Big Ten Basketball: Ranking of top 25 players entering 2023-24 season

10. Cliff Omoruyi – Rutgers

With several important departures, including Cam Spencer and Caleb McConnell, things will look very different for Rutgers this season, but Omoruyi’s return is a major win for the Scarlet Knights. He’s coming off a junior year where he averaged 13.2 points and 9.6 rebounds, emerging as a major weapon in the frontcourt for a program that barely missed the Big Dance.

Those departures certainly spell certain challenges for the Scarlet Knights this year but also cast Omoruyi into an even bigger role and a brighter light. His offensive numbers were slightly down last season but he’ll have plenty of numbers to build on that this season. Fortunately, he averaged 2.1 blocks last season and should be even better in the paint, forecasted as one of the best frontcourt weapons in the Big Ten.

9. Olivier Nkamhoua – Michigan

Nkamhoua really burst onto the scene late last season for Tennessee and actually spent the last four seasons with the Volunteers. He’s coming off a season where he averaged 10.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game, helping lead the Volunteers to the Sweet Sixteen, including 27 points in their impressive win over Duke.

Now, Nkamhoua heads to Michigan for his final year of eligibility, joining a Wolverines squad that shed a ton of talent in the offseason. He’s a much-needed addition to this squad and secures the frontcourt with his ability to play multiple positions and score buckets when needed. Nkamhoua adds much needed experience, not just as a fifth-year player but with that postseason run last year. We’ll have to see how consistent Nkamhoua becomes in Juwan Howard’s system.