Jeremy Fears Jr. doesn't qualify for this list anymore.
He's already a star.
The Michigan State point guard enters the season with national awards expectations and should be one of the defining players in the Big Ten championship race. The same principle applies to several other established conference names.
This list is about the next group.
Some already produced at a high level last season but appear ready for another significant jump. Others are moving into larger roles because veterans departed, injuries changed roster plans or another offseason of development made them impossible to ignore.
Here are 10 Big Ten players who could become considerably bigger names in 2026-27.
1. David Mirkovic, Illinois
Mirkovic's freshman season already resembled a breakout.
He averaged 13.5 points, a team-high 8.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists while starting 35 of Illinois' 36 games. He produced nine double-doubles, earned Big Ten All-Freshman recognition and was selected to the NCAA Tournament All-South Region team during Illinois' Final Four run.
So what exactly constitutes a sophomore breakout?
Becoming an All-American.
Mirkovic's combination of size, rebounding and playmaking gives him a ceiling few Big Ten forwards can match. Illinois can use him as much more than a traditional interior player because he's comfortable handling the ball and creating offense.
His recovery from offseason foot surgery remains something to monitor. If he's healthy, Mirkovic has a legitimate opportunity to become one of the faces of the Big Ten.
2. Trey McKenney, Michigan
Michigan's plans changed the moment Brandon McCoy Jr. tore his ACL.
McCoy was expected to play a major role immediately. Without him, the defending national champions need other perimeter players to absorb additional responsibility.
McKenney is an obvious candidate.
He already gained valuable experience as a freshman and now enters his second season knowing the physical demands of Big Ten basketball. Elliot Cadeau and the newly eligible Roddy Gayle Jr. mean McKenney won't have to carry Michigan's entire perimeter offense.
That should help rather than hurt. McKenney can attack favorable matchups while gradually assuming greater responsibility. If his sophomore development matches his talent, Michigan can survive the loss of McCoy considerably better than initially feared.
3. Cam Ward, Michigan State
Fears will receive most of the preseason attention at Michigan State.
Ward could become the player who changes the Spartans' ceiling.
At 6-foot-9 and 230 pounds, Ward gives Izzo a versatile forward capable of creating physical advantages. Michigan State's current roster includes experienced pieces around him, meaning Ward doesn't need to become the primary offensive option.
He needs to become more consistently impactful.
If Ward improves as a scorer and rebounder while maintaining defensive versatility, Michigan State suddenly has another high-level player to complement one of the nation's premier point guards. That's the type of sophomore jump that can turn a very good team into a Final Four threat.
4. Stefan Vaaks, Illinois
Vaaks arrives at Illinois from Providence with an opportunity to become extremely important.
Illinois already knows what it has in Mirkovic, Stojakovic and the Ivisic twins. The more interesting question involves how Underwood organizes his perimeter creation after roster turnover.
Vaaks is a candidate to become part of that answer.
At 6-foot-7, he provides size in the backcourt and gives Illinois another player capable of attacking defenses without compromising the enormous lineups Underwood can construct.
If Vaaks becomes a reliable creator and shooter, the Illini's offense becomes considerably more difficult to solve.
5. Daniel Jacobsen, Purdue
There aren't many 7-foot-4 breakout candidates in college basketball.
Jacobsen averaged 5.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks last season, but those modest numbers don't fully explain why Purdue should be excited about his next step.
His summer provided another clue.
During Purdue's exhibition trip to Canada, Jacobsen averaged 10.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks while shooting 61.3% from the field. Exhibition statistics shouldn't be treated like regular-season production, but they do demonstrate what a larger role could look like.
Purdue doesn't need Jacobsen to become Zach Edey. That's an unreasonable comparison for anyone.
It needs him to become a dependable interior presence capable of protecting the rim, finishing efficiently and making opponents account for his extraordinary size. That alone could make him one of the conference's most improved big men.
6. Trent Perry, UCLA
Perry already established himself as a quality shooter.
He connected on 39.2% of his 3-point attempts and 85.8% from the free-throw line last season, giving UCLA a reliable perimeter weapon.
The next step is becoming more than a shooter.
Cronin needs guards capable of creating advantages when opponents take away the Bruins' first action. Perry has an opportunity to expand his responsibility and demonstrate that his offensive game can become more diverse.
If he maintains his shooting efficiency while becoming a better creator, UCLA could have one of the conference's most improved guards.
7. Caden Pierce, Purdue
Pierce isn't a traditional breakout candidate because he already owns an Ivy League Player of the Year award.
He's here because his return to college basketball at Purdue could introduce him to a much larger national audience.
Pierce averaged 16.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists during his award-winning sophomore season at Princeton. After completing his Princeton degree and preserving his final season of eligibility with a redshirt year, he joins Painter with substantial experience.
His versatility is what makes the fit fascinating.
Pierce can rebound, pass and score without requiring Purdue to build the entire offense around him. If those skills translate immediately to the Big Ten, he could become one of the conference's most impactful newcomers.
8. Andrej Stojakovic, Illinois
Stojakovic is another player whose established production makes the word breakout relative.
He returns as one of Illinois' five rotation pieces from last season's Final Four team and now has an opportunity to assume even more offensive responsibility.
That's the important part.
Illinois has plenty of size, but the Illini still need perimeter players capable of converting difficult possessions into points. Stojakovic has the length and scoring ability to become that type of option.
If his production increases while his efficiency holds, Illinois could have multiple legitimate All-Big Ten candidates.
9. Antione West Jr., Purdue
West is considerably less established than Pierce or Jacobsen, which makes him a more conventional breakout candidate.
He participated in Purdue's fall practice after spending last season developing within Painter's program, and the Boilermakers have backcourt minutes available for players who prove they can defend and make sound decisions.
That's usually where young Purdue guards begin.
West doesn't need to become the team's leading scorer. A jump into a dependable rotation role with strong defense and secondary scoring would materially improve Purdue's depth.
Sometimes breakout seasons are about becoming a star.
Sometimes they're about becoming indispensable.
10. Roddy Gayle Jr., Michigan
Gayle's inclusion comes with an unusual story.
His college career appeared finished until a New York judge granted him eligibility for a fifth season. Michigan now officially lists Gayle as a fifth-year guard, giving Dusty May an experienced piece from last season's national championship team at precisely the moment the Wolverines needed one.
McCoy's injury makes Gayle even more important.
Michigan needs proven perimeter production around Cadeau and McKenney, and Gayle already understands May's system and the pressure of championship basketball. He doesn't have to become a completely different player.
If he becomes a more consistent version of himself with a larger role, that qualifies as one of the most consequential Big Ten breakouts of the season.
Opportunity creates breakout seasons
Development matters, but opportunity matters just as much.
Mirkovic has an opportunity to go from outstanding freshman to national star. McKenney has more responsibility because Michigan lost McCoy. Ward can become the second major piece alongside Fears at Michigan State, while Jacobsen and Pierce have opportunities to redefine Purdue's frontcourt.
Then there are players such as Vaaks and West whose roles aren't predetermined.
That's what October is for.
The Big Ten already has established stars.
By January, this group could provide several more.
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