Big Ten Basketball: Way-too-early power rankings for 2022-23 season

2. Purdue Boilermakers

Keegan Murray and Johnny Davis were the top players in Big Ten Basketball but the best NBA Draft prospect was always Jaden Ivey, who led the team in scoring but now is going pro. Quality center Trevion Williams also is gone, along with sharpshooter Sasha Stefanovic and point guard Isaiah Thompson.

But bringing back Zach Edey alone makes them a contender in the Big Ten next season, as he could easily average over 20 ppg. If guards Eric Hunter, Brandon Newman, Caleb Furst and Mason Gillis all take jumps with more expanded roles coming their way, the Boilermakers will remain a contender. But if Edey doesn’t get enough help, they won’t be a top-25 team next year.

1. Michigan Wolverines

The Wolverines have three different questions on their roster, including star center and leading scorer Hunter Dickinson. Former five-star freshmen Moussa Diabate and Caleb Houstan also could come and go. Right now, all three could come back, giving Michigan the best frontcourt in the Big Ten.

The backcourt has its questions, as both Eli Brooks and Devante Jones are moving on. But this team still has Frankie Collins and Kobe Bufkin in the backcourt, joined by a top-10 recruiting class that features four 4-star recruits, including guards Dug McDaniel, and Jett Howard.

Having an unproven backcourt will be a concern but assuming the trio of Wolverines all come back, the young guards will have great security blankets. And if Houstan has a breakout campaign as a sophomore, Michigan could have the season in 2023 that they were supposed to have in 2022.