Wednesday night was an incredibly successful night for the Big Ten. All season, the league was celebrated for having incredibly talented players. That was proven at the NBA Draft when a record-breaking eight Big Ten players from six different schools were selected in the first round.<\/p>\n
The first player taken was Dylan Harper with the second overall pick by the San Antonio Spurs. Harper was the leading scorer on an underachieving Rutgers team. But the Scarlet Knights’ record did not make scouts hesitate. Harper can score at all levels, is a great passer, and a solid defender. He will be a nice complement to the incredible Victor Wembanyama<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you told someone two years ago that two Rutgers players would be selected in the top five in the NBA Draft, you would probably be laughed at. Ace Bailey<\/a> made that a reality. But it was not without controversy<\/a>. Bailey skipped pre-draft workouts with teams, announced that he wanted to stay on the East Coast, and even put out a list of preferred destinations. But the Jazz ignored this and selected him with the fifth-overall pick in the draft.<\/p>\n Bailey averaged 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds on the way to an All-Big Ten selection. Bailey has often been compared to Kevin Durant<\/a> throughout the draft process. This is mainly due to his tall and skinny frame and ability to create his own shot from anywhere on the court. If he can live up to the billing, the Jazz have a true talent in Bailey.<\/p>\n There was a short gap in players before Derik Queen<\/a> landed in New Orleans by way of a trade with the Hawks at the 13th pick. The Big Ten Freshman of the Year was not seen as a surefire one-and-done player before the season. But as it went on, it became clear that the college game was too easy for Queen. His incredible freshman campaign was capped off by his iconic buzzer-beater in the NCAA Tournament to send Maryland to its first Sweet Sixteen in a decade.<\/p>\n Another player who was not guaranteed to be a one-and-done this year was Illinois’ Kasparas Jakucionis<\/a>. However, his successful freshman season in Champaign made it clear he would be bound for the NBA. Jakucionis spent time in the Euroleague at FC Barcelona before he decided to play in college. During his time in the Big Ten, he averaged 15 points and nearly 5 assists per game. However, his production isn’t necessarily what got him drafted. Scouts highly coveted his ability to handle the ball and play the point at 6’6 and will help him transition to the NBA.<\/p>\n Immediately after Jakucionis was selected, his teammate Will Riley<\/a> was selected by the Washington Wizards by way of the Utah Jazz. He was never a starter for the Illini, but was the Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year in the 2024\/25 season. He averaged over 12 points per game in just 25 mpg. Riley was a bit of a stretch four in college, but will likely play wing in the NBA. He is lengthy and has the ability to hit threes. His game should transfer nicely to the pros.<\/p>\n At 25, the Orlando Magic selected Jase Richardson from Michigan State. Richardson had a strong freshman year at Michigan State, where he averaged 12 points per game as the team’s sixth man for most of the season. He will be a great fit on the Magic as his 41% three-point shooting will be desperately needed for a team that was not great at hitting from deep.<\/p>\nAce Bailey, Utah Jazz<\/h3>\n
Derik Queen, New Orleans Pelicans<\/h3>\n
Kasparas Jakucionis, Miami Heat<\/h3>\n
Will Riley, Washington Wizards<\/h3>\n
Jase Richardson, Orlando Magic<\/h3>\n
Danny Wolf, Brooklyn Nets<\/h3>\n