Nothing promotes the stereotype of the big 10 conference quite like John Harrar being in the top 20 players list. He’s a very solid player that I agree everyone would want on their team, but something tells me Max Christie will have a more impactful season.
To be honest, it is tough to really get excited about many Big Ten players outside of the top 9 or 10 this year. I feel like the league is loaded with pretty good players that are going to be juniors or seniors on teams that weren’t very good last year. Not really sure what you do with that.
Also after the five bigs/centers in the top 10 (spoiler), which teams in the Big Ten wouldn’t take Harrar as their starting center as an upgrade? Maybe Maryland?
I was thinking the exact same thing while reading this piece. I don’t remember the list from last year very clearly, but feels like there was more known talent in the top 25 than there will be this year.
I LIKE this! I have been thinking about these rankings, formulating ideas and arguments in my head. Oh, I hope this means…You certainly have my interest Dylan!!!
Edit: YES! I just read the article. Well, I glanced at number 20, NOW I’m gonna read the rest of the article!
I believe it, bc he’s at Iowa, but it’s hard to believe Keegan Murray was ranked so low. His athletic ability was pretty clear last year, and that’s the kind of stuff the recruiting services tend to get right. And they clearly got his ranking very, very wrong. Was he hurt in HS or a non-AAU player?
My thinking is there’s been a bit of a downward trend the past two years. Losing so many longtime/elite point guards two years ago in Cassius, X, Cowan, etc. followed up by some other big time departures this year. A few names will surprise of course but I don’t expect the league to be as loaded as it’s been.
Not sure of the specifics of his recruitment but him and his brother did a post grad year because they weren’t very highly recruited. Of course, that also means he’s a bit old for his grade.
Personally, I’m a bit skeptical about what a sophomore year for Keegan looks like versus the hype but we’ll see.
Good news is that I think this is a pretty good recruiting year. More guys coming in will make real impacts whereas the last few years it kind of feels like only 2-3 players are starters/full time contributors.
Guys like Tamar Bates, Jaden Akins I think set up to play real roles even after the usual suspects.
Great day also seeing Eli Brooks in the top twenty. This means M will have at least 4 players in top 25. Go Blue!
“Other than a pair of games he missed due to injury, Brooks has started every game that Juwan Howard has coached at Michigan. He’s a low usage offensive player, but he’s one of the league’s best perimeter defenders and shot 39 percent from 3-point range last year. Brooks has a well-earned reputation as a defensive specialist but Michigan’s offense was 11 points per 100 possessions better with Brooks on the court last season, per HoopLens.”
This says it all in my opinion. Eli is an outstanding perimeter defender who has helped Michigan’s defense to become, perhaps, elite, AND who is also a good, though perhaps not great, offensive player, who makes Michigan’s offense better when he is on the floor. I just don’t think there is a college basketball coach anywhere that wouldn’t welcome an Eli Brooks to his team. He just makes others better by his presence on the floor and, I think, in the locker room. I’m pleased you included him in the top 20!
I agree on Murray. It’s easy to look good when you’re on the floor with at least two of the POTY, an NBA player (Wieskamp), and two elite shooters in Fredrick and Bohannon. He’s a good player but he’s going to be defended much, much differently this season.
If Michigan has 4 top 20 players, we should probably win the conference pretty clear cut. Not convinced Michigan is quite that good.
From @buckets12’s list in the other thread… these are some of the guys you are looking at as “snubs”… 
Pickett
Fatts
Diabate
Kyle Young
Audige
Kopp
Gabe Brown
This has nothing to do with whether or not Michigan should have four guys on the list, but I’d take all of those (except maybe Gabe Brown) over John Harrar. If 8 & 8 on a horrible team is a top 20 player in the league this year that’s crazy.
Harrar is a shocking inclusion I can’t lie. I do know Dylan was touting him and he’s probably underrated but top 20???
What about Sasha Stefanovic? Tbh Brooks feels like a pretty similar quality of player to him and I think I’d say Kyle Young is better than both of them.
From that group, the only one whom I personally would have even thought of including is Kyle Young, who is sort of a front court Eli type, not in terms of skill set, but rather in terms of low usage, necessary glue guy.
One of only 11 returning players who were named All B10 Honorable Mention or better. 
Penn State was also a top 50 team last year so I don’t know about “horrible” (they certainly weren’t good). Could he have been a few spots lower? Probably but the list was really top 8-9 and everyone else IMO.