Big Ten basketball preseason power rankings: Michigan or Purdue on top?

Michigan Wolverines basketball was picked second in the preseason Big Ten media poll, but check in No. 1 in our power rankings ahead of the 2025-26 campaign. Here’s our ranking of all 18 teams with the season set to begin Monday (Nov. 3).

First, here are our top five players in the Big Ten:
1. Purdue guard Braden Smith
2. Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg
3. Purdue forward Trey Kaufman-Renn
4. UCLA guard Donovan Dent
5. Wisconsin guard John Blackwell

1. Michigan (27-10 overall, 14-6 Big Ten last season)

Michigan lost its top three scorers from last year’s team but was one of the big winners of the portal this offseason, bringing in the top transfer per On3 in forward Yaxel Lendeborg (UAB) and other high-level talents. The Wolverines are hungry for more success in year two under Dusty May after a successful first year.

2. Purdue (14-2, 13-7)

Point guard Braden Smith and forward Trey Kaufman-Renn make up the best 1-2 punch in the league, and Fletcher Loyer is an elite shooter at 44.4 percent on 169 three-point attempts last season. The No. 1 team in the preseason AP poll rankings, the Boilermakers not only return 12 players from last year’s roster, including six that were in the rotation, but also brought in 6-foot-11 forward Oscar Cluff (17.6 points, 12.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game at South Dakota State).

3. Oregon (25-10, 12-8)

The lion’s share of the core remains intact with guard Jackson Shelstad, wing Kwame Evans Jr. and seven-foot big man Nate Bittle, plus Dana Altman added four transfers to his talented roster. The Ducks have upside on both ends of the floor because of Shelstad’s shot-making and Bittle’s shot-blocking.

4. Wisconsin (27-10, 13-7)

Not-your-father’s Wisconsin should have plenty of juice offensively, even without John Tonje (NBA). John Blackwell is an elite guard/wing ready for a breakout, Nick Boyd was a solid addition out of the portal to pair with him in the back court (Florida Atlantic, San Diego State) and Austin Rapp was a coveted transfer from Portland who put up 13.8 points, 6.5 boards and 2.5 assists last season at 6-foot-10.

5. Illinois (22-13, 12-8)

The big question surrounding Brad Underwood’s group: Can Kasparas Jakučionis and Will Riley — two first-round picks — be replaced in the backcourt? Mihailo Petrovic is a 22-year-old ‘freshman’ from Serbia that will likely start at the point, and there’s a lot riding on his game. Tomislav Ivišić and Kylan Boswell are two great returning pieces to build around.

6. UCLA (23-11, 13-7)

Guard Donovan Dent, the No. 6 transfer in the nation, joins UCLA from New Mexico, where he put up monstrous numbers (20.4 points, 6.4 assists per game). Last season was a rollercoaster — Mick Cronin has to figure out how to win in the midwest to compete for the Big Ten crown — but the Bruins fared well overall and have key pieces such as Tyler Bilodeau and Eric Dailey Jr. back.

7. Washington (13-18, 4-16)

We’re much higher on Danny Sprinkle and Washington than most others. USC’s electric backcourt from last season — Desmond Claude and Wesley Yates III — are now in Seattle, and join Zoom Diallo in what should be a group of guards that are fun to watch. Watch out for German forward Hannes Steinech, who will be one of the best freshmen in the league.

8. Iowa (17-16, 7-13)

The Fran McCaffery era is over, and in comes Ben McCollum, who’s different in many ways. The former Drake coach will run a slow-tempo offense, for one, and brought with him the perfect point guard to run his system in Bennett Stirtz. The 6-foot-4, 190-pounder tallied 19.2 points and 5.7 assists per contest at Drake in 2024-25 and will have plenty of shooting around him.

9. Michigan State (30-7, 17-3)

MSU will take a step back after winning the Big Ten regular-season outright last year, but still has a strong front court led by Coen Carr, Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper. Jeremy Fears Jr. is back to run the point, too.

10. USC (17-18, 7-13)

Eric Musselman turned almost his entire roster over. Guard Rodney Rice is a dynamic scorer from Maryland, and former Auburn wing Chad Baker-Mazara is a do-it-all player.

11. Ohio State (17-15, 9-11)

Bruce Thornton and John Mobley are tough covers in the backcourt, and Devin Royal is a solid wing, but head coach Jake Diebler has to prove he can win.

12. Indiana (19-13, 10-10)

Darian DeVries spent one season at West Virginia and is now the head man in Bloomington. His son, elite shooter Tucker DeVries, joined him on a team that has no returning scholarship players. It’s hard to predict how the Hoosiers will come together.

13. Maryland (27-9, 14-6)

Buzz Williams has a fresh start in College Park following six seasons at Texas A&M. He brought some players with him, such as big man Pharrel Payne and elite wing defender Solomon Washington.

14. Nebraska (10-6, 7-13)

Big man Rienk Mast is back after missing last season with injury, and shooter Connor Essegian is one of the headliners on a team that lost its two best players in Brice Williams and Juwan Gary. Look for Iowa transfer Pryce Sandfort to provide shooting.

15. Northwestern (12-5, 5-5)

Nick Martinelli led the Big Ten with 20.5 points per game a year ago and is the face of the Wildcat program under Chris Collins ahead of the 2025-26 campaign. 

16. Minnesota (15-17, 7-13)

Former Colorado State head man Niko Medved is in as Minnesota’s coach, replacing Ben Johnson, and he has 10 new players on the roster. Western Michigan transfer Chansey Willis Jr., a second-team All-MAC standout, scored 16.8 points per game a year ago and may be the Gophers’ top player.

17. Rutgers (15-17, 8-12)

Rutgers lost two top-five NBA Draft picks in Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey but is back to the basics that Steve Pikiell has built his roster around — defense and rebounding. With the lack of talent on the roster, though, it may be hard for the Scarlet Knights to consistently produce on the offensive end.

18. Penn State (16-15, 6-14)

Point guard Ace Baldwin graduated, and he wasn’t alone in moving on. Penn State has 10 new players, including six freshmen, and a bleak outlook for the season.