Indiana Basketball: Our post NBA Draft early entree deadline Big Ten rankings

By Alec Lasley | May 30, 2019

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 17: The Michigan State Spartans celebrate after beating the Michigan Wolverines 65-60 in the championship game of the Big Ten Basketball Tournament at the United Center on March 17, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

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LAHAINA, HI – NOVEMBER 20: Ayo Dosunmu #11 of the Illinois Fighting Illini sets up to defend Nick Weiler-Babb #1 of the Iowa State Cyclones during the first half of the game at the Lahaina Civic Center on November 20, 2018 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images) /

8. Illinois

The Fighting Illini had one of the better offseason’s in the Big Ten, receiving the news that their dynamic freshmen duo of Ayo Dosunmu and Giorgi Bezhanishvili would be back for year two.

Pairing them with rising junior guard Trent Frazier and the Illini have a terrific backbone to build around.

Still extremely young, they may be the token ‘year away’ team this year in the Big Ten.

Losing just two rotational players, Brad Underwood brings in a class headlined by top-50 big man Kofi Cockburn, who will be a dynamic defensive player immediately.

Pairing Cockburn with Bezhanishvili will prove to be a tremendous front court duo, something you need in the Big Ten in order to be successful.

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