game. Even without Thornton, Ohio State should be in a good position to stay competitive in the Big Ten.

Oregon Ducks: B+

Yes, Oregon saw Jackson Shelstad and Kwame Evans Jr. enter the portal. The Ducks, though, have brought in eight players to help them turn their future around. San Francisco guard Tyrone Riley IV, Arizona forward Dwayne Aristode, Kentucky guard Jasper Johnson, Alabama forward Taylor Bol Bowen, Boise State forward Andrew Meadow, Boston College guard Fred Payne, USC guard Jerry Easter II and San Diego State forward Pharaoh Compton make up a talented Oregon transfer class. Riley IV was named to the All-WCC Second Team after averaging 12.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per game while shooting 36.8% from three. Johnson was a five-star recruit in 2025. Bol Bowen averaged a block a game, Meadow averaged 12.1 points per game and Payne averaged 15.8 points to lead his team in scoring. Oregon’s roster looks very different from last season’s, but the ceiling is high.

Penn State Nittany Lions: D+

Penn State was by no means good last season. Still, losing your top two scorers is a gut-punch. Kayden Mingo and Freddie Dillione V both transferred out of the conference, along with seven other Nittany Lions. To combat all the departures, Penn State brought in Miami (OH) guard/forward Brant Byers, Davidson guard Roberts Blums, Central Connecticut State guard Jay Rodgers, Buffalo center Tim Oboh and Division II Alabama Huntsville guard Thomas Allard. Byers made the All-MAC Second Team as his team went undefeated in the regular season. Blums led his team in scoring with 12.4 points per game while shooting 40.7% from deep. Rodgers was named to the All-NEC Second Team, averaging 11.0 points and 6.7 assists per game, all while shooting 36.2% from 3-point range. Allard was named to his conference’s All-Second Team as well. Penn State will look very different next season, but it could be for the better.

Purdue Boilermakers: C+

This is another tough one to grade. If I were including players who graduated, this grade would be low, considering that Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn, Fletcher Loyer and Oscar Cluff are all graduating. The only transfer in for Purdue is Princeton forward Caden Pierce, who was the Ivy League Player of the Year in 2023-24. He redshirted last season and battled injuries the year before, so he’s looking for a fresh start with a revamped Purdue team. On the portal alone, this is a C+.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights: B

Rutgers lost a lot to the portal this year, including the team’s second-leading scorer, Dylan Grant. However, the Scarlet Knights retooled pretty well and could be a tougher opponent next season. Transferring in are Manhattan forward Will Snydor, Central Connecticut State forward Darin Smith Jr. and Virginia Tech center Christian Gurdak. Snydor was the MAAC Rookie of the Year and made the All-MAAC Second Team in 2024-25, but didn’t play at all in the 2025-26 season. Smith Jr. was named NEC Player of the Year (also All-NEC First Team) last season, where he averaged 20.7 points (led NEC, T-19th in the country) and 5.4 rebounds per game on 47/38/90 shooting splits. There is some confusion surrounding former New Mexico State guard Lewis Duarte, who signed with the team back in 2023, yet played professionally in the Dominican Republic due to eligibility issues. Duarte is awaiting NCAA signing clearance before his transfer to Rutgers becomes official. Either way, the Scarlet Knights did a good job of regaining what they lost in the portal.

UCLA Bruins: A

Despite adding only four players through the portal, UCLA did very well. Because Skyy Clark and Steven Jamerson II are both seeking eligibility waivers in the portal, their departures don’t factor into this grade. The Bruins brought in Texas Tech guard Jaylen Petty, Auburn forward Filip Jović, Butler guard Azavier Robinson and Mississippi State forward Sergej Macura. Petty is the big-ticket player of these four, averaging 11.2 points per game across the last 22 games of the Red Raiders’ season, all of which he started in.

USC Trojans: A

USC didn’t really lose much of anything impactful in the portal this offseason. What the Trojans did do was revamp their roster after the Chad Baker-Mazara experiment didn’t pan out the way they had hoped, plus Rodney Rice got hurt very early into the season. Georgetown guard/forward KJ Lewis, UConn center Eric Reibe, Colgate guard Jalen Cox and Evansville forward Joshua Hughes round out this transfer class. Lewis was named to the All-Big East Third Team, averaging 14.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game for the Hoyas. Cox was named to the All-Patriot League First Team and the All-Patriot League Defensive Team, averaging 17.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.7 steals per game on 52/36.5/85 shooting splits. USC has some guys who have experience playing under the bright lights, plus those who are pure bucket-getters.

Washington Huskies: B

Washington losing Zoom Diallo to the portal hurts. Also, if Desmond Claude’s waiver is approved, he would be a significant loss for the Huskies as well. Hannes Steinbach doesn’t count for this because he’s going to the NBA Draft. Frank Kepnang is another loss that could sting a bit, but not as big as Diallo. What Washington did bring in, though, is very impressive. Their portal class consists of Texas Tech forward LeJuan Watts, San Francisco guard Ryan Beasley, Davidson guard Parker Friedrichsen and Gonzaga guard Steele Venters. Watts is a very impressive grab for coach Danny Sprinkle, after he averaged 11.8 points and 6.0 rebounds for the Red Raiders. Beasley is another impressive addition. He was named to the All-WCC Second Team after leading the Dons with 13.6 points and 4.0 assists per game. Overall, not too shabby for Sprinkle considering who he lost in the portal (and to the NBA Draft).

Wisconsin Badgers: D

Wisconsin lost A LOT in this transfer portal. All-Big Ten Third Team guard John Blackwell went into the portal and immediately became one of the top targets in the country. Aleksas Bieliauskas also left the Badgers, adding insult to injury with Blackwell’s departure. It’s hard to rebuild after losing such an important player like Blackwell, but Wisconsin did bring in three new transfers: Miami (OH) guard/forward Eian Elmer, George Washington guard Trey Autry and Hofstra forward/center Victory Onuetu. Elmer was an All-MAC Second Team selection in 2025-26, averaging 12.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game on 50/43/76 shooting splits. Autry averaged 11.0 points per game on 43.5/38.5/81 shooting splits. While the additions for the Badgers are solid for sure, losing Blackwell is a tough blow.

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