Every year, I post this for the sake of conversation and transparency, the All-Big Ten ballot that I submitted to the Big Ten last night ...
FIRST-TEAM ALL-BIG TEN
Johnny Davis, Wisconsin
EJ Liddell, Ohio State
Jaden Ivey, Purdue
Keegan Murray, Iowa
Kofi Cockburn, Illinois
This group of five might be unanimous, though I did think Hunter Dickinson might have a shot mid-season and a case could be made for Ron Harper Jr.
SECOND-TEAM ALL-BIG TEN
Ron Harper Jr., Rutgers
Hunter Dickinson, Michigan
Zach Edey, Purdue
'Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
Trent Frazier, Illinois
Went back and forth with what to do with Frazier.
THIRD-TEAM ALL-BIG TEN
Alfonso Plummer, Illinois
Trevion Williams, Purdue
Brad Davison, Wisconsin
Tyler Wahl, Wisconsin
Malaki Branham, Ohio State
I'll be interested to see what other voters did here, whether I'm flying solo on Tyler Wahl. My last pick went to Branham over the best players on bad teams (Pete Nance, Jamison Battle, Payton Willis, etc.)
PLAYER OF THE YEAR (3)
1. Johnny Davis, Wisconsin
2. EJ Liddell, Ohio State
3. Jaden Ivey, Purdue
This got tricky at the end, as nobody really closed hard in this race, but Davis gets it here for leading an otherwise mediocre team to a Big Ten championship.
COACH OF THE YEAR (3)
1. Greg Gard, Wisconsin
2. Steve Pikiell, Rutgers
3. Matt Painter, Purdue
In hindsight, I was probably unreasonable for not voting for Brad Underwood because he coaches a semi-pro team. I just can't get past that.
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR (3)
1. Malaki Branham, Ohio State
2. Bryce McGowens, Nebraska
3. Chucky Hepburn, Wisconsin
The media does not vote on All-Defense. If we did we'd be looking at Trent Frazier, Johnny Davis, Caleb McConnell, Kofi Cockburn probably and I'd have to come up with one more. I didn't put much thought into it because I didn't have to.
FIRST-TEAM ALL-BIG TEN
Johnny Davis, Wisconsin
EJ Liddell, Ohio State
Jaden Ivey, Purdue
Keegan Murray, Iowa
Kofi Cockburn, Illinois
This group of five might be unanimous, though I did think Hunter Dickinson might have a shot mid-season and a case could be made for Ron Harper Jr.
SECOND-TEAM ALL-BIG TEN
Ron Harper Jr., Rutgers
Hunter Dickinson, Michigan
Zach Edey, Purdue
'Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
Trent Frazier, Illinois
Went back and forth with what to do with Frazier.
THIRD-TEAM ALL-BIG TEN
Alfonso Plummer, Illinois
Trevion Williams, Purdue
Brad Davison, Wisconsin
Tyler Wahl, Wisconsin
Malaki Branham, Ohio State
I'll be interested to see what other voters did here, whether I'm flying solo on Tyler Wahl. My last pick went to Branham over the best players on bad teams (Pete Nance, Jamison Battle, Payton Willis, etc.)
PLAYER OF THE YEAR (3)
1. Johnny Davis, Wisconsin
2. EJ Liddell, Ohio State
3. Jaden Ivey, Purdue
This got tricky at the end, as nobody really closed hard in this race, but Davis gets it here for leading an otherwise mediocre team to a Big Ten championship.
COACH OF THE YEAR (3)
1. Greg Gard, Wisconsin
2. Steve Pikiell, Rutgers
3. Matt Painter, Purdue
In hindsight, I was probably unreasonable for not voting for Brad Underwood because he coaches a semi-pro team. I just can't get past that.
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR (3)
1. Malaki Branham, Ohio State
2. Bryce McGowens, Nebraska
3. Chucky Hepburn, Wisconsin
The media does not vote on All-Defense. If we did we'd be looking at Trent Frazier, Johnny Davis, Caleb McConnell, Kofi Cockburn probably and I'd have to come up with one more. I didn't put much thought into it because I didn't have to.
