Pac-12 Basketball: 5 most underrated transfers heading into 2022-23 season

4. F Ben Carlson, Utah

Utah is a place where unheralded big men can thrive. Ben Carlson will have to seize a role with the Utes to do so and his defense might be his meal ticket.

Carlson isn’t as unknown as some of the other players on the list. The forward has been competing for another major conference team, Wisconsin. The former four-star recruit spent his first two college years in Madison.

After playing sparingly as a freshman, Carlson managed to get into 30 games for the Badgers last season, including two starts. The Minnesota native didn’t show much in his limited playing time, though, averaging only 1.6 points and 2.0 rebounds per game.

The big man has shown some potential on the defensive end, though, able to use his body to hold his own. Utah was in need of some size and Carlson will do wonders for the Utes in that way.

Carlson isn’t the only addition to the program with his combination of size and skill, though. Utah also brought in Gavin Baxter, who has almost exactly the same build as Carlson. Those two will be in competition for minutes all season long.

Carlson has a chip on his shoulder, though. A back injury limited him as a freshman. Lack of playing time limited his upward trajectory as a sophomore. This will probably be his best chance to prove himself as a major conference big man.