Top 10 Big Ten Returners for 2026-27: Which Illinois Players Made the Cut?

College basketball has quickly become characterized by the transfer portal and NIL. Nowadays, players flip-flop from team to team on a year-to-year basis. And after Michigan won a national championship with a transfer-heavy unit in 2026, that trend is only likely to continue.

Yet there still are those who elect to go against the grain – can we call them anomalies? – and stick around with the same program. And, at least in the Big Ten, there is a healthy dose of talent among that crop of players. Below we rank the top 10.

(To be eligible for this list, a player must simply be returning to the same school they attended in the 2025-26 season.)

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Top 10 Big Ten returners for the 2026-27 season

Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears Jr. (1) dribbles against Michigan guard Elliot Cadeau (3) during the first half at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Sunday, March 8, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Honorable Mentions: Jaylen Crocker-Johnson (Minnesota), Pharrel Payne (Maryland), Rodney Rice (USC)

No. 10: Nolan Winter, Wisconsin

A career-long Badger, Nolan Winter enters 2026-27 on the heels of a stellar junior campaign. The versatile big man averaged 13.1 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks while shooting 56.9 percent from the field. With the dynamic guard pairing of John Blackwell and Nick Boyd out of the mix, Winter will be Wisconsin’s premier weapon next season.

No. 9: Trent Perry, UCLA

Mar 22, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Trent Perry (0) dribbles the ball against the UConn Huskies in the first half during a second round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In 2025-26, Trent Perry made the sophomore leap, boosting his averages across the board to 12.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists. He also shot 39.2 percent from deep. Expect his production to continue to inch up as he embraces an even larger role in the backcourt, which he’ll share with lauded Texas…

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Publish date : 2026-07-10 11:29:00

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