The Big Ten has long been considered one of the best basketball conferences in the country, and that might once again be the case in 2023-24. However, that regular season success hasn’t always translated to the tournament and that postseason disappointment has hurt potential NBA prospects in the past. Will that once again be the case this time around or will the top players with a future at the next level change the narrative in March?
Here’s a look at some of the top prospects to keep an eye on during the Big Ten conference tournament, which begins Wednesday, March 13.
Zach Edey, Purdue, C
Edey is set to the be the National Player of the Year once again, but a round of 64 exit as a No. 1 seed last year really tanked his draft stock. There were concerns about his ability to defend and dominate lesser opponents, so that loss was catastrophic. However, a weak 2024 class means Edey is going to at least be in the conversation at the end of the first round. He’s improved his touch, is more aggressive on the glass and has been able to pick up little adjustments to his game instead of just going straight at opponents. Age is an issue but he could certainly be a solid backup big man right away.
Terrence Shannon Jr., Illinois, G/F
There’s the obvious off-court incident with Shannon Jr. He has a hearing in early May regarding the allegations against him, so that’ll impact his draft outlook heavily. From a purely basketball perspective, the combo wing has been a steady presence for the Illini. He’s an inconsistent shooter but has electrifying speed and attacks the basket really well. He’s a constant pressure point for the opposing defense and that opens up things for his teammates. Shannon Jr. still needs to be a better distributor but his ability to attack the basket is second to none. But first, he has to sort through the legal side of things.
Kel’el Ware, Indiana, C
Ware is 7-footer who has shown flashes of having several abilities, including blocking shots and hounding rebounds. However, he’s never quite put it all together over a stretch of games. We’ll see if he ultimately decides to return to Indiana after a disappointing season for the Hoosiers, but there is some draft buzz surrounding the young center.
Coleman Hawkins, Illinois, PF
Any time you have a big man who can shoot from the perimeter at a decent clip, there’s going to be projections about where he can go in the draft. Hawkins has shown the ability to operate an offense from the high post, although his decision-making can become maddening at times. He has developed more awareness this season and as long as he tests well, he should be in the conversation to go in the second round.
AJ Storr, Wisconsin, G/F
Storr’s physical build suggests he can be a forward if he bulks up a bit, but he plays like a shooting guard. His efficiency from the perimeter has dipped since transferring to Wisconsin, although his free-throw percentage suggests that’s just standard shooting variance that will eventually level out. His defensive chops are strong and he’s young enough where teams could take a chance on his offense becoming more consistent.