The Big Ten conference has finally broken its men’s basketball title drought, with Dusty May leading the Michigan Wolverines to glory. Now that May has departed for the NBA, the championship is open for grabs, and the spotlight turns to rivalry foe Michigan State—can they claim the crown in his absence?
Ahead of Big Ten media days starting October 8 in Rosemont, Illinois, reporters from the USA TODAY Network who cover Big Ten teams shared their preseason outlooks, including predicted standings, all-conference teams, and award favorites.
The preseason race for first place came down to a tight battle between Michigan State and Illinois, with the Spartans narrowly winning by a single point, 280 to 279.
Jeremy Fears Jr. of Michigan State earned the preseason Big Ten Player of the Year honor and was the only player unanimously voted to the All-Big Ten First Team. Below is a summary of the writers’ predictions for the 2026-27 Big Ten basketball season:
Big Ten Preseason Poll: Expected Final Standings
(The detailed rankings were not provided in the original content.)
2026-27 Preseason All-Big Ten Basketball Teams
First Team
- Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State* (unanimous)
Second Team
- Andrej Stojakovic, Illinois
- John Mobley Jr., Ohio State
(Other names were not specified.)
Notable Others Receiving Votes:
Coen Carr (Michigan State), Markus Burton (Indiana), Aiden Sherrell (Indiana), Tomislav Ivisic (Illinois), Nikola Kusturica (UCLA), Trent Perry (UCLA), KJ Lewis (USC), Tariq Francis (Rutgers), Stefan Vaaks (Illinois), Alijah Arenas (USC), Daniel Jacobsen (Purdue), Braden Frager (Nebraska), C.J. Cox (Purdue), Cade Tyson (Minnesota), Omer Mayer (Purdue), Eric Dailey Jr. (UCLA), Jaylen Petty (UCLA), Anthony Thompson (Ohio State), JP Estrella (Michigan), Jacob Cofie (USC).
Preseason Player of the Year: Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State
Fears averaged 15.2 points and led the league with 9.4 assists per game last season, earning first-team All-Big Ten honors and spots on several All-America teams. Going into the new season, he is also a strong candidate for national player of the year awards. Others receiving votes included David Mirkovic (Illinois) and Trey McKenney (Michigan).
Preseason Newcomer of the Year (Non-Freshman): Stefan Vaaks, Illinois
The Illini’s coach Brad Underwood values European talent, and Vaaks—a 6-foot-7 Estonian transfer from Providence—fits the bill. Vaaks averaged 15.8 points last season and led the Big East with 91 made three-pointers at 35% accuracy. With Illinois losing key three-point shooters from last year, Vaaks fills a crucial role. Others considered were Markus Burton (Indiana), KJ Lewis (USC), Aiden Sherrell (Indiana), Jaylen Petty (UCLA), and Moustapha Thiam (Michigan).
Preseason Freshman of the Year: Anthony Thompson, Ohio State
A top-10 recruit nationally, Thompson is Ohio State’s highest-ranked recruit since 2010 and their first McDonald’s All American since 2014. The 6-foot-9 native of Ohio boasts a 7-foot-3 wingspan, averaged 24.9 points and 7.9 rebounds in high school, and can stretch his game to the three-point line. Other rookies receiving votes included Nikola Kusturica (UCLA), Christian Collins (USC), Quentin Coleman (Illinois), and Bab Oladotun (Maryland).
Poll Contributors: Nathan Baird (IndyStar), John Steppe (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel), Tyler Tachman (Des Moines Register), Connor Earegood (Detroit News), Adam Jardy (Columbus Dispatch), Zach Osterman (IndyStar), Jordan Mendoza (USA TODAY), Sam King (Lafayette Journal & Courier), Jerry Carino (Asbury Park Press), Chris Solari (Detroit Free Press), Graham Couch (Lansing State Journal), Michael Niziolek (Bloomington Herald-Times), Tony Garcia (Detroit Free Press), Chad Leistikow (Des Moines Register), John Leuzzi (USA TODAY Network), Craig Meyer (USA TODAY Network).
Originally published by USA TODAY as: “Michigan State or Illinois? Big Ten basketball preseason poll reveals razor-thin favorite.”
Fan Take:
This tight race between Michigan State and Illinois highlights the intense competitiveness returning to Big Ten basketball, making the upcoming season must-watch for fans craving high-stakes college hoops. With emerging stars and top recruits ready to make their mark, the future of the conference—and perhaps national college basketball—is shaping up to be thrilling.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
