After nearly five months, it's time once again to start discussing Big Ten Basketball. After all, the season is only three months away and I am certainly itching for college basketball to start. While the Big Ten lost an incredible senior class to graduation after last year, it should still be one of the top conferences in the nation this coming year. The past two seasons, I have run a Big Ten only fantasy basketball league. The three statistics we used were points, rebounds, and assists and we used rotisserie scoring (pretty typical). With eight people in the league and each of us having a 10-man roster, it was definitely a deep league and by the end of the draft it was tough to pick up players that would actually have any fantasy impact. I found some diamonds in the rough and needless to say, I am the two-time reigning champion of the league. So when it comes to Big Ten fantasy basketball, I am fairly confident with my predictions. So pay attention here.
This article will highlight the top ten players in the conference, four of which were part of Perry's top ten players in the nation list (the most of any conference). While the Big Ten is not known as a high scoring conference like the Big East or ACC, every player on this list would be a great addition to your fantasy team. This list includes six seniors and four sophomores, all of whom have been Honorable Mention All-Big Ten at the minimum. While Nebraska is now a part of the Big Ten, no Cornhusker player made the top ten list. But when you're sorting through lists of players in your league drafts, make sure to keep a close eye on this Big Ten player list as well as the other player names I will leave at the end of the article.
1. Jared Sullinger, forward/center, Ohio State Buckeyes
After deciding not to take the leap to the NBA after his freshman season, Sullinger comes back to college basketball as the top player in the nation. Sullinger would have likely been a lottery pick in June's draft, but with the NBA lockout looming it looks like he may have made a great decision to come back to school. The Buckeyes will once again be the Big Ten favorites, and Sullinger is a big reason why. Sullinger averaged a double-double during his freshman campaign, scoring 17.2 points and grabbing 10.2 rebounds. He hauled in 18 double-doubles during Ohio State's impressive 34-3 season. His biggest asset though may be his ability to draw fouls and get to the free throw line. He averaged just over seven free throw attempts and converted 70.4% of the shots. In Ohio State's 67-61 win over Northwestern in the Big Ten Tournament, Sullinger scored 20 points and grabbed 18 rebounds but shot a miserable 2-for-12 from the floor. He made up for that though by shooting 16-for-18 from the foul line. He will be able to continue to get to the foul line this season because many of the league's top post players graduated, such as JaJuan Johnson and Jon Leuer. Sullinger is also the consensus top pick because of his ability to stay on the floor and keep out of foul trouble. He averaged over 31 minutes, while only fouling out of one game last season. Sullinger averaged 1.2 assists, which is actually a high number for a big man. So if you end up lucking out and getting your league's first pick in the draft, I highly recommend drafting Jared Sullinger there. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.
2. Jordan Taylor, guard, Wisconsin Badgers
As easy as it was to choose Sullinger at the top ranked player in the Big Ten, it was just as easy to select Taylor as the next best player. Taylor has improved by leaps and bounds since coming to Wisconsin (as Badgers are wont to do). He went from averaging 1.6 points as a freshman, to 10.0 points as a sophomore, to 18.1 points last season as a junior. Should we expect Taylor to increase his point total by another eight points per game this season? Probably not. But with the losses of Jon Leuer and Keaton Nankivil, Taylor is the only proven scorer that the Badgers have. Taylor averaged 4.7 assists last season as a point guard, but there is no doubt that he will shoot a lot this season and for good reason. His three-point shooting has also improved greatly every season at UW. He shot nearly 43% from behind the arc last season, and also shot 83.2% from the charity stripe. Taylor scored in double figures in all but two games last season, so you can count on him to be consistent. He also pulled in 4.1 rebounds last year, a high number for a point guard. This season should not prove to be any different for a Bo Ryan coached Wisconsin squad. No matter how many players the Badgers lose from the previous year's team, they always seem to overachieve and find themselves near the top of the Big Ten standings. In fact, Ryan has never placed lower than fourth in the conference during his tenure. This kind of program consistency proves why Taylor should be taken within the first five picks of your league's draft.
3. Draymond Green, forward, Michigan State Spartans
The "Dancing Bear" comes back to Michigan State after a disappointing junior season with the Spartans. In fact, it was Green's first time not making the Final Four in his three years in East Lansing. So will Green lead MSU back to the Final Four this year? Probably not, although you never know with a Tom Izzo coached team. Talent-wise, Green is not the third best player in the Big Ten. But his ability to do a little bit of everything is what makes him a perfect fantasy player. Green's junior season statistics were comprised of 12.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists. Green accumulated seven double-doubles last season. He was the only player in the Big Ten last year to post multiple triple-doubles though (he had two), one of which came in the Spartans first round loss to UCLA in the NCAA Tournament. Green's field goal percentage did decrease though last year, from 52% to 42%. While Green is an excellent ball handler for a big man, he is at his best taking midrange jumpers or posting up. As a 6-foot-7, 230 pound forward, Green can cause matchup problems for his defenders. Green does get into foul trouble at times though, fouling out of six games last year and picking up four fouls in an additional nine games. Green was also recently selected to be a part of Team USA for the World University Games in China later this month.
4. Trevor Mbakwe, forward, Minnesota Golden Gophers
Like Green, Mbakwe also made the final cut for Team USA in the World University Games. The best way to describe Mbakwe is that he is a bruiser. He is not afraid to mix it up in the paint, and it would be hard to find someone as physically strong as he is. Mbakwe averaged a double-double in his first season at Minnesota, providing 13.9 points and 10.5 rebounds. He led the conference in rebounding and double-doubled in 19 of the Golden Gopher's 31 games. Minnesota was 16-4 last season up until the month of February. All hell broke subsequently loose and the Gophers finished the season 17-14, losing 10 of their final 11 games. Point guard Al Nolen sustained a season-ending injury during this stretch, and no Golden Gopher guard was able to fill his void after the injury. Nolen and sharpshooter Blake Hoffarber have both graduated, leaving Minnesota with no proven guards. Expect Mbakwe's 3.1 offensive rebounds per game to go up because of this. Seniors Mbakwe and Ralph Sampson III do provide an experienced frontcourt though, something most Big Ten teams cannot say.
5. John Shurna, forward, Northwestern Wildcats
After an up and down junior season, Shurna is poised to get Northwestern into the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. Shurna averaged 24.4 points in the Wildcat's first nine games before injuring his ankle against Mount St. Mary's. A month later, he sustained a concussion in a game at Minnesota. While these injuries affected Shurna's play, he still finished the season with averages of 16.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. In a healthy sophomore season, Shurna averaged 18.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.6 assists and was arguably the nation's most improved player, while finishing second in the Big Ten in scoring behind National Player of the Year, Evan Turner. Assuming Shurna can stay healthy, I would expect his numbers to be similar if not better than his sophomore season. Northwestern lost their leader Michael Thompson to graduation, but returns everyone else from last year's squad that made the NIT Quarterfinals. Shurna converted on 43.4% of his three-point attempts last season, including 7-for-10 in a season opening win at Northern Illinois in which he scored 31 points. Shurna stands 6-foot-9 and can score both on the inside and outside in their Princeton Offense. Shurna can score in bunches and I would not be surprised if it were between him and Jordan Taylor for the league scoring title. If you need a scorer for your team, who can also rebound and pass, Shurna is certainly a safe bet.
6. Robbie Hummel, forward, Purdue Boilermakers
Hummel returns to the court this season after having missed all of the 2010-2011 season, as well as the final eight games of the 2009-2010 season. Hummel was the glue guy for the Boilermakers in his three seasons of play. But now that JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore have graduated, Hummel will become their top option on offense. Hummel is also a hardnosed defender that can defend anyone on the floor. The redshirt senior will mostly play the power forward position for Purdue, although he rarely scores in the post. Hummel posted six double-doubles in 2009-2010. This included a 35-point, ten-rebound performance against Ohio State and a 22-point, 12-rebound game against Illinois. Hummel shot a perfect 12-for-12 from the foul line in that Illinois game, another one of his strengths. Purdue has a bevy of role players that will help Hummel, including Lewis Jackson and D.J. Byrd. Matt Painter's team is built around defense, so don't be surprised to see the Boilermakers in the NCAA Tournament again this year despite losing Moore and Johnson.
7. William Buford, guard, Ohio State Buckeyes
Buford, a former Big Ten Freshman of the Year, comes back to Columbus for his senior season hoping to finally make a Final Four. In his first three seasons, the Buckeyes have yet to make it past the Sweet Sixteen despite being a #1 and #2 seed in the last two NCAA Tournaments, respectively. The smooth 6-foot-5 guard has already had a very solid career as a Buckeye. I feel like he was overshadowed last season though by the likes of Sullinger, and senior guards Jon Diebler and David Lighty. Buford is actually a mini-hybrid of Diebler and Lighty though, in that he can shoot from the outside as well as drive to the basket. He shot 44% from deep last year and 84% from the foul line. Buford has averaged 14.4 points the past two seasons, and scored at least seven points in every game last season. Buford also averaged 3.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists last season. I think we should expect to see the same kind of consistency from Buford this season. He is now the unopposed second option on offense, which wasn't necessarily true the past few seasons.
8. Tim Hardaway Jr., guard, Michigan Wolverines
Had Darius Morris not left Michigan to go to the NBA, the Wolverines would probably be in the top ten in preseason polls. Nonetheless, the Wolverines return everyone else from last year's team that lost to Duke by two points in the NCAA Tournament's second round. Hardaway Jr. averaged 13.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in a very solid freshman campaign last year. He scored in double figures in the team's final 16 games, including a 30-point game against Iowa on the road. Michigan will continue to hoist up three-pointers this season, and Hardaway Jr. will try to improve upon a decent 36.7% from deep last season. He also made 76.5% of his free throw tosses. Michigan won't surprise anyone and come out of nowhere like they did last season, when they were picked to finish near the bottom of the conference. Seniors Stu Douglass and Zack Novak will help Hardaway Jr. on the perimeter and take their fair share of long range shots as well. Hardaway Jr. should be a pretty solid fantasy option, after all his pops had a solid NBA career.
9. Melsahn Basabe, forward, Iowa Hawkeyes
If Basabe can become more consistent and stay out of foul trouble, he is easily a top ten player in the Big Ten. If not, he could find himself and his team in a similar situation to last year. Iowa went 11-20 last season and has now finished in ninthplace or worse in conference the past three seasons. Basabe averaged 11.0 points and 6.8 rebounds in his freshman season. Although he only fouled out of two games, Basabe often picked up two first half fouls which limited his playing time to only 24.5 minutes. He also only tallied nine assists the entire season, so don't count on him in that category. He did shoot over 57% from the floor and is one of the more athletic players in the league. Basabe originally committed to Siena, but after Fran McCaffrey was hired at Iowa, Basabe followed him to the Midwest. The Hawkeyes could be improved this year and only lost Jarryd Cole to graduation. Iowa is not likely to get much production from their other post players, so Basabe's point and rebound numbers could definitely increase this season. He is only 6-foot-7, but his long arms and athleticism definitely make up for that. While Basabe may be the riskiest pick of these ten Big Ten players, I would definitely not shy away from selecting him in a draft.
10. Aaron Craft, guard, Ohio State Buckeyes
Rounding out the top ten list is Craft, Ohio State's sophomore point guard. Craft only averaged 6.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 4.8 assists last season but those numbers can only go up from here. Although Craft played almost 30 minutes per game as a freshman, he technically came off the Ohio State. He may be the best on-the-ball defender in the conference. I have no doubt that Craft will lead the Big Ten in assists this season. The apple-cheeked point guard shot a solid 46% from the field last year, but that was on only five shot attempts per game. That number will almost certainly go up this year with the losses of Diebler and Lighty, so except Craft to be scoring in double figures regularly as well. Craft finished last season with differing performances. In OSU's second round game against George Mason, Craft tallied 15 assists. But in their season-ending loss to Kentucky, Craft only scored two points and had two assists while shooting 0-for-5 from the field. This could be Ohio State's year to make a run at the title, and Craft will need to be an important part for that to happen. Craft's versatility should make him a solid pick in any fantasy draft.
Others receiving consideration: F Christian Watford -Indiana, G Brandon Paul -Illinois, G Drew Crawford -Northwestern, F Mike Bruesewitz -Wisconsin, F Deshaun Thomas -Ohio State, G Tim Frazier -Penn State, G Brandon Wood -Michigan State, C Ralph Sampson III -Minnesota, G Bryce Cartwright -Iowa, F Jordan Morgan -Michigan.