Badger of Honor
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Big Ten Basketball post NBA Draft Deadline

By Noah Seligman

Mar 12, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Michigan Wolverines guard Derrick Walton Jr. cuts down the net after the Wolverines' game against the Wisconsin Badgers in the Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game at Verizon Center. The Wolverines won 71-56. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 12, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Michigan Wolverines guard Derrick Walton Jr. cuts down the net after the Wolverines' game against the Wisconsin Badgers in the Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game at Verizon Center. The Wolverines won 71-56. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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A look at how the NBA draft deadline impacts the Big Ten landscape for the 2017-2018 season

The 2017 NBA Draft will be held on June 22nd.  The deadline for underclassman to withdraw their name and return to school was on Wednesday.  SI has the full list here.

We already knew the Badgers were losing four senior starters and reserve guard Jordan Hill.  So no drama from Madison this week.  But what of the rest of the Big Ten?

The consensus appears to be that Michigan, Indiana, and Purdue all lost some serious talent to the NBA while Michigan State is primed for a big season because Miles Bridges decided to forego the draft.  Ethan Happ should be smiling today as Michigan, Purdue, and Indiana all lose some big bodies.

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Michigan

The Wolverines will lose five of its top seven players in terms of minutes played from last season’s Big Ten Tournament Championship team.  D.J. Wilson decided to stick in the NBA draft.  Wilson averaged 30.4 MPG, 11 PPG, 5.3 RPB, 1.3 APG, and shot 53.8 percent from the field.  He was expected to take on a larger role since the Wolverines were already losing four seniors.  Wilson didn’t participate in NBA Combine strength and agility drills but does have a 7’3″ wingspan and measured 6’10.5″ in shoes so I guess that’s all that matters.

Purdue

Some mixed reviews on Purdue’s outlook (see below) in part because losing Big Ten Player of the Year Caleb Swanigan was not unexpected.  Swanigan averaged 32.5 MPG18.5 PPG, 12.5 RPG, and 3.1 APG.  He improved his shooting numbers from a year ago, connecting on 52.7 percent (46.1 percent in 2015-16) of his field goals including 44.7 percent (29.2 percent in 2015-16) behind the arc. He wisely skipped strength and agility testing this year after posting some disappointing results in the 2016 NBA Combine.

Alexander wept when there were no more lands to conquer.  Swanigan declared for the NBA Draft.  Basically, he was not likely to push his draft stock any higher by being a year older.  You’re getting a double-double guy whose athletic limitations don’t indicate superstar.  Smart move from him and a significant loss for Purdue.

Indiana

Tough way to start his new reign for Archie Miller who loses lots of size with Thomas Bryant and OG Anunoby heading to the NBA Draft.  He also loses guard James Blackmon Junior.  Bryant averaged 29.2 MPG, 12.6 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.5 APG, while shooting 51.9 percent from the field.  He had some middling results in the strength and agility testing at the Combine.  Anunoby suffered a season ending knee injury in January.  He did averaged 25.1 MPG, 11.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 1.4 APG, and shot 55.7 percent.  When healthy he makes highlights like this:

Blackmon led the Hoosiers in MPG (30.5), PPG (17) and made three-pointers (215).  Anunoby will be drafted in the first round but Bryant and Blackmon will likely go undrafted.  That’s a lot of production and leadership out the door for IU as the program looks to chart a new course under Miller.

Numerous national outlets did a review of its “winners and losers” following the NBA Draft deadline.

SI lists Michigan State as a winner and in-state rival Michigan as a loser despite Moritz Wagner returning to Ann Arbor.

"Bridges was the only guy in East Lansing with a remotely viable case to leave early, and his return makes the Spartans an early favorite in the Big Ten.Wagner has all-conference potential but must improve as a rebounder, and Wilson will leave a void with his shooting and defensive versatility. Derrick Walton and Zak Irvin are gone, too, meaning it could be a long year for the Wolverines if the breaks don’t go their way."

ESPN gives Michigan State some love while frowning on Indiana and Purdue.

"Bridges averaged 16.9 points and 8.1 rebounds and probably would have been a lottery pick. He will return, and that means Izzo and Sparty will have a chance to go deep in the NCAA tourney next season.The goal for new coach Archie Miller was to try to keep everyone in the fold. He knew there was virtually no shot of keeping OG Anunoby, but the hope was that maybe Thomas Bryant and/or James Blackmon Jr. would return to Bloomington.Swanigan put up insane numbers as a sophomore this past season and would have made Purdue a Final Four contender. Instead, the Boilermakers will be a fringe Top 25 team."

CBS Sports counts Michigan State and Purdue (despite losing Swanigan) among its big winners.  Indiana and Michigan were among the losers from the deadline.

"We’ve got a lot of gainers listed here, but Michigan State is a cut above because it has the most well-regarded player all of the guys who opted to come back to school. Miles Bridges likely would have been a top-15 pick, yet he’ll be a Sparty sophomore and should almost certainly be a preseason First Team All-American.Purdue got Isaac Haas and Vince Edwards back. Purdue is bringing back six of its seven most important players, two of whom tested the NBA waters. That’s a win.Indiana is starting anew. It’s stock fell with draft decisions because OG Anunoby, Thomas Bryant and James Blackmon Jr. are all gone.We wrap up with Michigan, the team that is the toughest to call a winner or a loser. D.J. Wilson is leaving, and that’s going to really hurt."

Yahoo sports says Michigan State is a winner while Purdue and Indiana among the biggest losers.

"Only a handful of times in Tom Izzo’s decorated career has he had a championship-caliber roster. Next season should be one of those years. The unexpected return of potential lottery pick Miles Bridges gives Michigan State a star around which to buildWhile the return of Isaac Haas and Vince Edwards ensures that Purdue remains nationally relevant, the departure of first-team All-American Caleb Swanigan derails the Boilermakers’ hopes of a truly special season.Archie Miller did an impeccable job of gaining the trust of Tom Crean’s final recruiting class, but he was not as successful retaining the early-entry candidates from last year’s team. Three of the four chose to remain in the draft even though only OG Anunoby is likely to be taken in the first round."

FOX Sports tabs Michigan State a winner and Indiana a loser.

"The only team that seemingly can compete with Arizona for top billing entering the 2017-18 season is Michigan StateAfter inheriting an 18-16 club, Archie Miller was always going to have an uphill battle in year one in Bloomington. But things got even more challenging when his roster was pillaged during NBA Draft declaration time."

Based on the draft declarations expectations are stratospheric for Michigan State.  Minnesota and Northwestern return experienced squads.  After that trio, things look fairly open for some team to emerge and claim the fourth spot in the preseason conference rankings.  Wisconsin’s Happ will arguably have the second highest individual expectations for Big Ten play behind only Bridges from Michigan State.

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