Keaton Wagler, Big Ten Player of the Year?

Status
Not open for further replies.
#1      

Dr Copejam

Dr Copejam
The Rock
Dr Copejam
It’s time to discuss Keaton Wagler as not only bigten freshman of the year, but bigten player of the year.

Smith was the favorite, but so far Purdue has underachieved. I think he stacks up to any Michigan player. Nebraska? Who’s better than Keaton? Michigan State can probably push Fears, but he’s not Keaton. Keaton is legitimately the best player in the conference right now.
 
#2      
BWA
Dr Copejam said:
It’s time to discuss Keaton Wagler as not only bigten freshman of the year, but bigten player of the year.

Smith was the favorite, but so far Purdue has underachieved. I think he stacks up to any Michigan player. Nebraska? Who’s better than Keaton? Michigan State can probably push Fears, but he’s not Keaton. Keaton is legitimately the best player in the conference right now.
Click to expand...
Especially if the award only considers stats during conference play.
 
#5      
Indy Illini Fan
Dr Copejam said:
It’s time to discuss Keaton Wagler as not only bigten freshman of the year, but bigten player of the year.

Smith was the favorite, but so far Purdue has underachieved. I think he stacks up to any Michigan player. Nebraska? Who’s better than Keaton? Michigan State can probably push Fears, but he’s not Keaton. Keaton is legitimately the best player in the conference right now.
Click to expand...

I truly think it could come down to who’s the best player on the team that wins this BEAST of a league …

Yaxel, Fears, Wagler, Smith … Think it’s got to be one of those 4 …
 
#6      
PleaseMakeABowlGame
JFGsCoffeeMug said:
Fears is not better than Wagler. No way, no how.
Click to expand...
This only holds true if Illinois wins the league and MSU does not.
Indy Illini Fan said:
Yaxel, Fears, Wagler, Smith … Think it’s got to be one of those 4 …
Click to expand...
Fears is averaging 14.9 points and 8.8 assists. His assist to turnover ratio is 193/49 (3.9) which is completely absurd. He’s been the best player statistically (and is only a sophomore).
 
#7      
Illini4Christ
1769838533530.jpeg
 
#10      
PepeSilvia
Indy Illini Fan said:
I truly think it could come down to who’s the best player on the team that wins this BEAST of a league …

Yaxel, Fears, Wagler, Smith … Think it’s got to be one of those 4 …
Click to expand...
I think can pretty much count Smith out if you're limiting it to winning the conference.

I don't really see a path for Purdue with 3 losses already. I guess unless they win out but I don't think Purdue is good enough to do that.

I think you'd have to consider Sandfort if Nebraska wins the conference. That would be a ridiculous accomplishment for Nebraska and it seems possible since they were basically one shot away from beating Michigan on the road and were missing two starters(and Michigan got away with a travel and probably a charge on the possession they finally took the lead).
 
#11      
rdk573
Dr Copejam said:
It’s time to discuss Keaton Wagler as not only bigten freshman of the year, but bigten player of the year.

Smith was the favorite, but so far Purdue has underachieved. I think he stacks up to any Michigan player. Nebraska? Who’s better than Keaton? Michigan State can probably push Fears, but he’s not Keaton. Keaton is legitimately the best player in the conference right now.
Click to expand...

I think it all depends on how Illinois finishes the season..If Illinois wins or ties for first in the Big10, Keaton is a lock for Big10 player of the year..
 
#12      
Oldskoolkoach
IlliniFan42 said:
A freshman has never won Big Ten Player of the Year. It would need to be overwhelming for Keaton to win the award and overcome that. Final standings don't matter too much, they were happy to give it to an undeserving Luka Garza on a good, not great Iowa team.
Click to expand...
That would be the biggest concern. Some voters just won't vote for freshman on a level like that. Those that have the vote are obviously a different breed...Bill belichek not a hall of famer, come on voters
 
#13      
the juiceman cometh
IlliniFan42 said:
A freshman has never won Big Ten Player of the Year. It would need to be overwhelming for Keaton to win the award and overcome that. Final standings don't matter too much, they were happy to give it to an undeserving Luka Garza on a good, not great Iowa team.
Click to expand...
And thats the only example of that happening in at least the last 20 years. If 95% of the time the award is going to a top 4-5 team in the league, standings do matter. You don't have to be on the top team, but you likely have to be on a team that is at least in the conference title race. Which is why Martinelli and Stirtz are not serious contenders for the award.
 
#17      
chrisRunner7
Bigtex said:
Agree but would probably add

Yaxel, Fears, Wagler, Smith, Sandfort… Think it’s got to be one of those 5 …

Likely the first team all big10
Click to expand...
Picking the all-Big Ten teams is going to be a very difficult task this year... there are so many players from the bad teams or the middle-of-the-pack teams that are putting up impressive numbers in conference play. (And I assume they primarily look at conference play, no?)

Nick Martinelli is averaging 25.2 ppg in the conference. What the heck do you do with him? Second team, probably? I can't bring myself to put him on the first team. Same for Lamar Wilkerson at Indiana (21.9 ppg) and Nick Boyd at Wisconsin (21.0 ppg). Michigan's highest scorer in conference play is Yaxel Lendeborg at 14.9 ppg, which is good for #20 in the conference.

Assuming the standings don't change too much between now and the end of the season, I am guessing the top five will be one player each from the top five teams... so I think your prediction is correct, which pains me to say because Fears plays a very peculiar brand of "basketball."

Bennett Stirtz and Bruce Thornton likely locks for the second team. Who knows where everyone else might fall.
 
#18      
mysterio2525
chrisRunner7 said:
Picking the all-Big Ten teams is going to be a very difficult task this year... there are so many players from the bad teams or the middle-of-the-pack teams that are putting up impressive numbers in conference play. (And I assume they primarily look at conference play, no?)

Nick Martinelli is averaging 25.2 ppg in the conference. What the heck do you do with him? Second team, probably? I can't bring myself to put him on the first team. Same for Lamar Wilkerson at Indiana (21.9 ppg) and Nick Boyd at Wisconsin (21.0 ppg). Michigan's highest scorer in conference play is Yaxel Lendeborg at 14.9 ppg, which is good for #20 in the conference.

Assuming the standings don't change too much between now and the end of the season, I am guessing the top five will be one player each from the top five teams... so I think your prediction is correct, which pains me to say because Fears plays a very peculiar brand of "basketball."

Bennett Stirtz and Bruce Thornton likely locks for the second team. Who knows where everyone else might fall.
Click to expand...
wagler, fears, sandfort, Braden, yaxel
 
#20      
Fly Illini Fly!
I’m not sure about Sandfort being in that discussion because we’re not even sure he’s the best player on their team. Mast has just as good a case for First Team All BIG.

I think it’s between Fears, Wagler, Smith.
 
#21      
Tevo
chrisRunner7 said:
Picking the all-Big Ten teams is going to be a very difficult task this year... there are so many players from the bad teams or the middle-of-the-pack teams that are putting up impressive numbers in conference play. (And I assume they primarily look at conference play, no?)

Nick Martinelli is averaging 25.2 ppg in the conference. What the heck do you do with him? Second team, probably? I can't bring myself to put him on the first team. Same for Lamar Wilkerson at Indiana (21.9 ppg) and Nick Boyd at Wisconsin (21.0 ppg). Michigan's highest scorer in conference play is Yaxel Lendeborg at 14.9 ppg, which is good for #20 in the conference.

Assuming the standings don't change too much between now and the end of the season, I am guessing the top five will be one player each from the top five teams... so I think your prediction is correct, which pains me to say because Fears plays a very peculiar brand of "basketball."

Bennett Stirtz and Bruce Thornton likely locks for the second team. Who knows where everyone else might fall.
Click to expand...

Didn't MSU win the conference last year and have zero players on either 1st team or 2nd team? Winning doesn't mean you place players in the individual honors.
 
#22      
Piotyr
Martinelli is the country's leading scorer, so he'll get some consideration for first team also for sure.

Going by BT player efficiency, right now it's shaking out this way:

First team: Wagler, Thornton, Martinelli, Fears, Smith
Second team: Lendeborg, Stirtz, Steinbach, Cluff, and Cade Tyson (Minnesota)
Third team: Boswell, Nick Boyd (Wisconsin), Sandfort, Tyler Bilodeau (UCLA), Nolan Winter (Wisconsin)
HM: Morez, Blackwell, Lamar Wilkerson (Indiana), TKR, Sam Hoiberg, David Mirkovic, Tariq Francis (Rutgers), Chad Baker-Mazara (USC), John Mobley Jr (Ohio State), Ezra Ausar (USC)

And the answer is no, there aren't any good players right now on Oregon or Maryland.
 
#23      
IlliniFan42
chrisRunner7 said:
Picking the all-Big Ten teams is going to be a very difficult task this year... there are so many players from the bad teams or the middle-of-the-pack teams that are putting up impressive numbers in conference play. (And I assume they primarily look at conference play, no?)

Nick Martinelli is averaging 25.2 ppg in the conference. What the heck do you do with him? Second team, probably? I can't bring myself to put him on the first team. Same for Lamar Wilkerson at Indiana (21.9 ppg) and Nick Boyd at Wisconsin (21.0 ppg). Michigan's highest scorer in conference play is Yaxel Lendeborg at 14.9 ppg, which is good for #20 in the conference.

Assuming the standings don't change too much between now and the end of the season, I am guessing the top five will be one player each from the top five teams... so I think your prediction is correct, which pains me to say because Fears plays a very peculiar brand of "basketball."

Bennett Stirtz and Bruce Thornton likely locks for the second team. Who knows where everyone else might fall.
Click to expand...
Last year Martinelli made second team, so that's a good spot for him. Brice Williams made first team playing for Nebraska and they didn't even make the Big Ten Tournament back when the cut-off was 15 teams.
 
#24      
Joel Goodson
lotta games left, but right now, it's him (at least if the powers that be actually make the correct call)
 
#25      
IlliniFan42
Piotyr said:
Martinelli is the country's leading scorer, so he'll get some consideration for first team also for sure.

Going by BT player efficiency, right now it's shaking out this way:

First team: Wagler, Thornton, Martinelli, Fears, Smith
Second team: Lendeborg, Stirtz, Steinbach, Cluff, and Cade Tyson (Minnesota)
Third team: Boswell, Nick Boyd (Wisconsin), Sandfort, Tyler Bilodeau (UCLA), Nolan Winter (Wisconsin)
HM: Morez, Blackwell, Lamar Wilkerson (Indiana), TKR, Sam Hoiberg, David Mirkovic, Tariq Francis (Rutgers), Chad Baker-Mazara (USC), John Mobley Jr (Ohio State), Ezra Ausar (USC)

And the answer is no, there aren't any good players right now on Oregon or Maryland.
Click to expand...
I feel like Zvonimir could be in the mix as well.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back