Preseason All-Big Ten First and Second-Team Predictions
It is Big Ten week here at On3, and we keep the content rolling with the 2023-24 basketball season previews.
Big Ten Basketball Preseason Power Rankings
Top Ten Impact Freshmen in the Big Ten
The Top Ten Transfers in the Big Ten
Let’s predict and discuss the first and second-team All-Big Ten performers.
First-Team
G Tyson Walker (Michigan State)
Class: GR.
Height/Weight:6-1/180
2022-23 Stats: 14.8 points, 2.9 assists, 1.1 steals, 41.5% 3P
The Buzz: Tyson Walker is the two-way dynamo that kickstarts the Michigan State backcourt. He led the team in scoring and steals last season while finishing second in assists and third in three-point percentage. This Michigan State team is deep; they have a lot of talent, but one good thing about their roster is their players have defined roles. Walker can manufacture offense while defending at the point of attack.
G Boo Buie (Northwestern)
Class: GR.
Height/Weight: 6-2/180
2022-23 Stats: 17.3 points, 3.4 rebounds. 4.5 assists, 1.1 steals
The Buzz: What a year that Boo Buie led Northwestern to last season. A second-place finish in the Big Ten and the first 20-win season for the program since 2016. Buie is someone who can create offense. Be it for himself or for his teammates; he has a quick and crafty handle and the confidence to raise up and make shots. He plays with a competitive fire, and he has the trust of his coach and everyone on his team. He has scored over 1,500 career points and dished almost 450 career assists. Buie is the central figure for any run Northwestern hopes to make.
G Terrence Shannon (Illinois)
Class: GR.
Height/Weight: 6-6/225
2022-23 Stats: 17.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.3 steals, 44.2% FG.
The Buzz: Terrence Shannon is an explosively athletic wing. He gets in straight lines to the basket and looks to finish above the rim with authority. He was always a guy who would fare well with athletic combine testing. His game took a step forward last season; he played more comfortably with the ball in his hands and showed capable of making a decision. Still some things need to be cleaned up, but for Illinois to be as good as they are being talked about, Shannon will need to play at an All-League level. He has been right on the cusp of being an NBA Draft pick for multiple years now. While he is older, he has it in him.
C Zach Edey (Purdue)
Class: SR.
Height/Weight: 7-4/300
2022-23 Stats: 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, 60.7% FG
The Buzz: I do not think anyone would argue with someone who said Zach Edey was the most dominant force in college basketball last season. Everything Purdue did ran around Edey. What really popped was Edey’s ability to process and make reads. When doubled, he would find the open man; when one-on-one, he would quickly attack. Edey used his 7-foot-4 size to find production on both sides of the floor. Purdue is being talked about as one of the top teams in the country this season, and much of that is based on the dominance Edey showed.
C Cliff Omoruyi (Rutgers)
Class: SR.
Height/Weight: 6-11/240
2022-23 Stats: 13.2 points. 9.6 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, 50.7% FG
The Buzz: Cliff Omoruyi is a big and strong player on the block. He plays with a non-stop motor, and he understands positioning, especially on the boards and on the defensive end. Omoruyi is an All-League defensive player; he finished second in the Big Ten in blocked shots last season. He also finished third in rebounds and second in offensive rebounds. He has a knack for going to get the ball. While he would help himself out by expanding his face-up game, he can score on the low block.
Second-Team
G Keisei Tominaga (Nebraska)
Class: GR.
Height/Weight: 6-2/180
2022-23 Stats: 13.1 points, 50.3% FG, 40.0% 3P
The Buzz: When Keisei Tominaga gets rolling, he can be pure electricity. The lefty might be the best shooter in college basketball, and he has the confidence to let it fly at any time, from the moment he steps across halfcourt. There will be defensive questions as well as asking how he makes his teammates better; with that said, he has the offensive ability to carry a team and a coach/system that encourages outside shooting. Through his final nine games of last season, Tominaga averaged 20.3 points on 43.1 percent shooting from three.
G AJ Hoggard (Michigan State)
Class: SR.
Height/Weight:
2022-23 Stats: 12.9 points, 2.7 rebounds. 4.4 assists
The Buzz: AJ Hoggard is the point guard; he will be the straw that stirs the drink. The big-bodied lead guard has always been very crafty with the ball and had excellent court vision; however, he has been able to slim his body down and mature in his game. Hoggard will never be the fastest player on the floor, but he understands angles and how to use his size/strength to an advantage on both ends of the floor. Through his last eight games, Hoggard averaged 16.1 points and 6.3 assists.
G Jahmir Young (Maryland)
Class: GR.
Height/Weight: 6-2/185
2022-23 Stats: 15.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.3 steals
The Buzz: Jahmir Young is an alpha, and that is the best I can do to describe his game. He has a sturdy frame and a fearless approach with the ball in his hands. Young is a solid on-ball defender and is aggressive when guarding the ball and in passing lanes. He will also have a high usage with this Maryland team, creating a lot of opportunities to put up stats. Adding Deshawn Harris-Smith will help Young as well; he will be able to freelance more off the ball.
G Ace Baldwin (Penn State)
Class: SR.
Height/Weight: 6-0/190
2022-23 Stats: 12.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 2.2 steals, 34.2% 3P
The Buzz: Ace Baldwin was the A10 Player of the Year and the Defensive Player of the Year last season. Sure, moving up in level typically stunts a player’s stats instead of increasing them; however, for new head coach Mike Rhoades to have any success this season, Baldwin will need to produce. He is a tough point-of-attack defender and plays with a very tough mean streak. Baldwin is a natural leader.
C Steven Crowl (Wisconsin)
Class: SR.
Height/Weight: 7-0/220
2022-23 Stats: 12.1 points, 6.9 rebounds. 2.5 assists, 51.0% FG
The Buzz: It seemed that late in the season, Wisconsin figured that they were a better team when they played through Steven Crowl. When Crowl got 10 or more shots on the season, the Badgers were 12-2 as a team. They were 8-13 when he got less than ten shots. Crowl is a skilled, fundamental big man. While he is capable of stepping away from the basket, Crowl is at his best with his back to the basket. He has a reliable go-to and counters off of that move to score. Crowl took a big step from his sophomore to junior season, in part because of injuries to Tyler Wahl. Now, he has expectations, and he should be coming into the season with his confidence at an all-time high. Wisconsin returns everyone; let us see if continuity can lead to a successful step forward.
Others to Watch: F Julian Reese (Maryland), C Kel’el Ware (Indiana), G Tony Perkins (Iowa), G Fletcher Loyer (Purdue), G Braden Smith (Purdue), F Dawson Garcia (Minnesota), F Coleman Hawkins (Illinois), F Olivier Nkamhoua (Michigan), PG Bruce Thornton (Ohio State), C Zed Key (Ohio State), G RayQuawndis Mitchell (Penn State)