Season Outlook - Northwestern Wildcats

With the dynamic changes in how collegiate rosters, are constructed, and with seasonal turnover, creating vacuums' of talent being drained in and spat out to other programs, leaving locker rooms in disarray, and undermanned, the value of being able to have a stable, recurring, and trusted, cast, is a fleeting commodity in our day and age of collegiate basketball. However, for a Power Four Team, the task of maintaining a secure roster that can handle the intensity of their respective conference, could not be anymore daunting, when faced with the new reality of NIL, creating a conundrum of further competitive inequity within the top tier conferences. For Northwestern Coach, Chris Collins, that cold reality could not even bother him enough to make him shiver. The twelve year leader, of the Wildcats Men's program has continued his mark in Evanston, by doing things, his way, and has seen some vindication, in his methods, in recent seasons. From making tournament appearances in 2023 & 2024, and even producing an NBA selection in this past season, in Brooks Barnzier, despite, last season, being a down year, Collins' Wildcats' have outperformed expectations. Considering the program was consistently ranked, in the bottom half, of the Big Ten Preseason Polls for the past several seasons, and has ended each season with a better record, than projected, proving that the unique method to the madness, seems to be working, accordingly, in Evanston.

The current collective of the Wildcats' program, comprises of seven returners, five incoming freshmen, and three inclusions from the portal. Although this assemblage of players doesn't contain any well known names, there still is plenty of interesting characters that permeate through the roster. Upon initial observation of the roster, one can't help but notice, that the majority of the players hail from the rust belt regional states, highlighting the commitment to identifying, and developing homegrown talent. senior, scoring leader, and member of last seasons, Big Ten All Second Team, Nick Martinelli, grew up and attended high school in the Glenview suburb, of the Chicago Metro Area. Fellow returners, senior, Justin Mullins, and sophomore Angelo Ciaravino, also hail from the Greater Chicago Area, meanwhile, sophomore K.J. Windham, Jr.'s, upbringing was three hours away, in Indianapolis. All three, returning players, seek to take an upgrade in their minutes, and performance, to service an unique roster. The remaining returning faces, of juniors, Jordan Clayton, and Gus Hurlburt, as well as, senior Blake Smith, each having multiple years in the Collins system, and being a part of the programs postseason tournament runs, in 2022 and 2023, are seeking an opportunity to cement their presences in Evanston, and complement, team leader, Nick Martinelli, through the battles of the Big Ten.

Even with the solid foundation of a stable group, of long-standing, individuals, that have bough into each other, and their program, the necessary additions of transfer portal recruits, Arrinten Page, Jayden Reid, and Max Green, brings about the reinforcement of much needed immediate, and expected, firepower, to propel the Wildcats commitment to continuing their march towards postseason tournament hopes, and conference relevancy. The inclusion of former high school / prep school standouts, in Page and Reid, bring about the necessary depth at key positions for the Wildcats. Due to the surplus of wings, and off ball guards on the roster, the need to go after a, physically imposing center that had, immediate production value, as well as a seasoned, tenacious, floor general and initiator, brought forth both Page, and Reid, as the igniting forces of the off-season's additions. Page, who was a Top 100 Prospect for the class of 2023, and also a top ranked center, nationally, and one of the best players, in his state of Georgia, with numerous high school accolades, including an NBPA Top 100 Camp, and USA Junior National Team Minicamp, invites, comes into Evanston with a mission of being the teams anchor in the interior. Something that neither USC, nor Cincinnati, seemed to unlock in the former high school wonderkid, during his time at both programs. Meanwhile, Reid, comes to the Wildcats program, after a two year stint with the USF Bull's Men's Program, where he contributed immediately, as rotational guard, and showcasing his scoring from beyond the arc, while also being an ideal distributor / facilitator, with the ball in his hands, and showing defensive commitment, combined with aggression, on the protector side of the floor. The former fifth ranked, overall, prospect from the state of New York, brings his game into every challenge, and it is with that energy, that leads him to being the conductor of this Wildcats offense. Of course, we cannot forget about Max Green, the lanky sharpshooting guard, from Holy Cross, not only earned the Patriot League Rookie of the Year honors, but was also a part of the All Conference Third Team, further validating his ''feel" for the game on both ends of the court. Although one could call it a "quiet" off-season, transfer portal, recruiting cycle for Northwestern, it certainly was a very intentional process, to address the personnel needs, all around.

Even upon examining the incoming freshman quintet of Cade Bennerman, Phoenix Gill, Tyler Kropp, Trey Singleton, and Jake West, it becomes apparent the Wildcats are keeping up with the collegiate blue blood's, and fellow Big Ten titans, in the high school recruiting methods. All five of the incoming freshman, have experience playing at the elite grassroots level, with organizations in the Nike EYBL and Adidas 3SSB / 3SGB circuits. Although the Wildcats might not be swinging for the fences, when it comes to acquiring talent, do not mistake their quiet moves for passiveness. As Coach Collins is proud to continue to retool, and lead his program, in his own way, be on the lookout for the Northwestern Wildcats on the prowl.

Contributor: Alan Alcantar