Since October, six players from the Northwestern basketball team have cashed in their chips, saying “Thanks, but no thanks.”

A $30,000 scholarship sure is nice, but apparently not incentive enough to put up with a winless Big Ten season and the lowest-scoring offense in the nation — among other things.

The departures depleted a thin roster that now lists just eight players. Two of those Wildcats logged less combined minutes (3) than Orville Redenbacher (3:15 in my microwave).

The team has one recruit signed and one verbally committed, though that same player was denying Internet reports Tuesday that he was backing out and heading to Ohio State.

Eight players and two recruits means the Cats are a flu bug or fluke injury away from suiting up coach Kevin O’Neill for a 5-on-5 scrimmage in practice.

That’s bad news for NU fans but great news for potential walk-ons hoping to follow in the adidas-clad footsteps of Jeff Eschmeyer and Langston Hughes, two current players who walked on the squad.

To save O’Neill some work, I headed to the Sports Pavilion and Aquatic Center Monday evening to check out the local talent. Here are my scouting reports on some of the hoop dreamers I met:

ROBBIE KARVER: shooting guard, 6-foot, 165 pounds

n Strengths: The best thing Karver has going for him is potential and confidence. He said he has “Quentin Richardson-type skills,” referring to DePaul’s star forward.

Karver put on a shooting clinic while I was there, nailing three consecutive baseline jumpers. He also displayed impressive ball-handling skills, dribbling through his legs several times while unguarded.

“I’m pretty much a scorer, which may work out because NU doesn’t really have anyone who scores,” Karver said.

n Weaknesses: NU Athletic Director Rick Taylor would have to pull some serious strings with the NCAA to ensure Karver’s eligibility. The main problems seem to be that Karver is only 16 years old and not technically a student at Northwestern.

He’s actually a sophomore at Loyola Academy, though he was quick to point out that he lives in Evanston, played freshman basketball and has plans to try out for varsity.

Karver also admitted that the rigors of Big Ten basketball may be a bit overwhelming — at least until he finishes his growth spurt.

“I’m a little worried about my size and strength. I’m not very strong,” Karver said. “But then, it seems like every NU player could work on their strength.”

n Bottom line: Karver talks a good game but his lack of a high school diploma may make it hard to sneak him past admissions. See you in a few years, kid.

LIJUN WANG: point guard, 1.6 meters, 122 pounds

n Strengths: Wang is deadly with his two-handed set shot. I saw him drill several wide-open threes while shooting by himself.

He also has one distinct advantage over Karver: maturity. At 32, Wang is twice Karver’s age.

Another positive is that Wang won’t have a problem with the complexities of NU’s offensive and defensive schemes. He’s a postdoctoral fellow in electrical and computer science, so a box-and-one defense shouldn’t be tough to grasp.

n Weaknesses: Wang is a bit undersized for Big Ten basketball. He listed his height at 1.6 meters, which I didn’t bother to convert. My best estimation is that he is a biscuit taller than 5 feet.

A language barrier would likely make it difficult for Wang to communicate with his teammates. He’s from China and English is definitely not his first language. Still, he speaks better English than I do Chinese.

n Bottom line: “I’m not good at transfers — and the quick,” Wang said.

That’s fine. The last thing this team needs is a walk-on who wants to transfer.

SANG KIM: admitted bench warmer, 5-foot-10, 165 pounds

n Strengths: “I’m not that talented at basketball, so I would bring a lot to the team in terms of leadership,” Kim said.

It’s true: Kim is a bona-fide scrapper with serious leadership potential. He’s willing to dive for loose balls, win the wind sprints, get the crowd involved and start fights. He was born to be a walk-on.

He also works out at SPAC every other day, so he’s also in pretty good shape.

n Weaknesses: Unfortunately, Kim’s eligibility would also create problems, though they are more easily fixed than Karver’s. Kim graduated from Weinberg in ’96 and now lives in Evanston working as a Web developer and film writer. He would have to enroll in one of NU’s graduate programs to regain his eligibility.

Kim may also find the jump from NU intramural basketball to NU intercollegiate basketball to be a bit challenging.

Most damaging, Kim admits to having “no raw ability to speak of.”

n Bottom line: Kim’s hustle and heart would make him a great practice player and defensive substitute. Sign him up.

GRANT RICKELMAN: power forward, 6-foot-5, 190 pounds

n Strengths: Where to begin? Rickelman is a natural athlete and has good size.

A middle blocker on the club volleyball team, Rickelman excels at blocking and spiking. Those skills could easily translate to the basketball court.

“I can shoot really well and post up down low,” Rickelman said.

Three of the six players who quit were centers, so the Cats could definitely use his presence in the paint.

n Weaknesses: Rickelman’s a little out of practice as far as basketball is concerned. He last played in an official game in eighth grade, when he was the starting center on the junior high team.

The varsity coach at his high school told him he should try out for the team, but alas, young Rickelman chose volleyball.

n Bottom line: “Maybe if I had stuck with basketball, it would be a different story,” he said.

Of course, if the six players who quit had felt the same way, then this too would be a different story.