Big Ten Basketball: Top 25 non-freshmen players for 2022-23 season

20. Tyson Walker – Michigan State Spartans

2021-22 stats: 8.2 ppg, 4.3 apg

Consistency was a big issue with Walker on offense last season. He could go for 26 points one night and drop four or fewer the next. He had a rough start, not scoring double figures until his ninth game but Walker was a solid passer, including two games with 10 assists against Oakland and Louisville. Considering that the leading scorer for the team only averaged 11.6 ppg, Walker proved that he could play PG at the Big Ten level.

The former CAA Defensive Player of the Year while at Northeastern was also good defensively at Michigan State. What’s holding him back is his offensive aggressiveness cause he can shoot (47% from deep on 74 attempts). It’s weird to call a senior a “breakout candidate” but in year two with the Spartans, look for Walker to get off to a stronger start and take a bigger role in the scoring department.

19. Patrick McCaffery – Iowa Hawkeyes

2021-22 stats: 10.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg

One of the more under-the-radar players in the Big Ten is Patrick McCaffery, son of head coach Fran McCaffery and brother to Connor McCaffery. He started 31 games last season and was third in scoring; he actually averaged more than Kris Murray, who everyone has already declared as the best player for the Hawkeyes this year.

McCaffery will have a big impact regardless, as a 6’9 forward that had seven games of at least 15 points, despite dealing with the Murray brothers and Jordan Bohannon having bigger roles in the offense. Due to his last name and having a teammate getting all of the pro hype, McCaffery doesn’t get much attention. But don’t be surprised if he’s on the same level as Murray statistically.