NBA News NBA News, Match Reports and Updates
Heading into the 2026-27 season, there is a colossal chasm separating the Big Ten’s elite tier from the rest of the pack. There are pundits galore who are high on any combination of USC, Indiana, UCLA, Purdue and Nebraska, to just name a few.
But there is a crystal-clear consensus on the conference’s cream of the crop: Illinois, Michigan and Michigan State (in any order) will be the Big Ten’s three best teams next year. At least that’s the expectation – and much of that assumes that Andrej Stojakovic (Illini) and Jeremy Fears Jr. (Spartans) each returns to his respective program.
Advertisement
Yet while the belief (and recommendation) are that both Stojakovic and Fears will be playing college hoops next year, as of Tuesday morning, neither had announced a decision. All players in the NBA Draft have until Wednesday night to withdraw while maintaining their NCAA eligibility.
Stojakovic and Fears project as All-Big Ten players in the 2026-27 campaign, while the latter may be the conference’s Preseason Player of the Year and a Preseason first-team All-American. Here is how the decision of each would affect the Big Ten title race:
Could Andrej Stojakovic and Jeremy Fears Jr. decide the Big Ten title race?
Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Andrej Stojakovic (2) shoots against Connecticut Huskies guard Silas Demary Jr. (2) in the second half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
Scenario 1: Andrej Stojakovic returns to Illinois, Jeremy Fears Jr. goes to NBA
If this scenario were to come to fruition, the Spartans may fall out of contention – at least in preseason talks – for the conference title.
Advertisement
Tom Izzo is Tom Izzo, so who knows what magic he may conjure up? But at the same time, Fears is the heartbeat of that squad, and there isn’t a player on the roster who can seamlessly fill an All American-sized void. Incoming…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/andrej-stojakovic-jeremy-fears-jr-171911881.html
Author :
Publish date : 2026-05-26 17:19:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
