Ranking the 5 best basketball transfer portal hauls in the Big Ten

TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA - JANUARY 24: Aiden Sherrell #22 of the Alabama Crimson Tide battles J.P. Estrella #13 of the Tennessee Volunteers at the basket during the second half at Coleman Coliseum on January 24, 2026 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Brandon Sumrall/Getty Images) | Getty Images

With the transfer portal mostly settled, it’s time to start assessing rosters for the 2026-27 men’s basketball season. In the Big Ten, several teams majorly reconstructed their rosters in the past few weeks. Who brought in the best haul from the 2026 version of the portal?

Here’s our subjective rankings of the top five transfer portal classes in the Big Ten.

Honorable Mentions: Ohio State and Nebraska

Despite losing Devin Royal to the portal, Ohio State brought in four quality transfers who could play right away. Old friend Justin Pippen led Cal in assists (4.6 per game) and steals (1.9) while being the second-highest scorer on the team last year. Andrija Jelavic (Kentucky) is a Croatian big-man who started occasionally for Mark Pope last season. Even Jimmie Williams (Duquesne) was arguably the best player on a mediocre A-10 team last season. While this won’t turn Ohio State into Big Ten contenders overnight, it was a nice rebound after losing several key players to graduation and the portal.

For Nebraska, Fred Hoiberg raided the lower levels of college basketball and took in five transfers in the hope that at least one sticks. Kadyn Betts (Montana), Sam Orme (Belmont), and Boden Kapke (Boston College) will help rebuild the Cornhusker frontcourt. Orme is the best of the bunch, having averaged 11.8 points per game last year on a stellar mid-major squad in Belmont. Taj DeGourville (San Diego State) and Trevan Leonhardt (Utah Valley) are both shooting guards who will be looking for larger roles in Lincoln.

5. UCLA Bruins

Mick Cronin has brought in four transfers so far, with the class highlighted by Jaylen Petty (Texas Tech). The 6-foot-1 point guard scored 10.3 points per game last season and will be a big loss in Lubbock. UCLA also brought in Serbian power forward Filip Jovic out of Auburn — he isn’t much of a scorer, but he is a strong rebounder and will help fill the void left by Tyler Bilodeau.

Lastly, Azavier Robinson (Butler) and Sergej Macura (Mississippi State) committed as well. Robinson is an athletic guard who played just 11 games for Butler last year, while Macura was a depth forward for Mississippi State last year.

4. USC Trojans

UCLA’s Los Angeles counterpart, the USC Trojans, appear next on our list. This class is small but mighty, as it features KJ Lewis (Georgetown), Eric Reibe (UConn) and Jalen Cox (Colgate).

Lewis is one of the better players in the portal this offseason, as the 6-foot-4 small forward poured in 14.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game last season. He led the Hoyas in scoring after spending two season under Tommy Lloyd at Arizona.

Reibe should be familiar to Michigan fans, as he was Tarris Reed Jr.’s backup in the National Championship. A 7-foot-1 center, Reibe was set to start next season for the Huskies, but somewhat surprisingly opted to hit the portal. Lastly, Cox will up-transfer from Colgate after leading the Raiders in scoring last season (17.9). Originally from Los Angeles, Cox is returning home in hopes of returning USC to glory.

3. Maryland Terrapins

Maryland went for quantity over quality in this class, but there is still some talent at the top. Tomislav Buljan (New Mexico), Bishop Boswell (Tennessee) and DJ Wagner (Arkansas) are all likely to start, while Mike McNair (Boston U), Robert Jennings (Oklahoma State) and Maban Jabriel (Queens) will also contribute.

Buljan is a 6-foot-9 power forward who averaged a double-double this season (12.8 points, 10.9 rebounds). Boswell was a starter who staked his claim on the defensive end as a point-of-attack defender. Wagner is a former five-star out of high school who has been a bit disappointing in college but still possesses elite potential. McNair, Jennings, and Jabriel are lottery tickets.

2. Michigan Wolverines

Michigan fans feel slightly underwhelmed with this portal class because it’s impossible not to compare it to the portal group from 2025, but the Wolverines still have one of the best portal hauls in the country. According to 247Sports, the Wolverines have the ninth-best portal class in the country. Moustapha Thiam (Cincinnati) and J.P. Estrella (Tennessee) are both among the top guys in the portal this offseason, and while Jalen Reed (LSU) has been plagued with injuries the past two years, he can also contribute at a high level if he can stay healthy.

Keep in mind Aday Mara was the 46th-rated transfer last offseason. Dusty May has proven to be an elite talent evaluator who finds players with unique and underutilized skills. While there’s clearly no Yaxel Lendeborg equivalent in this class, there’s potential for Thiam and Estrella to blossom into stars in Ann Arbor.

1. Indiana Hoosiers

There’s no sugarcoating that Indiana had a disappointing season in 2025-26. However, the Hoosiers have loaded up for a run in 2026-27. While their incoming portal class doesn’t have a clear star, it’s full of depth and quality.

The most notable name in the class is Detroit native Aiden Sherrell (Alabama). The 6-foot-11 forward is versatile, can protect the rim, and can also shoot the three. Markus Burton (Notre Dame) is another name to remember. A 5-foot-11 guard, Burton struggled with injuries this past season but was the leading scorer in the ACC the year before. He was also the ACC Rookie of the Year in his freshman season.

Samet Yigitoglu (SMU) is a 7-foot-2 center who has scored in double-digits for each of the past two seasons. He was a top-40 player in the portal per 247Sports. Jaeden Mustaf (Georgia Tech) is an interesting player as well, as he scored 12.1 points per game and shot more than 42 percent from deep.

Last but not least, Bryce Lindsay (Villanova) and Darren Harris (Duke) round out the class. Lindsay was a contributor for the Wildcats last year, while Harris was a benchwarmer for the Blue Devils and will be looking for more playing time.

All in all, the Hoosiers have one of the best portal hauls in the country and easily the best in the Big Ten with Sherrell, Burton and Yigitoglu alone.