With the college basketball season less than one month away, Maryland enters among the Big Ten contenders.
Maryland was projected to finish third in the annual preseason Big Ten media poll, drawing 304 votes, and trailing Purdue (388) and Michigan State (368). All but five of the 24 preseason ballots projected the Terps to finish at least fourth in the Big Ten this year. Only the Boilermakers and Spartans drew first-place votes in the preseason ranking, but Maryland’s expected starting five is a big reason why Kevin Willard enters year two as head coach with bullish expectations.
After an offseason filled with offseason buzz, Maryland guard Jahmir Young joined Zach Edey (Purdue), Terrence Shannon Jr. (Illinois), Tyson Walker (Michigan State) and Boo Bouie (Northwestern) as first-team All-Big Ten selections, with Young drawing 55 votes.
Young was recently named one of 40 players who will shape the upcoming 2023-24 season by John Fanta of FOX Sports.
“Young transferred from Charlotte to the Terrapins in 2022 to help head coach Kevin Willard put Maryland basketball back on the map and taste the NCAA Tournament. Young not only experienced March Madness, but he helped guide the Terps to a first-round win over West Virginia. The fifth-year guard will be one of the best in his conference and has the burst-ability to get buckets in bunches with nine 20-plus point performances this past year.”
DeShawn Harris-Smith is expected to start alongside Young to rebuild the Terps’ backcourt, and the former Paul VI four-star also drew five votes for Big Ten Freshman of the Year, the second-most behind Mackenzie Mgbako of Indiana (19). Harris-Smith was one of two Terps named to On3’s top ten impact freshmen for 2023-24 season alongside Jamie Kaiser Jr. as the expected starter will be a key piece on this year’s team.
“Deshawn Harris-Smith brings positional versatility to the table. The capability of fitting into multiple roles in a lineup and becoming a two-way threat,” On3 wrote. “On this 2023-24 Maryland team, Harris-Smith should find his minutes alongside Jahmir Young. Harris-Smith is capable of initiating the offense, which would allow Young, a fifth-year senior who has scored 1,974 collegiate points, to look more toward scoring. Harris-Smith is also a versatile defender, able to use his athleticism and length to guard up or down a lineup. Minutes are available for him, and the fit makes a lot of sense.”
Julian Reese also drew six votes while Donta Scott drew one vote for all-conference selections.
With Big Ten media day set for Tuesday, head coach Kevin Willard will take the podium at 9:50 EST AM while Jahmir Young and Julian Reese join Willard on the BTN set at 1:30 PM EST.
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