My preseason picks for All Big Ten teams post NBA draft declaration deadline

I started a post on this subject a while ago but decided not to post it as there were just too many unknowns on whether who is staying and leaving. Now that we know who is all coming back and leaving so this should be a lot easier.

First team

Miles Bridges MSU, easy one, preseason POY
Nate Mason Minnesota, returning First team All Big Ten guy, team should be better which should help as well
Ethan Happ Wisconsin, another returning first team all Big Ten guy, I think was third team all american last year
Isaac Haas Purdue, should be the best player on a top 4 Big Ten team IMO, averaged 26 and 10 per 40, had better per 40 numbers than Swannigan, first year as a full try starter with Hammons and Swannigan now both gone.
Bryant McIntosh Northwestern, second team all Big Ten last year, best player on a top 4 Big Ten team IMO.

Second Team

Moritz Wagner Michigan, could have maybe been a first rounder, will be the #1 option on a tourney team
Jordan Murphy Minnesota, third team All Big Ten last year, if he plays like he did at the end of last year all year then he'll be a stud, homer pick?
Scottie Lindsay Northwestern, second best player on a top 4 IMO team
Nick Ward MSU, second best player on the #1 team in the conference and maybe nationally
Jarren Jackson MSU, a true freshman but the composite #7 player on the country, joins the #1 team in the conference and maybe nationally, higher composite ranking than Bridges last year (#12)

Third team

Jaaron Simmons Michigan, stud grad transfer fro Ohio U, averaged 15.9 PPG, 6.5 APG last year, the year before averaged over 15 PPG, and 7.9 APG
Amir Coffey Minnesota, potential breakout year, I struggled to decide if I should flip flop he and Murphy
Vince Edwards Purdue, #2 option on a top 3-4 team
Justin Jackson Maryland, potentially a #1 option on a tourney team, breakout sophomore?
Tyler Cook Iowa, a top 4 freshman last year IMO, another candinate for a breakout sophomore year?

Honorable mentions: Jae'Sean Tate OSU, Robert Johnson Indiana, Vic law Northwestern, Tony Carr PSU, Reggie Lynch Minnesota, Dupree McBrayer Minnesota, Carsen Edwards Purdue, Kevin Huerter Maryland, Anthony Cowan Maryland, Mahammed-Ali Abdur-Rahkman Michigan

Thoughts? Am I forgetting anyone? I hope it's not too much of a homer move to have one of our guys on a first, second and third team.

Good list.

I think Haas is overrated, don't see him ever becoming a 1st team all B1G player. Also I think Mason won't be first team this year, maybe second or third team. He's good, I just think there will be a few better guards in the conference (he probably wouldn't have been first team this year if Koenig had been healthy).

I think Wagner will be first team, and maybe somebody Robert Johnson now that he's going to get 20 shots a game at Indiana. There are always surprises too... one of the MSU young guys like Winston or Ward probably will rise up further than we think, or a freshman.

WanderingGopher said:

Good list.

I think Haas is overrated, don't see him ever becoming a 1st team all B1G player. Also I think Mason won't be first team this year, maybe second or third team. He's good, I just think there will be a few better guards in the conference (he probably wouldn't have been first team this year if Koenig had been healthy).

I think Wagner will be first team, and maybe somebody Robert Johnson now that he's going to get 20 shots a game at Indiana. There are always surprises too... one of the MSU young guys like Winston or Ward probably will rise up further than we think, or a freshman.

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I don't think it matters what position you are, I think it's just the top 5, 10 and 15 players that make the All Big Ten teams.

Haas has a freshman averaged 20 PPG, 11 RPG and 2 BPG as a freshman, 27 PPG 10 RPG and 2.2 BPG as a soph and 25 PPG, 10 RPG and 1.6 BPG per 40. Swannigan aveaged 22.7 PPG 15.3 RPG and 1 BPG per 40 last year. I think if you give Haas 27-32 minutes a game which he'll get, he'll put up some really nice numbers and he'll be the #1 scoring option on a top 3-4 team.

Also I had Ward on second team. Agree with you on Mason, wouldn't surprise me at all if he doesn't repeat as a first teamer.

For Gophers: Mason and Lynch 2nd team, Coffey third, Murphy HM. No Dupree.

die hard gopher said:

I don't think it matters what position you are, I think it's just the top 5, 10 and 15 players that make the All Big Ten teams.

Haas has a freshman averaged 20 PPG, 11 RPG and 2 BPG as a freshman, 27 PPG 10 RPG and 2.2 BPG as a soph and 25 PPG, 10 RPG and 1.6 BPG per 40. Swannigan aveaged 22.7 PPG 15.3 RPG and 1 BPG per 40 last year. I think if you give Haas 27-32 minutes a game which he'll get, he'll put up some really nice numbers and he'll be the #1 scoring option on a top 3-4 team.

Also I had Ward on second team. Agree with you on Mason, wouldn't surprise me at all if he doesn't repeat as a first teamer.

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I'm not quite as high on Haas either. He's massive and should dominate, but I expected him to have a better year last year after the departure of Hammons. Ward would be my replacement. He averaged 28 and 13 per 40 min as a Freshman.

Given he is returning defensive player of the year, Lynch should be a first or second team prediction.

I see Lynch, Coffee and Mason as all possible first teamers. A little optimistic but when was the last time the Gophers had three different players being mentioned as possible first-teamers?

Winnipegopher said:

Given he is returning defensive player of the year, Lynch should be a first or second team prediction.

I see Lynch, Coffee and Mason as all possible first teamers. A little optimistic but when was the last time the Gophers had three different players being mentioned as possible first-teamers?

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I'd throw Murphy in there too, third teamer last year, had he been high motor Murph for the first half of conference play he would have had shot at it last year. Could also see Dimes making All Freshman as well. Pitino will have to win the league if he wants to repeat as coach of the year, tough task with what Sparty brings back, though will only see them once next year. With that said clearly all four aren't going to make it, but two of them could and it's exciting to have that many guys who are capable