Big Ten Basketball: 2019-20 under the radar players from each team

Maryland: Ricky Lindo

The Terrapins are another team that appears to be loaded, with Anthony Cowan running the point, Eric Ayala, Aaron Wiggins and Darryl Morsell on the wings, and Jalen Smith as a potential lottery pick down low. Lindo might be overshadowed in that mix right now, but he was a regular part of Maryland’s rotation last year, and with his skill, that may be just the start.

Lindo was the Terrapins’ main backup big, a role he filled almost perfectly. Offensively he was a work in progress, averaging just five points per 40 minutes (though he did attempt 12 threes, a sign of a potential versatile offensive game.) But Lindo defended well and crashed the glass hard, recording the second-highest rebounding rate on the team thanks to his long and athletic 6’8 frame.

Coach Mark Turgeon said at Big Ten Media Days that Lindo is up to 230 pounds, a 30-pound increase from his freshman season, and cited his ability to guard every position. If Lindo shows off even a bit of scoring prowess this year, he can go blow-for-blow with any forward in the conference.

Michigan: Brandon Johns

Johns is Michigan’s version of Lindo. He’s a hyper-athletic 6’8 forward with big-time bounce and a developing offensive game that includes a clean 3-point stroke.

Unlike Lindo, however, Johns never earned consistent playing time as a freshman. This was a product of John Beilein’s notoriously tight rotations and Johns’ own struggles — which were, in large part, due to the Wolverines’ lack of an effective backup center. This forced Johns into that role when he did see the court, despite him being a natural power forward. Even out of position, he still excelled on the glass, to the tune of 11 rebounds per 40 minutes.

Working with big men is Juwan Howard’s main area of expertise, and it appears that Johns has already made large strides in working with the Wolverines’ new coach. This could foreshadow a huge increase in minutes for Johns, a mini-rocketship in high-tops, who might slot into Michigan’s starting lineup next to Isaiah Livers at small forward and Jon Teske at center. Furthermore, Howard wants to embrace a style of basketball less dependent on positions — a perfect fit for someone with Johns’ physical gifts.

Michigan State: Thomas Kithier

The Spartans have a number of players that could be in line for breakout seasons despite not playing much last season. Marcus Bingham, the No. 62 recruit in 2018, can shoot it at 6’11 and is a candidate to start at power forward. Gabe Brown, also a former top-100 prospect, is a pure scorer who showed promise during the NCAA Tournament run.

Then there’s Kithier. He’s not the most hyped Spartan youngster, but he might be the readiest for a big role right now. With Kenny Goins graduating, Kithier could slide into the starting spot at the ‘4’ after playing ahead of Bingham last season.

Kithier generally only played because of foul trouble to Goins, Nick Ward or Xavier Tillman, but he acquitted himself more than well when he did, hitting 23 of 29 shots on the season. He’s incredibly polished on offense and knows how to get to the right spots and score on the block. At just 6’8 and 225 pounds, he’ll need to improve his rebounding and defense for a real breakout, but he’ll get every opportunity to do so.