The Fresh(Men) Big Ten

Last season, the Big Ten had one freshman selected in the NBA draft in Minnesota's Cam Christie. This season is refreshingly different, but with so many talented freshmen, who are the best 10 freshmen in the Big Ten?

Tier 1: (1) Dylan Harper

Only having Harper in the top tier may make people angry but my love for Harper is unmatched. Rutgers is falling on their face but when healthy Harper is the best player in the Big Ten.

On offense, I love his driving game and ability to constantly attack the paint while protecting the ball. Harper is shooting 73/100 (73%) at the rim with a 2:1 assist to turnover ratio. That's fantastic without context, but add in the number of non-Big-Ten players on Rutgers and Harper's production is even more impressive

Defensively, Harper has inconsistent effort but when Rutgers needs a stop, I think Harper is their best defender. He's got a basketball super-computer for a brain that allows him to anticipate actions and completely disrupt offenses.

Tier 2: (2) Kasparus Jakucionis, (3) Derik Queen

I have Kasparus Jakucionis in the second tier with Derik Queen because - although both fantastic - the lack of system/roster proof value that I think Dylan Harper brings. It is not a great argument, the quality of players require me to split hairs when ranking them.

I'll start with Jakucionis, he stirs the drink for Illinois and is clearly their best player. Although both have been impressive, I am more surprised with his scoring value to start the year. He's been efficient scoring with a true shooting at 63.6% through 19 games. Add in his ability to create free throws consistently and KJ becomes a serious scoring prospect.

His only blemish has been his turnovers, averaging almost 4 a game. What bothers me is those turnovers come from his handle when he is focused on other things. For example, he can be so focused on scoring that he doesn't notice when he endangers the ball. These little details point to a player still needing development.

Enough with those pesky guards! It's time to talk about the big man in Maryland who's combination of size and skill propels him into this second tier. His ability to play out of position alongside Julian Reese and remain productive says a lot about the quality of player he is.

Queen has seen a drop in production as more teams goad him into inefficient jumpers but flashes of brilliance versus Illinois and Purdue show what he is capable of. Even a low production game at Indiana left me feeling more confident that he was the best big on the floor. His ability to adapt alongside Julian Reese has unlocked the pairing for Maryland.

The offensive skill is fun, but his post defense has been increasingly more valuable for Maryland in the Big Ten. He frustrated guys like Malik Reneau and Trey Kauffman-Renn because he has the strength to take away their dominate shoulder while being being quick enough to still contest their counters. Queen is a complete big that gives Kevin Willard his best team ever.

Tier 3: (4) Ace Bailey, (5) John Mobley

This tier is players who have First-Team all-conference potential but are below that level this season. Ace Bailey is a high-level NBA prospect but the lack of basketball feel and current shot diet makes Bailey's impact more of a projection rather than a sure thing. For Mobley, he is a great fit next to Thornton, which gives him time to develop his physicality.

For Bailey, his impact comes from an absurd ability to make shots for a struggling Rutgers team. He is averaging close to 20 points on average efficiency. The problem is averaging less than one assist a game despite a 27.8 usage. Since 2020, there has only been 5 high major freshmen to have a usage above 27 with an assist rate below 10: Ace Bailey, GG Jackson, Cam Thomas, Zach Edey, and Vernon Carey Jr.

On defense, Bailey is again flashy with his potential but the production hasn't consistently followed. He can be a 'good one on one defender or make a great rotation. Yet, I don't trust him to make the little plays that add up. Is he a consistent gap defender? Will he consistently make good closeouts? Does he understand scouting reports and recognize actions?

Bailey has limitless "talent" as many people know, but I think he has a very limited production this season. If he wasn't an A+ athlete, I think he would be in the tier below this, but the shot making and freakish athletic ability raises him a tier.

Mobley on the other hand does things differently than Bailey. I was skeptical of him coming into this season, but the shooting and creation ability have more than translated in his freshmen season. He work really well next to Thornton, providing much needed shooting gravity.

Mobley's offensive potential hinges on his shooting. Being a small guard, he relies on teams panicking when he catches the ball anywhere across court, the extra closeouts are what he uses to create high-danger chances in the paint. His handle is really impressive which adds in to his shooting because he can flow quickly into pullups or hesitate into drives.

The downside of Mobley comes from his size. He is a small guard who, unlike Thornton, isn't built like Gimli son of Gloin. Mobley's small frame raises issues around the rim and limits his defensive impact slightly. This season, he's also had some communication hiccups and basic mistakes that happen to freshmen. If he can build muscle and find ways to finish around the rim, he will be a nightmare in the Big Ten.

Tier 4: (6) Jase Richardson, (7) Will Riley

All three players in tier 4 are close to Mobley and Bailey this season but I am less sure on their star potential. In this tier, it is mainly supercharged role players with professional aspirations but I don't have the high-end upside of the guys listed above.

Jase Richardson's production is a contraction to my eye test. I never come away with a deep impression, but the lack of mistakes is his super power. His style is not flashy, but fits seamlessly with other talented players.

Richardson heavily favors his left hand and is picky with his shot selection. He really only takes great shots which leads. to his 67.3% true shooting through 19 games. The lack of creation in ball screens or off the dribble holds him back slightly.

Behind Kasparus Jakucionis' shadow, Will Riley has struggled despite his recruiting ranking. His game at Nebraska is a fantastic example of why. Riley completely flipped the game with his shot making. He scored 13 points in the second half and felt unstoppable at times. The problem? He took 16 shots to score 16 points and had 2 turnovers compared to 1 assist.

The ability to make hard shots is impressive, but Riley has a long way to go. Going back to Nebraska, Illinois allowed two wide open dunks on consecutive baseline out of bounds by setting a basic back screen involving Riley. He doesn't make the simple plays consistently, stunting the value brought by his shot making.

Tier 5: (8) Wesley Yates III, (9) Jeremy Fears, (10) CJ Cox

The fifth tier are guys I am confident as long-term starters with potential all-conference value as upperclassmen. I would love to talk about more of the freshmen but wanted limit the list to ten players. Guys like Angeli Ciaravino have stood out in with big games. Gicarri Harris and Daniel Jacobsen are both going to be starters at some point at Purdue. Morez Johnson could lead the Big Ten in rebounding for the next three years. I love some of the flashes from Isaac Asuma and Jack Janicki.

Yates III is the only West Coaster on my list. His conference production forces him to be mentioned. According to Torvik, Yates has a 127.1 O-rating while having maintaining a 18.2 usage in 9 conference games. Statistically, his value comes from his scoring, something that I think will regress as his three point shooting dips from 44%.

The production is even more impressive when accounting for the amount of wasted moments or dribbles he has. His defensive rotations are a half second slow, but that is true for many freshmen. On offense, his pickups can be improved to eliminate his final dribble on drives. Overall, I think there's a lot of room to improve.

The point guards for Michigan State are always solid and Jeremy Fears is the next guard in line. His speed and aggression has ignited the Spartans slumbering transition attack. He averages 8 points and 6 assists and is the primary dribble drive creator for MSU.

What holds him back is the scoring concerns in the half-court without a consistent jumper. His biggest strength is getting to the free throw line, he has attempted 97 field gals and 80 free throws. Because of that reliance, I hesitate to project him as an elite guard. My hypothesis is that his style makes limited offensive players better but on a team with great players he could hinder his teams total offense.

The other side of the ball is really positive for Fears. He is incredibly active and a big part of an ELITE perimeter defense is East Lansing. He is smaller but counters that with quickness and strength to make him an positive defender that still has room to grow.

The only Purdue player on this list is someone I have been historically lower on. CJ Cox has entered the starting lineup right as Purdue has turned around their season. Cox has already exploded against Michigan and Alabama with his shot making but also added value as a secondary ball handler and on-ball defender next to Braden Smith.

The questions surrounding Cox are about his creation ability. It is clear that he can play off of great players, but how much can Purdue tap into as he develops as a point guard. I would predict him to have a career similar to PJ Thompson.

Others Receiving Imaginary Votes:

Morez Johnson

Zoom Diallo

Gicarri Harris

Angelo Ciaravino

Jack Janicki

Isaac Asuma

Raleigh Burgess

Lathan Sommerville

Bryson Tucker

Daniel Jacobsen