Like many other power conferences in college basketball, the Big Ten basketball landscape will change dramatically in 2024-25 as newcomers Oregon, Washington, USC and UCLA join the league, expanding it to 18 teams.
With new schools come new fan bases, new coaches, new traditions, and lots of new players. The introduction of NIL has allowed teams to quickly restructure their rosters to compete in the postseason in a single offseason, rather than rebuilding them through recruiting. This year, every team in the league has a new roster. The Big Ten brought in key signings that can make an immediate impact this season.
Without further ado, here are the top 20 incoming transfers in the Big Ten for the 2024-25 season.
Honorable mentions include: Drew Thelwell (Iowa), Skyy Clark (UCLA), Gavin Griffiths (Nebraska), Tomislav Ivisic (Illinois), John Tonje (Wisconsin).
2023-24 season at Stanford: 13.0 points per game | 4.7 rebounds per game | 1.7 assists per game | 56.7% field goal shooting | 44.7% 3-point shooting
Oregon head coach Dana Altman has wasted no time in putting together a competitive team as his program enters its first season in the Big Ten. One of his most prized offseason acquisitions was Stanford forward Brandon Angel, who comes to the Ducks with one season of eligibility remaining. As a former conference rival, Angel should be familiar with the high-powered offensive system implemented by Altman, and his experience should come in handy as Oregon looks to return to the NCAA Tournament for a second straight year.
Standing at 1.93 metres tall, Angel is primarily a forward, but his height and athleticism allow him to operate as a forward when needed, giving him plenty of opportunities to tear apart opposing defences. His ability to shoot from distance also makes him a dangerous scoring threat and he fits perfectly into Altman’s system.
2023-24 season at Boise State: 13.7 points per game | 5.1 rebounds per game | 45.2% field goal shooting | 40.9% 3-point shooting
Next on the list is another conference newcomer, USC, which hired former Arkansas coach Eric Mussleman to replace Andy Enfield in the offseason. Mussleman is known for hitting hard in the transfer portal, and this offseason was no different. One of the first signings he landed was Boise State guard Chibuzo Agbo, who is leaving the Broncos program after guiding it to two straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
Agbo is a versatile scorer who is known for attacking and scoring near the rim, something that fits with Mussleman’s fast-paced style of play. Agbo has also worked hard to improve his jump shot, increasing his percentage by nearly 20 percent since his freshman campaign.