Player of the Week:
Yaxel Lendeborg, (Sr., Michigan)
From JUCO to the Big Ten, Yaxel Lendeborg has molded himself into the prototype of a modern NBA forward, blending athleticism, positional length and defensive switchability. Lendeborg’s leap has been closely monitored this season and he has delivered. After a seamless transition from JUCO to UAB, Lendeborg took his talents to Michigan despite major NBA interest. Lendeborg is a physically gifted player with an extremely well-rounded game. He is an athletic bruiser on offense that moves extremely well and has added an improved outside shot to his arsenal. Michigan has enjoyed an outstanding week, notching three wins by a combined margin of 95 points. Most recently, Lendeborg conquered no. 21 Auburn during the Players Era Tournament in Las Vegas, leading the team with 17 points. His elite positional size allows him to be a switchable player that can wreak havoc defensively and on the glass. Lendeborg has checked every developmental box so far and should continue to excel under Head Coach Dusty May’s watch in Michigan
Who’s Hot:
Andrej Stojakovic, (Jr., Illinois)
Despite the high expectations set by his father and three time NBA All-Star Peja, Andrej has made a name for himself in his own right this year. After a bumpy start to his collegiate career initially, with stops at Stanford and California, Stojakovic joined a talented Illinois program filled with overseas talent. Andrej has earned a spot in the starting lineup and excelled under the spotlight, leading the Illini in points per game, including 20+ point performances against Alabama and Texas Tech. Like his father, Stojakovic is a big-bodied sharpshooter, with terrific basketball IQ. His shot selection has noticeably improved this year, as his efficiency was the one knock on him before transferring to Illinois. Now, he is paving the way for success for the number 13 team in the nation and has found his footing in the Big Ten.
Nebraska Cornhuskers
How can you not talk about what the Nebraska Cornhuskers are doing right now? They are 7-0 to start the season and have won 11 in a row dating back to last season, the longest active streak in Division I. Fred Hoiberg is one of the best offensive masterminds in college basketball, but this hot start has fans wondering exactly how good could this team be? For starters, they are led by 6’10 Rienk Mast from the Netherlands who, when healthy, is a major problem for opposing defenses. Their three point shooting has been off-the-charts good thanks to Mast and Pryce Sandfort, an Iowa transfer who has taken a massive leap this season since arriving in Lincoln. This team has the size and weapons to replicate this successful stretch, so keep an eye on them when conference play begins.
Who’s Not:
Braden Smith, (Sr., Purdue)
Now, I’m not saying Smith has been a bad player at all, but, by his standards, he has certainly been a disappointment so far. His scoring and efficiency have dropped significantly and he is trailing behind teammates Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn, who are taking the reins for the Boilermakers. Smith did light it up with nearly 30 points versus Alabama, but outside of that, there has not been a lot of positives for Purdue’s floor general. Smith was penciled in as one of the favorites for Big Ten player of the year in what was supposed to be the grand finale to cap off his successful college career. However, with just 5 points on 2-14 shooting against Memphis and just 10 points in a premier matchup against Texas Tech, Smith has put a damper on things so far. It seems like we know who he is at this point and his lack of size could prove to be a true limiting factor on his NBA aspirations. While the Boilermakers are rolling as the team to beat in college basketball, Smith’s game is unraveling.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
The Scarlet Knights have lost three in a row after a promising 4-0 start, including an embarrassing loss to Central Connecticut at home. Now, to be fair, after losing two top five NBA draft picks in Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper, no one was expecting much of a bounce-back season for Rutgers, but this is another level of disappointment. Central Connecticut, for instance, was ranked 244th in KenPom before the loss. As far as the other losses, they have been more predictable, facing Tennessee and Notre Dame. Their offense looks lost and while they do have size, this is, all-in-all, an inexperienced team that will undoubtedly struggle against Big Ten competition. Harper and Bailey will almost certainly be missed in New Brunswick this winter.
Top 5 Teams in the Big Ten
5. Indiana Hoosiers
In a new era of basketball under the father-son duo of Darian and Tucker DeVries, the Hoosiers are thriving. Indiana limited the nation’s leading scorer, P.J. Haggerty to 16 points on their way to an impressive win against Kansas State this week and achieved a statement win, defeating Marquette by 23 en route to their 6-0 start. The Hoosiers are letting it fly from deep and DeVries is leading the team in scoring, safe to say that vibes are good in Bloomington.
4. Michigan State Spartans
The Spartans are putting on a show for the Michigan State faithful, earning dominant wins that include 14th-ranked Arkansas and number 12 Kentucky. Tom Izzo’s typical smothering defense has not let an opponent score 70 points yet and Jeremy Fears Jr., brother of Jeremiah, is dishing out assists at an all-time high rate. Senior Jackson Kohler looks like a different player this year, leading the team in scoring and nearly averaging a double-double. This team is experienced and hungry as their next test welcomes the number 16 team in the country in North Carolina.
3. Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois is the only team on this list with a loss which was a nailbiter against Alabama. Nonetheless, they have looked the part so far. The Ivisic brothers have been a towering force down low and just wait until Tomislav gets fully healthy again. Meanwhile, Andrej Stojakovic has found his shooting stroke and looks like a true NBA prospect. They are extremely well-rounded with five players averaging double figures and the Balkan Boys should continue to improve as the season progresses.
2. Purdue Boilermakers
No surprise here, the Boilermakers are always amongst elite level teams under Matt Painter. Purdue looks to be well on its way to another successful season, defeating Texas Tech and Alabama already. There hasn’t been many personnel changes on this squad and for good reason. The pick and roll game with Braden Smith and Trey Kaufman-Renn is a nightmare for opposing defenses and has been working for years. However, it might surprise fans that Fletcher Loyer is now the team’s leading scorer as Smith has taken more of a backseat role, but improving his assist numbers. Once again, Purdue has very few weaknesses on their squad, so watch out for the Boilermakers.
1. Michigan Wolverines
Expectations were extremely high for Michigan this year and they have delivered every bit. You can already tell size will be a massive problem for just about every one they face. With a frontline of transfers in Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr., and Aday Mara, good luck scoring on and defending Michigan. They dismantled Auburn in their last matchup and cruised to a 40 point victory against San Diego State before that. Simply put, the Wolverines are the real deal.