Busting Brackets
Fansided

Big Ten Basketball: 5 biggest storylines for the league in 2020 offseason

By Collin Helwig

EAST LANSING, MI - DECEMBER 03: Luka Garza #55 of the Iowa Hawkeyes during pregame introductions before the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Breslin Center on December 3, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - DECEMBER 03: Luka Garza #55 of the Iowa Hawkeyes during pregame introductions before the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Breslin Center on December 3, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 6
Next
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – MARCH 11: Head coach Archie Miller of the Indiana Hoosiers (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – MARCH 11: Head coach Archie Miller of the Indiana Hoosiers (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Khristian Lander’s Entrance

Joining the Big Ten as the conference’s only five-star recruit thus far, expect a sizeable spotlight that will only increase as the season inches closer to follow incoming freshman Khristian Lander. Widely acknowledged as the top point guard amongst all incoming freshmen next year, Lander surely possesses the talent to help Indiana make the jump from a typical “bubble team” to a potential top 25 team.

Wielding a jump shot, solid passing skills, and breakaway speed that allows him to easily attack the rim and get fast break points, Lander’s offensive capabilities undeniably carry the potential to improve an Indiana scoring attack that ranked towards the Big Ten’s bottom half last year. But as it has for everyone across the globe, the COVID-19 pandemic now winds up, ready to throw a wrench into Indiana’s plans for Lander and the team as a whole next year.

Potentially unable to access Indiana’s training facilities and resources, the pandemic seems likely to leave Lander without the proper training necessary for him to smoothly elevate his game from high school to the collegiate level. When moving up to the next level, undergoing this conditioning often makes all the difference for freshmen truly wishing to make an impact with their new team.

Although all Big Ten programs will experience some turbulence at the pandemic’s expense, Indiana will feel the heaviest impact, as to deprive such an incredible prospect like Lander from his new school’s 25,000 square foot weight training facility that advertises as perhaps the Big Ten’s best may keep him from reaching his full potential for next year, furthermore keeping the Hoosiers from doing so as well. Alternative options such as virtual meetings with coaches and the school’s online weight room only help so much, and with such an incredible tool like Indiana’s facilities inoperative, the drop off looms largest for the Lander and the Hoosiers.

With his raw skill set, Lander still warrants our attention as the Big Ten’s most talented incoming piece, but fans should still keep an eye out for how COVID-19’s limitations might affect him during the next few months.

Home/Big Ten