Big Ten Basketball's Top 25 Incoming Freshmen for 2024-25 Season

Here are the top 25 freshmen in the Big Ten in 2024-25, with rankings per On3, and analysis on how they'll fit at their new schools.

McDonald's All American West guard Dylan Harper (2) and McDonald's All American East center Derik Queen (25) are presented with the MVP trophy after the game at Toyota Center. / Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

The transfer portal has engulfed college basketball offseason conversations in recent years, but high school recruiting remains an important aspect of roster building. Heading into the 2024-25 season, the Big Ten has a number of immediate-impact freshmen that will change the landscape of the conference.

Rutgers landed the two highest-ranked recruits in program history – Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper – and Harper shared the McDonald's All-American Game co-MVP award with Maryland commit Derik Queen. Illinois and Indiana also bring in recruits ranked in the top 15 nationally, with Will Riley and Bryson Tucker, respectively.

In the new 18-team conference, Illinois leads the way with three recruits on this list, followed by seven programs with two and eight with one. Nebraska and Minnesota are the only programs without a high school recruit among the top 25 joining the Big Ten.

So as programs continue offseason workouts, here are the top 25 freshmen in the Big Ten in 2024-25, with rankings by On3 and analysis on how they’ll fit at their new schools.

1 – Ace Bailey, Rutgers (No. 2 overall)

Bailey is already considered a top-five pick in the 2025 NBA draft due to his athleticism and high upside. At 6-foot-10, he’s difficult to contain when driving to the basket and elevating for highlight reel dunks, and he’s proven to be a capable 3-point shooter. Bailey will have plenty of freedom on a Rutgers roster that lost several top scorers from last season.

2 – Dylan Harper, Rutgers (No. 3 overall)

Harper and Bailey are the two highest-ranked recruits in Rutgers history, and they’re the two favorites to win Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2024-25. The 6-foot-7 Harper was named co-MVP of the McDonald’s All-American game, finishing with 22 points on 9-for-16 shooting, six rebounds, five assists and zero turnovers. He and Bailey are currently projected to be lottery picks.

3 – Will Riley, Illinois (No. 12 overall)

Riley reclassified from 2025 and will join the Illini for the 2024-25 season. At 6-foot-8, Riley’s shot-making ability will most immediately help Illinois. With a lanky frame, he still has to develop physically and learn the college game at a young age. Coach Brad Underwood has had success with wings like Riley in the past, and he should have an opportunity to help right away after Illinois lost a big chunk of last year’s roster.

4 – Bryson Tucker, Indiana (No. 13 overall)

Bishop O’Connel coach Joe Wooten lauded Tucker for his basketball IQ and instincts. He has positional versatility and a smooth mid-range game at 6-foot-6, which gives Indiana plenty of lineup options. The question for Tucker as a freshman is where he’ll find consistent minutes on a roster that added Myles Rice, Kanaan Carlyle and Luke Goode and returns Trey Galloway and Mackenzie Mgbako. 

5 – Derik Queen, Maryland (No. 25 overall)

Queen impressed as a co-MVP of the McDonald’s All-American game, scoring 25 points on 10-for-15 shooting with eight rebounds, five assists and three steals. He’s not the most athletic, but at 6-foot-10 he’s an efficient scorer on the block with crafty moves, soft touch and a knack for rebounding. Coach Kevin Willard will have to figure out how he and Julian Reese can work together, as neither play well on the perimeter.

6 – Trent Perry, UCLA (No. 34 overall)

Playing in a league that consistently produces college talent, Perry helped Harvard Westlake go 66-5 and win back-to-back California state championships during his junior and senior seasons. A 6-foot-4 guard, Perry was named 2024 Gatorade California Basketball Player of the Year and will help improve a UCLA roster that went just 16-17 last year.

7 – Morez Johnson, Illinois (No. 36 overall)

Illinois returns just two players from last season, both of which are guards, so its success in 2024-25 could rely on Johnson being college-ready right away. He’ll have a path toward minutes with uncertainty around Illinois’ front court. At 6-foot-9, he’s powerful inside offensively and defensively, though he still needs to develop his game outside of the paint.

8 – Jase Richardson, Michigan State (No. 44 overall)

Jase is the son of Jason Richardson, who was on Michigan State’s last national championship team in 2000. Michigan State returns Jaden Akins, Tre Holloman and Jeremy Fears Jr., but Jase is a talented scorer at 6-foot-3 who can make an impact off the bench as a freshman.

9 – Chris Tadjo, Iowa (No. 53 overall)

Tadjo joins Iowa from the NBA Academy Latin American team, which has produced players like Bennedict Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Oumar Ballo, and Santiago Vescovi. The 6-foot-8 forward is an impressive athlete and rebounder, though his offensive game will need to develop. Fortunately, he’s playing for one of the Big Ten’s top offensive coaches in Fran McCaffery.

10 – Kur Teng, Michigan State (No. 56 overall)

Despite losing Tyson Walker and A.J. Hoggard, Michigan State reloaded its backcourt with Teng and Richardson, along with three returning contributors. At 6-foot-4, Teng should most immediately help the Spartans with his 3-point shooting. 

11 – Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois (No. 59 overall)

A point guard from Lithuania, Jakucionis is already considered a potential first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Though Illinois added transfer guard Kylan Boswell and returns guards Ty Rodgers and Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, Jakucionis will make an impact right away with his 6-foot-6 frame, passing ability and 3-point shooting. In March, he was named MVP of the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament.

12 – Isaiah Elohim, USC (No. 60 overall)

Elohim joins a completely revamped USC roster under first-year head coach Eric Musselman, who landed 11 transfers and two freshmen. At 6-foot-5 and 200 pounds, Elohim looks physically ready for the college game. He’s currently most effective in the mid-range and driving to the basket.

13 – Zoom Diallo, Washington (No. 64 overall)

Diallo, a 6-foot-3 point guard, maintained his commitment to Washington through its coaching change from Mike Hopkins to Danny Sprinkle. Diallo made the 2024 McDonald’s All-American game roster, and he led Curtis High School to back-to-back state titles as a sophomore and junior. He should have a chance to start right away.

14 – John Mobley, Ohio State (No. 70 overall)

Ohio State returns two-year starting point guard Bruce Thornton and added South Carolina transfer Meechie Johnson, so the path to minutes will be difficult for the 6-foot-1, 160-pound Mobley right away. But his 3-point shooting could be valuable off the bench, as he was named "The Sniper" in the 2024 Class Superlatives by 247Sports.

15 – Daniel Jacobsen, Purdue (No. 79 overall)

Jacobsen is next in the long line of 7-footers to play for coach Matt Painter at Purdue, with two-time National Player of the Year Zach Edey heading to the NBA. The 7-foot-3 Jacobsen impressed at the 2024 AmeriCup, setting a Team USA U18 record with 19 blocks in six games. Purdue also has 7-foot-2 sophomore Will Berg.

16 – Jamari Phillips, Oregon (No. 80 overall)

Phillips flipped his commitment from Arizona to Oregon in June, and he figures to provide depth behind returning point guard Jackson Shelstad and Villanova transfer TJ Bamba. At 6-foot-3, Phillips shot 37% from 3-point range and 80% at the free throw line during the Nike EYBL AAU circuit.

17 – Jalen Shelley, USC (No. 83 overall)

Shelley joins USC out of LInk Academy, annually one of the nation’s top high school basketball programs. At 6-foot-8, Shelley is a former wide receiver with impressive length and athleticism. He likely won’t start right away, but he’s high-upside freshman for Eric Musselman.

18 – Gicarri Harris, Purdue (No. 92 overall)

Returning juniors Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer will take up the bulk of the backcourt minutes, and Purdue hopes Myles Colvin can take a sophomore jump. That could make playing time hard to come by for Harris right away, but the 6-foot-4 guard did a bit of everything on Grayson High School’s state championship team, averaging 17.6 points, 6.2 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals.

19 – Justin Pippen, Michigan (No. 98 overall)

The son of Scottie Pippen, Justin comes from Sierra Canyon School, one of the top programs in California, where he averaged 16.5 points, 4.9 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game as a senior. Roddy Gayle Jr. is expected to be Michigan’s top backcourt option in year one under Dusty May, but the 6-foot-3 Pippen has a chance to contribute right away with questions around the rest of Michigan’s guard options.

20 – Eric Freeny, UCLA (No. 103 overall)

UCLA has a loaded group of guards with plenty of college experience, which likely puts Freeny in a role with limited minutes as a freshman. But the 6-foot-4 shooting guard can defend and knock down outside shots, making him an important piece for UCLA’s future. He helped win three Southern Section Open Division championships at Centennial High School, which recently produced standout guards Jared McCain, Kylan Boswell and Donovan Dent.

21 – Jase Butler, Washington (No. 105 overall)

Washington will hope fellow freshman Zoom Diallo can run the point from day one, but the remaining guards also carry some uncertainty, which creates opportunity for Butler. He was previously committed to Illinois before flipping to play for first-year coach Danny Sprinkle, who’s getting a 6-foot-4 guard that was named Bay Area Player of the Year at The Branson School in California.

22 – Daniel Freitag, Wisconsin (No. 106 overall)

Wisconsin’s backcourt was gutted by the transfer portal, losing starters Chucky Hepburn and AJ Storr. Max Klesmit and John Blackwell are back, but the other losses heighten Freitag’s importance as a freshman. Freitag received scholarship offers from Notre Dame, Wisconsin and others as a wide receiver, but he decided to focus on basketball. The 6-foot-3 guard led Breck High School in Bloomington, Minn. to a 31-1 record and a Class 2A state championship while averaging 26 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists and 2.5 steals per game.

23 – Miles Goodman, Penn State (No. 110 overall)

Minutes are available at the center position after Penn State lost starter Qudus Wahab. At 6-foot-1, Goodman will compete for that spot with sophomore Kachi Nzeh, who averaged 2.5 points and 2.5 rebounds per game last season at Xavier. Goodman finished his high school career at Southern California Academy, which plays a national schedule and competes in Overtime Elite. 

24 – Cooper Koch, Iowa (No. 113 overall)

Koch fits the mold of versatile wings that have succeeded under coach Fran McCaffery. He can knock down 3-point shots, and his 6-foot-8 frame also allows him to mix it up inside. Payton Sandfort will be Iowa’s go-to scorer, but McCaffery appears to have several pieces, like Koch, that will compete for minutes and multiple positions. 

25 – Angelo Ciaravino, Northwestern (No. 143 overall)

A 6-foot-6 wing, Ciaravino averaged 16 points, six rebounds and three assists per game for a Mount Carmel (Ill.) team that won 27 games and made a sectional title game appearance. He’s likely a long-term development player for coach Chris Collins, who’ll have a big challenge to replace all-time leading scorer Boo Buie.