With the official start of the practice in September, A hoop And In the hall Work together to bring you our annual breakdown of the preseason of the top players in the Big Ten for the 13th consecutive season.
The series is divided into seven parts and we will continue with our sixth episode of players 10-6 for the 2025-26 season:
Earlier: 40-31, 30-26, 25-21, 20-16, 15-11
10. Nate Bittle, Oregon (7-foot, Center, Redshirt Senior)
Why he could perform this ranking better: Bittle can make a strong thing that he is the best center in the Big ten. He on average 14.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 2.1 blocks in 27.7 minutes per match last season. He is the best recurring rim protector in the conference, he is a great post-up scoreer and has even beaten a 3-pointer per match with a clip of 33.6 percent.
With a medical exemption granted for a fifth season, Bittle should only improve. Last year the first time he played more than 40 percent of the minutes in a season and he excelled from the last six weeks. Bittle earned six Kenpom MVP -awards in its last eight Big Ten -Competitions (including the conference tournament).
Why he could find this ranking: Bittle set career heights in games and minutes that were played last year, and does not have the track record of logging full seasons for the ducks. He will have to prove that last year’s season was not a flash in the pan, but something that he can offer every night.
If he can stay healthy and consistent, he should be one of the best interior anchors in the conference.
9. Bruce Thornton, Ohio State (6-foot-2, guard, senior)
Why he could perform this ranking better: Thornton was statistically one of the most productive guards in the BIG for last season.
His efficiency took a significant leap forward in his junior season when he shot 50.1 percent, 42.4 percent on 3S and 85.3 percent of the free world, all career bests. He also had an assist-to-turning ratio of Better than 3-on-1.
He on average 17.7 points, 4.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 36.2 minutes per match, giving him all-second team awards from the coaches and media from the competition. Given that he continued to improve during his career in Columbus, it is not unreasonable to expect a step forward from Thornton in his last university season.
Why he could find this ranking: For all Thornton production, he did not succeed in leading the Buckeyes in linging consistent victories. Ohio State has to reach the NCAA tournament in Thornton’s first three seasons.
This is a crucial season for Jake Diebler in Columbus and there is a lot on Thornton’s shoulders. The state schedule in Ohio has been withdrawn, but Thornton remains the center. While he has collected many counting statistics during his first three seasons, he has to make his teammates better and the captain wins more to justify this elevation of a ranking at the end of the season.
8. Jackson Shelstad, Oregon (6-foot, guard, junior)
Why he could perform this ranking better: Shelstad is an elite scoring lead guard who has started every game for Oregon since December of his first year. The second -year student is a tough shot, coupling scorer and a very efficient player in general. As a second year, he shot 51 percent in two, 38 percent in three (44 percent in league games) and 84 percent on the line.
Payton Pritchard -comparisons have been inevitable for years for the colleague West Linn product, but there is no real reason to withdraw now. That is the upward business for Shelstad and he is one of the best Point Guards in the conference.
Why he could find this ranking: As is the case with many of the leading guards of Dana Altman, Shelstad still feels more like a scorer than on a real point guard. His assistant rate was only 15.5 percent as a second -year student, which is a remarkable difference between Shelstad and some of the point guards that have been arranged for him.
He will also just have to be a touch as a junior, especially with an oregon selection that does not have the most impressive supporting cast outside of Shelstad and Bittle. Shelstad scored 20-plus points last year in five Big Ten matches, but was also held to a few figures in four.
7. John Blackwell, Wisconsin (6-foot-4, guard, junior)
Why he could perform this ranking better: A non -announced recruit from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, Blackwell is another example of Greg Gard and his coaching staff who finds a diamond in the rough.
The 6-foot-4 guard was a breakout artist in the Big Ten as second-year-olds last season. He on average 15.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists in a Wisconsin team that won 13 league matches and comfortably reached the NCAA tournament.
Although his 3-point shooting percentage fell on volume last season that rises almost triple from his first-year season, there is plenty to find about the attacking game of Blackwell. He made nearly 54 percent of his 2s, shot 81.5 percent from the free throw line and made 58 triples. He is also a very solid defender who can monitor multiple positions, making it an indispensable piece in the Wisconsin program.
Why he could find this ranking: To push in his junior season for the first or second team All-Big ten, Blackwell has to bring the 3-Pointer more consistent.
He shot 45.5 percent deeply as a first -year student, but went back to 32.2 percent in his second season. If he jumps to the middle to high 30s percentage percentage, that must be sufficient to push his scoring average somewhat and to place him in the elite class of the guards of the competition. If not, he is probably intended for the third team or honorable mention.
6. Nick Martinelli, Northwestern (6-foot-7, Vleugel, Senior)
Why he could perform this ranking better: Martinelli led the competition in scoring a season ago. De GlenView, Illinois, Native on average 20.5 points last season, an important leap of the 8.8 points that he on average as a second -year student.
A cunning Lefty, Martinelli can score from all three levels. He is a respectable 3-point shooter, productive of the midrange and a solid finisher. He also entered the free throw line 195 times last season and converted with a clip of 72.8 percent.
After splitting some of the go-to-scorer tasks last season with Brooks Barnhizer in the 17 games they appeared together, there is no doubt about who the primary option is for the Wildcats. It is Martinelli and Chris Collins will need even more production from his senior to get the program back in the NCAA Touring Talk. It will be no surprise to see Martinelli the highest usage percentage in the competition.
Why he could find this ranking: Does Martinelli have a different level that he can reach? He played almost 38 minutes per game last season and sometimes attacked everything for northwest, especially after injuries to Barnhizer and Jalen Leach.
Although his statistical production from 2025-26 was a surprise while it happened, he will be the clear focus of Big Ten defenses in his last season of suitability. And the supporting cast around him in Evanston does not seem to be that strong, which puts Martinelli even more pressure to perform well in every game. Given the difficulty of Martinelli’s Scottish selection, he can miss the goal in this ranking if his efficiency falls in his last season.
(Photocredit: University of Oregon Athletics)
See more: Comments, 2025-26 Big Ten Preview
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