Big Ten Basketball: Class of 2017 recruiting breakdown
By Bryan Mauro
One of the best conferences in the entire country, Big Ten basketball has an incredible tradition of bringing in high-level recruits.
As the offseason continues to wear on, there are plenty of newcomers to the Big Ten Conference looking to make an impact during their freshmen seasons. Each year, there are recruits who have the ability to make the immediate jump to playing professionally while others develop slowly.
Without further ado, let’s jump into looking at each team as well as which recruit is likely to make the biggest impact for that team right away.
Illinois Fighting Illini
The Illini have struggled these last few years. They have had a lot of losses that the Illinois fan base is not accustomed to. They have also finished in the bottom half of the Big Ten, which cost former head coach John Groce his job. With Brad Underwood now at the helm, Illinois will hopefully get back to respectability fairly quickly.
G Mark Smith – Edwardsville, IL
Rated ∗∗∗∗ and #77 by 247Sports
The former Missouri baseball commit has decided to play basketball in college, and it was the right decision. Smith has all the tools to be a superstar in the Big Ten. He can shoot for three, take teams off the dribble, and get to the rim. He also has a very nice mid-range game as well. Smith is listed as a point guard but is good either as a point guard or as the off guard. Underwood should utilize Smith in many different looks this year to try and get the talented freshman on the floor.