10. Washington Huskies
Here’s my big swing -- the Washington Huskies -- who jumped from No. 15 to No. 10 in the Big Ten Preseason power rankings after the late transfer portal addition of USC transfer Desmond Claude.
Claude was the heartbeat for USC last season, averaging 15.8 PPG, 3.5 RPG and 4.2 APG after an extremely successful sophomore campaign at Xavier the year prior.
Claude will be joined by his former teammate, Wesley Yates III, who was among the top freshmen in the Big Ten last season, averaging 14.1 PPG and 3.0 RPG for the Trojans.
However, the X-Factor in Seattle lies in retention, with Zoom Diallo set to return in the backcourt after a promising freshman campaign with the Huskies.
The departure of Great Osobor in the frontcourt hurts their physicality, meaning returnee Franck Kepnang and Rutgers transfer Lathan Sommerville will be tasked with adding much-needed rim protection and size inside the arc. If they do that, perhaps Washington can turn more than a few heads next season.
9. Iowa Hawkeyes
Ben McCollum arrives in Iowa City as a proven winner, both at the D2 level as well as in his first season at Drake, which was a smashing success. Just take a look at this eye-opening stat: McCollum has been a coach for 16 seasons…and has yet to lose 100 games.
While Iowa returns just 6.8% of its minutes, there’s plenty of Drake Bulldog spillover, which only helps ease the year-one transition for McCollum.
Among the biggest names in the transfer portal this offseason was none other than Bennet Stirtz, a pick-and-roll master who skyrocketed into the national scene after a standout season at Drake.
Pairing Stirtz alongside Kansas State sharpshooting transfer Brendan Hausen and Robert Morris transfer Alvaro Folgueiras in the pick-and-roll is an instant recipe for success, which is why I fully believe the Hawkkeyes are not only a top 10 team in the Big Ten, but a team that’s capable of making a run in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.