Big Ten Roster Reshuffle Part Two: The Current State of Every Team’s Lineup

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Ohio State

Departures: Bruce Thornton, 6-foot-2 senior guard (out of eligibility); Christoph Tilly, 7-foot senior center (out of eligibility); Brandon Noel, 6-foot-8 senior forward (out of eligibility); Puff Johnson, 6-foot-8 senior guard (out of eligibility); Devin Royal, 6-foot-6 junior forward (transferred to Villanova); Taison Chatman, 6-foot-4 sophomore guard (transferred to Utah); Gabe Cupps, 6-foot-2 sophomore guard (transferred to Illinois-Chicago); Colin White, 6-foot-6 sophomore forward (transferred to Akron); Mathieu Grujicic, 6-foot-6 freshman guard (in portal)

Returnees: John Mobley Jr., 6-foot-1 junior guard; Amare Bynum, 6-foot-8 sophomore forward; Josh Ojianwuna, 6-foot-10 senior forward; Ivan Njegovan, 7-foot-1 junior center; Myles Herro, 6-foot-3 freshman guard

Incoming: Andrija Jelavic, 6-foot-11 sophomore forward (transfer from Kentucky); Jimmie Williams, 6-foot-5 senior guard (transfer from Duquesne); Justin Pippen, 6-foot-3 junior guard (transfer from California); Curtis Givens III, 6-foot-3 junior guard (transfer from Memphis); Anthony Thompson, 6-foot-8 freshman forward; Alex Smith, 6-foot-9 freshman forward; Vuk Lazarevic, 7-foot-1 freshman center

Skinny: Despite losing program stalwart Bruce Thornton to graduation and star big man Devin Royal to the portal, Ohio State is built for another NCAA Tournament run. Jake Diebler put together a solid portal class around returning starters Mobley and Bynum, both of whom could compete for All-Big Ten honors. Pippen, Williams and Givens are all experienced guards who can score and create for others. In one season at Kentucky, Jelavic, a native of Croatia, averaged 5.5 points and 4.0 rebounds. Expect the freshman Thompson, a highly skilled two-way forward ranked No. 8 in his class (per the 247Sports Composite), to play a key role out of the gate. 

Oregon

Departures: Nate Bittle, 7-foot senior center (out of eligibility); Takai Simpkins, 6-foot-4 senior guard (out of eligibility); Oleksandr Kobzystyi, 6-foot-7 senior forward (out of eligibility); Drew Carter, 6-foot-3 senior guard (out of eligibility); Jackson Shelstad, 6-foot-1 junior guard (transferred to Louisville); Kwame Evans Jr., 6-foot-10 junior forward (transferred to Villanova); Dezdrick Lindsay, 6-foot-6 senior forward (transferred to Kansas State); Devon Pryor, 6-foot-7 junior forward (transferred to UTRGV); Jamari Phillips, 6-foot-4 sophomore guard (transferred to Washington State); Ege Demir, 6-foot-11 junior center (transferred Duquesne); JJ Frakes, 6-foot-5 freshman guard (transferred to Buffalo); Efe Vatan, 6-foot-10 freshman forward (transferred to Stony Brook); Wei Lin, 6-foot-4 sophomore guard (in portal)

Returnees: Sean Stewart, 6-foot-9 senior forward

Incoming: Taylor Bol Bowen, 6-foot-10 senior forward (transfer from Alabama); Jasper Johnson, 6-foot-5 sophomore guard (transfer from Kentucky); Dwayne Aristode, 6-foot-8 sophomore forward (transfer from Arizona); Fred Payne, 6-foot-1 junior guard (transfer from Boston College); Tyrone Riley IV, 6-foot-6 junior guard (transfer from San Francisco); Andrew Meadow, 6-foot-7 senior forward (transfer from Boise State); Pharaoh Compton, 6-foot-7 junior forward (transfer from San Diego State); Jerry Easter II, 6-foot-5 sophomore guard (transfer from USC); Tajh Ariza, 6-foot-9 freshman forward; Kendre Harrison, 6-foot-7 freshman forward; Seven Spurlock, 6-foot-5 freshman forward

Skinny: Dana Altman had to hit the reset button in a major way this April. Oregon lost its leading scorer Bittle to graduation and saw a whopping eight players enter the portal, including standouts Shelstad and Evans. The program rebounded by landing several prize transfers to pair with a strong freshman class headlined by Ariza, a four-star prospect and the son of former NBA player Trevor Ariza. Payne, Riley and Meadow all averaged at least 11 points per game last season, and Bol Bowen was a critical piece of an Alabama team that finished second in the SEC. This group’s ceiling will depend heavily on how big of a leap Johnson and Aristode, two former top-25 recruits in the Class of 2025 (per the 247Sports Composite), make as sophomores.

Penn State 

Departures: Josh Reed, 6-foot-8 senior forward (out of eligibility); Freddie Dilione V, 6-foot-5 junior guard (transferred to Georgia); Kayden Mingo, 6-foot-3 freshman guard (transferred to Baylor); Eli Rice, 6-foot-8 sophomore guard (transferred to Middle Tennessee); Dominick Stewart, 6-foot-5 sophomore guard (transferred to Richmond); Mason Blackwood, 6-foot-7 freshman forward (transferred to St. Bonaventure); Justin Houser, 7-foot freshman forward (transferred to Florida Gulf Coast); Melih Tunca, 6-foot-5 freshman guard (in portal); Saaa Ciani, 6-foot-10 junior forward (in portal); Tibor Mirtic, 6-foot-9 freshman forward (in portal)

Returnees: Ivan Juric, 7-foot sophomore forward; Reggie Grodin, 6-foot-5 freshman guard

Incoming: Brant Byers, 6-foot-8 junior guard (transfer from Miami Ohio); Roberts Blums, 6-foot-4 junior guard (transfer from Davidson); Thomas Allard, 6-foot-7 senior guard (transfer from Alabama-Huntsville); Jay Rodgers, 6-foot-3 senior guard (transfer from Central Connecticut State); Tim Oboh, 6-foot-11 junior center (transfer from Buffalo); Andy Gemao, 6-foot-1 freshman guard; Roko Prkacin, 6-foot-9 freshman forward (Croatia); Francois Wibaut, 6-foot-6 freshman forward (France); Aleksandar Zecevic, 6-foot-9 freshman forward (Serbia)

Skinny: On the heels of a last-place finish in the Big Ten, Penn State was decimated by the portal, losing its top two scorers (Dilione and Mingo) along with seven others. Amid a busy April and May, the program added several intriguing mid-major transfers — Byers, Rodgers and Allard all made their respective all-conference teams, while Blums led Davidson in scoring — as well as a trio of international prospects. Prkacin, a 23-year-old from Croatia who spent the past two seasons with the French club Nanterre 92, should make a splash right away. Penn State can’t be much worse than it was in 2025-26, but it’s hard to imagine a team with this much turnover and so little high-major experience competing against the league’s juggernauts.

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Purdue 

Departures: Braden Smith, 6-foot senior guard (out of eligibility); Trey Kaufman-Renn, 6-foot-9 senior forward (out of eligibility); Fletcher Loyer, 6-foot-5 senior guard (out of eligibility); Oscar Cluff, 6-foot-11 senior center (out of eligibility); Liam Murphy, 6-foot-8 senior forward (out of eligibility) 

Returnees: C.J. Cox, 6-foot-3 junior guard; Daniel Jacobsen, 7-foot-4 junior center; Omer Mayer, 6-foot-4 sophomore guard; Gicarri Harris, 6-foot-3 junior guard; Jack Benter, 6-foot-6 sophomore guard; Raleigh Burgess, 6-foot-11 junior forward; Antione West Jr., 6-foot-3 freshman guard

Incoming: Caden Pierce, 6-foot-7 senior forward (transfer from Princeton); Luke Ertel, 6-foot-1 freshman guard; Sinan Huan, 7-foot freshman center; Jacob Webber, 6-foot-6 freshman forward; Rivers Knight, 6-foot-8 freshman forward 

Skinny: A new era is underway in West Lafayette following the departures of Smith, Kaufman-Renn and Loyer, who spent their entire collegiate careers with the Boilermakers. Fortunately, Matt Painter didn’t lose a single player to the portal. Cox is back after starting all 39 games and averaging 8.5 points last season. Jacobsen, Mayer and Harris — three important pieces off the bench in 2025-26 — are ready to carry heavier burdens. The program’s sole incoming transfer, do-it-all forward Caden Pierce, could be the latest Ivy League star to successfully make the leap to the power-conference level. In three seasons at Princeton, Pierce averaged 11.9 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists. That core should land Purdue in the preseason top 25 and have it competing near the top of the Big Ten yet again. 

Rutgers

Departures: Emmanuel Ogbole, 6-foot-10 senior center (out of eligibility); Dylan Grant, 6-foot-8 sophomore forward (transferred to Charlotte); Denis Badalau, 6-foot-8 freshman forward (transferred to Towson); Chris Nwuli, 6-foot-8 freshman forward (transferred to Seton Hall); Bryce Dortch, 6-foot-9 sophomore forward (transferred to Notre Dame); Baye Fall, 6-foot-11 junior center (transferred to Fresno State); Dorian Jones, 6-foot-4 freshman guard (transferred to Kent State); Harun Zrno, 6-foot-7 freshman guard (in portal)

Returnees: Tariq Francis, 6-foot-1 senior guard; Darren Buchanan Jr., 6-foot-7 senior guard; Jamichael Davis, 6-foot-2 senior guard; Kaden Powers, 6-foot-4 sophomore guard; Lino Mark, 6-foot-2 sophomore guard; Gevonte Ware, 6-foot-9 sophomore center

Incoming: Darin Smith Jr., 6-foot-7 junior forward (transfer from Central Connecticut State); Rasheed Jones, 6-foot-6 senior guard (transfer from Coastal Carolina); Christian Gurdak, 6-foot-10 sophomore center (transfer from Virginia Tech); Will Sydnor, 6-foot-8 junior forward (transfer from Manhattan); Dorin Buca, 7-foot-2 senior center (transfer from Kansas State); Imahri Wooten, 6-foot-5 freshman forward; Lewis Duarte, 6-foot-5 freshman guard (Dominican Republic)

Skinny: It was another busy offseason in New Brunswick, as Steve Pikiell lost eight players from a team that went 14-20 and placed 14th in the conference. The program retained leading scorer Tariq Francis (17.0 points per game) and reloaded via the portal with a solid haul that includes reigning NEC Player of the Year Darin Smith Jr., 2024-25 MAAC Rookie of the Year Will Sydnor and a pair of imposing high-major bigs in Gurdak and Buca. Pikiell’s revamped roster should make the Scarlet Knights more competitive next season.

UCLA

Departures: Tyler Bilodeau, 6-foot-9 senior forward (out of eligibility); Donovan Dent, 6-foot-2 senior guard (out of eligibility); Skyy Clark, 6-foot-3 senior guard (out of eligibility); Jamar Brown, 6-foot-5 senior guard (out of eligibility); Steven Jamerson II, 6-foot-10 senior forward (out of eligibility); Anthony Peoples Jr., 6-foot-9 senior forward (out of eligibility) 

Returnees: Trent Perry, 6-foot-4 junior guard; Eric Dailey, 6-foot-8 senior guard; Xavier Booker, 6-foot-11 senior forward; Brandon Williams, 6-foot-7 junior guard; Eric Freeny, 6-foot-4 sophomore guard; Markell Alston, 6-foot-1 freshman guard

Incoming: Jaylen Petty, 6-foot-1 sophomore guard (transfer from Texas Tech); Filip Jovic, 6-foot-8 sophomore forward (transfer from Auburn); Azavier Robinson, 6-foot-2 sophomore guard (transfer from Butler); Sergej Macura, 6-foot-9 junior forward (transfer from Mississippi State); Joe Philon, 6-foot-8 freshman forward; Javonte Floyd, 6-foot-9 freshman center

Skinny: Bilodeau, Dent and Clark are tough losses, but the Bruins have another stacked roster that should have them in the mix for the Big Ten crown. In addition to re-signing starters Perry, Dailey and Booker, the program landed four high-major transfers who should slide right into the rotation. Petty averaged 9.9 points and shot 37.5 percent from three as a freshman at Texas Tech; Jovic, a former pro in Serbia, wrapped up his debut season by posting 13.8 points per contest in his last four outings; Robinson was averaging 6.1 points and 2.5 assists for the Bulldogs before sustaining a season-ending injury in early February; and Slovenian Macura played a role off the bench at Mississippi State. 

USC 

Departures: Chad Baker-Mazara, 6-foot-7 senior guard (out of eligibility); Ezra Ausar, 6-foot-9 senior forward (out of eligibility); Kam Woods, 6-foot-2 senior guard (out of eligibility); Ryan Cornish, 6-foot-5 senior guard (out of eligibility); Terrance Williams II, 6-foot-7 senior forward (out of eligibility); EJ Neal Jr., 6-foot-5 senior guard (out of eligibility); Jaden Brownell, 6-foot-10 senior forward (out of eligibility); Jordan Marsh, 5-foot-11 junior guard (transferred to Temple); Amarion Dickerson, 6-foot-7 senior guard (transferred to Grand Canyon); Jerry Easter II, 6-foot-5 freshman guard (transferred to Oregon); Gabe Dynes, 7-foot-5 junior center (transferred to Louisville); 

Returnees: Rodney Rice, 6-foot-5 senior guard; Alijah Arenas, 6-foot-6 sophomore guard; Jacob Cofie, 6-foot-10 junior forward

Incoming: KJ Lewis, 6-foot-4 senior guard (transfer from Georgetown); Eric Reibe, 7-foot-1 sophomore center (transfer from UConn); Isaac Bruns, 6-foot-4 senior guard (transfer from South Dakota); Jalen Cox, 6-foot-3 senior guard (transfer from Colgate); Jadis Jones, 6-foot-5 junior guard (transfer from Lindenwood); Joshua Hughes, 6-foot-10 senior forward (transfer from Evansville); Aaron Hunkin-Claytor, 6-foot-3 junior guard (transfer from Hawai’i); Christian Collins, 6-foot-8 freshman forward; Adonis Ratliff, 6-foot-11 freshman forward; Darius Ratliff, 6-foot-11 freshman center

Skinny: On paper, this is the most talented roster Eric Musselman has had at USC. It’s composed of three returnees with All-Big Ten potential, a portal class ranked third in the conference by 247Sports, and one of the nation’s top recruiting hauls. The backcourt trio of Rice, Lewis and Arenas has a chance to be among the best in college basketball, while Musselman is expecting Cofie to make a major leap in his second season with the program. Collins, an athletic and versatile forward out of St. John Bosco High School, is the No. 7-ranked prospect in the Class of 2026, and the Ratliff twins are both in the top 30 (per the 247Sports Composite). Mid-major transfers Bruns, Cox and Jones — all of whom averaged at least 15 points per game last season — should compete for roles as well. The newly assembled group still has to build chemistry, but it sure looks like a Final Four contender. 

Washington 

Departures: Hannes Steinbach, 6-foot-11 freshman forward (NBA Draft); Bryson Tucker, 6-foot-7 sophomore forward (NBA Draft); Zoom Diallo, 6-foot-4 sophomore guard (transferred to Kentucky); Desmond Claude, 6-foot-6 senior guard (in portal); Quimari Peterson, 6-foot-1 senior guard (out of eligibility); Franck Kepnang, 6-foot-11 senior center (transferred to Kentucky); JJ Mandaquit, 6-foot-1 freshman guard (transferred to Arizona); Courtland Muldrew, 6-foot-3 freshman guard (transferred to Georgia Tech); Jacob Ognacevic, 6-foot-8 senior forward (out of eligibility); Cristian Nitu, 6-foot-11 sophomore forward (transferred to McNeese)

Returnees: Wesley Yates III, 6-foot-4 junior guard; Lathan Sommerville, 6-foot-10 junior center; Jasir Rencher, 6-foot-5 sophomore forward; Nikola Dzepina, 6-foot-10 sophomore forward; Mady Traore, 6-foot-11 junior forward

Incoming: Ryan Beasley, 5-foot-11 senior guard (transfer from San Francisco); LeJuan Watts, 6-foot-6 senior guard (transfer from Texas Tech); Parker Friedrichsen, 6-foot-4 senior guard (transfer from Davidson); Steele Venters, 6-foot-7 senior guard (transfer from Gonzaga); Lattimore Ford, 6-foot-6 freshman forward; Wini Braga, 6-foot-9 freshman forward (Brazil); Tristan Devers, 6-foot-3 freshman guard (Australia)

Skinny: With top big man Hannes Steinbach entering the NBA Draft and primary floor general Zoom Diallo transferring to Kentucky, Danny Sprinkle had a lot of work to do this offseason to ensure his team could contend in the Big Ten. He made some splashy moves in the portal, signing four veterans who should fit in well alongside key returnees Yates and Sommerville, and continued to pursue international recruits following the program’s success with Steinbach. Expect Beasley (13.6 points and 4.0 assists per game) and Watts (11.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game) to join the starting lineup, and keep an eye on Braga, a 21-year-old pro from Brazil who was also being courted by Kentucky. 

Wisconsin

Departures: Nick Boyd, 6-foot-3 senior guard (out of eligibility); Braeden Carrington, 6-foot-5 senior guard (out of eligibility); Andrew Rohde, 6-foot-6 senior guard (out of eligibility); John Blackwell, 6-foot-4 junior guard (transferred to Duke); Aleksas Bieliauskas, 6-foot-10 freshman forward (transferred to South Carolina); Jack Robison, 6-foot-6 sophomore forward (transferred to North Dakota State); Riccardo Greppi, 6-foot-10 sophomore forward (transferred to Sam Houston)

Returnees: Nolan Winter, 7-foot senior forward; Austin Rapp, 6-foot-10 junior forward; Jack Janicki, 6-foot-5 junior guard; Hayden Jones, 6-foot-6 sophomore guard; Zach Kinziger, 6-foot-3 sophomore guard; Will Garlock, 7-foot sophomore forward

Incoming: Eian Elmer, 6-foot-6 senior guard (transfer from Miami Ohio); Trey Autry, 6-foot-4 senior guard (transfer from George Washington); Victory Onuetu, 6-foot-10 senior forward (transfer from Hofstra); Owen Foxwell, 6-foot-2 freshman guard (Australia); Isaac Riddle, 6-foot-8 freshman forward (Australia); Jackson Ball, 6-foot-4 freshman guard (New Zealand); LaTrevion Fenderson, 6-foot-4 freshman guard; Josh Manchester, 6-foot-2 freshman guard

Skinny: Wisconsin retained veteran bigs Winter and Rapp, but the backcourt duo that fueled its success last season — Nick Boyd and John Blackwell — is gone. Wings Carrington and Rohde are also critical departures. The program is counting on transfers Elmer and Autry, two sharpshooting guards, to step up despite a lack of high-major experience. Foxwell, a 22-year-old floor general from Australia, should be prominently featured as well. Greg Gard always seems to have the Badgers in the mix for an NCAA Tournament bid, but he faces a real challenge given all that his team lost this spring.