Compared to some other power conferences, the Big Ten has more preferred veterans who have stayed with the same program over the years, rather than transfers who are around for just one season. However, the transfer portal has also affected the Big Ten, with five of the league’s top nine individual scorers coming in via the portal.
Based on the moves made throughout the offseason by all 18 teams, there’s a good chance some of the conference’s top scorers in 2026-27 will come from this list. But which player will have the biggest impact? Here’s a ranking of the Big Ten.
1. KJ Lewis, 6-foot-4 senior guard, USC
2025-26 stats (Georgetown): 14.9 points, 5.1 rebounds
After two years coming off the bench at Arizona, Lewis had a breakout year as a full-time starter at Georgetown. He led the Hoyas in scoring, shooting 41 percent from the field. Lewis had six games of at least 20 points, including 27 against St. John’s. While USC brings back a couple of high-scoring guards from last season, Lewis is a proven veteran who gives them even more firepower.
2. Stefan Vaaks, 6-foot-7 sophomore guard, Illinois
2025-26 stats (Providence): 15.8 points, 3.2 assists
Vaaks was a long bright spot in an otherwise rough year at Providence. As a freshman, the tall guard led the Big East in three-point shooting and had 51 points in two Big East Tournament games, including 28 against Butler. Vaaks is the perfect addition to an Illini roster which already has one of the best frontcourts in the nation, giving them a lethal three-point threat on the perimeter.
3. Markus Burton, 5-foot-11 senior guard, Indiana
2025-26 stats (Notre Dame): 18.5 points, 3.7 assists
Although he played only 10 games last season due to an ankle injury, Burton was one of the best pure scorers in the country when healthy. The dynamic lead guard averaged 21.3 points per game in the year prior, including a career 33 percent three-point shooting percentage. The Hoosiers are hoping Burton is the natural replacement for 6-foot-4 guard Lamar Wilkerson, who led the team with 20.9 points per game last season.
4. Aiden Sherrell, 6-foot-10 junior forward, Indiana
2025-26 stats (Alabama): 11.1 points, 6.2 rebounds
The former five-star prospect was coming off a breakout second year at Alabama, starting 34 games and shooting 54 percent from the field. Sherrell had four games of 20-plus points last season, including 26 points and 13 rebounds in double overtime against Arkansas. He was a standout performer during Indiana’s foreign exhibition tour and gives them the frontcourt scoring presence they lacked last year.
5. Moustapha Thiam, 7-foot-2 senior center, Michigan
2025-26 stats (Cincinnati): 12.8 points, 7.1 rebounds
Between his time at UCF and Cincinnati, Thiam has been one of the top shot-blockers in the country, averaging 2.1 blocks per game in his first two years. The big man showed much more of his offense last season at the Bearcats, scoring 20-plus points in three straight games during Big 12 play, including 28 points against Kansas. Thiam is set to be the focal point in Michigan’s revamped frontcourt, which was the best in the country last season.
6. J.P. Estrella, 6-foot-11 senior forward, Michigan
2025-26 stats (Tennessee): 10 points, 5.4 rebounds
Despite playing just 18 minutes per game mostly off the bench, Estrella was one of the more efficient big men in the country. He shot 60 percent from the field, had more offensive than defensive rebounds, and had back-to-back 20-plus point games at the end of SEC play. He’s another frontcourt player set to join Michigan, likely to pair with Thiam in what would be one of the top defensive duos in the nation.
7. Tomislav Buljan, 6-foot-9 senior forward, Maryland
2025-26 stats (New Mexico): 13.1 points, 10.3 rebounds
In his lone year in college basketball, Buljan proved to be one of the nation’s best rebounders, ranking 10th overall. The Croatian big man produced 17 double-doubles, including 19 points and 21 rebounds against Mississippi State and 25 points and 14 rebounds versus San Jose State. Maryland will pair Buljan with returning 6-foot-9 senior forward Pharrel Payne (17.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game) to make up one of the top frontcourts in the Big Ten.
8. Jalen Cox, 6-foot-3 senior guard, USC
2025-26 stats (Colgate): 17.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists
Very few players have recorded a 15-5-5 split like Cox, while shooting 52 percent from the field and 37 percent from deep. The veteran playmaker led the Patriot League in assists and had seven games of at least 25 points, including a career-high 38 points and 11 assists against Loyola Maryland in overtime. Cox gives the Trojans a needed ball-handler in the rotation, allowing returning 6-foot-4 senior guard Rodney Rice (20.3 points per game) to play off-ball in various lineups.
9. LeJuan Watts, 6-foot-6 senior forward, Washington
2025-26 stats (Texas Tech): 11.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists
Watts started 28 games last season for the Red Raiders, shooting 43 percent from the field and 32 percent from three-point range. His scoring was inconsistent, but Watts had eight games with at least 19 points, including a 36-point outing against Northern Colorado. He has a chance for a larger role at Washington, capable of playing both forward positions and giving the Huskies an offensive boost.
10. Caden Pierce, 6-foot-6 senior forward, Purdue
2024-25 stats (Princeton): 11.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists
The former Ivy League Player of the Year sat out last season before transferring to Purdue. He was one of the most versatile players in the Ivy in his first three years, including ranking in the top-10 in assists in back-to-back years. With the top four players gone from the Boilermakers last season, Pierce has a chance to be a major contributor in the new rotation.
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11. Samet Yigitoglu, 7-foot-2 junior center, Indiana
2025-26 stats (SMU): 10.7 points, 7.9 rebounds
The Turkish big man’s stats didn’t jump up too much last season compared to his first year, but Yigitoglu was much more efficient, shooting 63 percent from the field. The former Mustang produced seven double-doubles, including 14 points and 11 rebounds against Clemson. While Yigitoglu won’t have many monster individual outings, he’ll consistently give the Hoosiers good production from the five-spot, a weakness of theirs last season.
12. Justin Pippen, 6-foot-3 junior guard, Ohio State
2025-26 stats (Cal): 14.2 points, 4.6 assists
After limited production at Michigan as a freshman, Pippen broke out at Cal, tied for second on the team in scoring and first in assists. He shot only 37 percent from the field but was an underrated defender, ranking third in the ACC with 1.9 steals per game. Pippen is likely to start in the Buckeyes’ backcourt, alongside returning 6-foot-1 junior starter John Mobley Jr. (15.7 points per game).
13. Tyrone Riley IV, 6-foot-6 guard, Oregon
2025-26 stats (San Francisco): 12.2 points, 4.8 rebounds
Riley started all 65 games in two years at San Francisco, earning All-WCC honors. The biggest step he took as a sophomore was his perimeter shooting, going from 32 to 37 percent from three-point range. The versatile wing has the chance to be a “3 and D” contributor for the Ducks and their young backcourt.
14. Jaeden Mustaf, 6-foot-5 junior guard, Indiana
2025-26 stats (Georgia Tech): 10.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists
The former top-50 prospect started 33 games over two years at Georgia Tech and tied for third on the team in scoring. Mustaf shot 39 percent from three-point range and had a strong scoring end to last season, scoring 9-plus points in each of the last nine games. One of which included a 28-point outing against Clemson. Look for Mustaf to add to Indiana’s backcourt depth, either as a starter or a potential sixth man.
15. Eian Elmer, 6-foot-6 senior forward, Wisconsin
2025-26 stats (Miami OH): 12.7 points, 5.9 rebounds
Elmer started 85 games in three years with the RedHawks, playing a key role on the national breakout squad. He shot 43 percent from three-point range on five attempts a game and had five games of at least 20 points, including a career-high 32 points and 12 rebounds in the overtime win over Ohio to complete the unbeaten regular season. The sharpshooting wing is a perfect fit for the Badgers, who ranked top 10 in the entire country last season in both makes and attempts from deep.
16. Sam Orme , 6-foot-8 junior forward, Nebraska
20225-26 stats (Belmont): 12.7 points, 5.0 rebounds
The All-Missouri Valley Conference performer had a breakout campaign as a sophomore starter, shooting 56 percent from the field and 40 percent from three-point range on 4.2 attempts. Orme had 10 games of at least 15 points, including a 22-point outing against Drake. He gives the Cornhuskers a viable stretch-four option in the frontcourt next season.
17. Trevan Leonhardt, 6-foot-4 senior guard, Nebraska
2025-26 stats (Utah Valley): 11.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.0 assists
Leonhardt was one of the top all-around players in the WAC last season, leading the conference in assists and also second in steals at 2.1 per game. The all-league defender was also fairly efficient from the field, shooting 51 percent overall and 37 percent from three-point range. He’s set to be Nebraska’s starting point guard next season, replacing the outgoing 6-foot Sam Hoiberg.
18. Brant Byers, 6-foot-8 senior forward, Penn State
2025-26 stats (Miami OH): 14.2 points, 4.1 rebounds
The former MAC Rookie of the Year was an effective starter for the 32-win RedHawks, second on the team in scoring. Byers shot 39 percent from deep on 5.2 attempts and had six games of at least 20 points, including 27 on the road at Wright State. The stretch forward is likely to start with the Nittany Lions, giving them a needed floor spacer in the frontcourt.
19. DJ Wagner, 6-foot-3 senior guard, Maryland
2025-26 stats (Arkansas): 7.4 points, 2.4 assists
Wagner is a former five-star prospect with 83 starts at both Kentucky and Arkansas. His production dipped a bit compared to his first year with the Razorbacks (11.2 points and 3.6 assists per game), due to the pair of NBA Draft picks Wagner played alongside in the backcourt. Maryland’s backcourt production was one of the worst in the Big Ten, and Wagner’s experience should help.
20. Jack Karasinski, 6-foot-7 senior forward, Northwestern
2025-26 stats (Bellarmine): 21.7 points, 4.7 rebounds
Not only was Karasinski the top scorer in the Atlantic Sun last season, but he also ranked 12th nationally in that category. The stretch forward was incredibly efficient as well, shooting 56 percent from the field and 42 percent from three-point range. Karasinski, who also went for a career-high 38 points against Austin Peay, is the natural replacement for Northwestern’s previous 6-foot-7 elite scorer, Nick Martinelli (23 points per game).
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