CBS Sports Ranks Big Ten’s Best NBA Draft Prospects

Take a look at the Big Ten players who have the best chance of playing at the next level.

By Bryce Bennett@BBennett1111 Oct 14, 2019, 8:00am CDT

Big Ten basketball is only a few weeks away and the conference again projects to be one of the best in the country this season.

The conference projects to be this strong due in large part to the healthy mix of talent and experience that exists throughout the league. CBS Sports recently did a top-11 breakdown of the Big Ten players most likely to be drafted. Let’s take a look at their list.

-1. Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois

Position: Power forward
Measurables: 6-foot-5, 185 pounds
Draft projection: Lottery
CBS Sports comment: “After leading the Illini in points and assists as a freshman, Dosunmu could have snuck into the back end of the 2019 first round. Instead, he chose to not only stay in school -- but also to forgo declaring for the draft altogether. He’s got great scoring instincts and really good size to become a prototypical modern-day NBA point guard.”

Position: Power forward
Measurables: 6-foot-10, 215 pounds
Draft projection: First round
CBS Sports comment: “With [Bruno] Fernando out the door, Smith should be the anchor down low for a Maryland team primed to start the season as a legitimate title contender. He’s a long, fluid athlete with good shot-blocking instincts and a frame custom-fit to fill a role of versatile big man.”

Position: Power forward
Measurables: 6-foot-8, 245 pounds
Draft projection: First round
CBS Sports comment: “Get used to hearing this name during the season. He’s a solid rim-protector with a good motor that translates to production on both ends of the floor. His late-season breakout peaked in the NCAA Tournament when the Spartans upended No. 1 seed Duke and he scored 19 points and added 9 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks. With Nick Ward and Kenny Goins gone, he’ll be the featured big on the preseason No. 1 team in college basketball.”

Position: Point guard
Measurables: 6-foot-1, 185 pounds
Draft projection: Second round
CBS Sports comment: “Don’t be fooled by his figure. Winston’s smarts and shooting has NBA player written all over him. If Raymond Felton can still find a role on NBA teams in 2019, Winston should be able to carve himself out a nice NBA career.”

Position: Small forward
Measurables: 6-foot-8, 230 pounds
Draft projection: Second round
CBS Sports comment: “A 6-foot-8 hybrid forward, he has a built-out, bulked-up frame that will be ready to contribute from Day 1 as an NBA player -- the type of career arc that suggests he could be a second round steal. His size and competitive streak should allow for him to be a multi-positional defender in the NBA.”

Position: Small forward
Measurables: 6-foot-6, 200 pounds
Draft projection: Second round/undrafted
CBS Sports comment: “When you’ve got a 6-foot-6 frame, shoot 41.3 percent from 3-point range as a freshman and have as pure a stroke as Wiggins has, the NBA will put you on the radar. Now let’s see what he can do in a bigger role. He played 23.5 minutes per game last season for the Terps but could be the X-factor for them this season.”

Position: Center
Measurables: 7-foot-3, 250 pounds
Draft projection: Second round/undrafted
CBS Sports comment: “He led the Big Ten in block rate last season at 13.6 percent, this coming a year removed from finishing No. 6 in the country in that same category. He’s here to swat shots and razz the crowd, and he’ll make no excuse for it. That Haarms played nearly as many minutes as Aaron Wheeler and Trevion Williams -- two legitimate NBA big men prospects in their own right -- combined, says all you need to know about Haarms’ potential.”

Position: Small forward
Measurables: 6-foot-6, 210 pounds
Draft projection: Second round/undrafted
CBS Sports comment: “He might get lost in MSU’s success this season between Winston and Tillman because his numbers may not be as big, but he’s got as much NBA potential as any player on the Spartans’ current roster.”

Position: Power forward
Measurables: 6-foot-9, 270 pounds
Draft projection: Second round/undrafted
CBS Sports comment: “Wesson’s got a throwback style of play that may not translate to the same NBA production as it has in college, but he’s made improvements in his game every season and has added a respectable 3-point shot to his arsenal that makes him a worthy prospect to plop on the radar.”

Position: Small forward
Measurables: 6-foot-6, 205 pounds
Draft projection: Second round/undrafted
CBS Sports comment: “His size, scoring and snap-quick release bode well for him to find a role in the NBA down the road.”

Position: Point guard
Measurables: 6-foot, 170 pounds
Draft projection: Second round/undrafted
CBS Sports comment: “There’s not one definitive trait Cowan Jr. possesses that suggests he’ll be an NBA star one day. There’s also not one definitive weakness in his game.”