Rolling out the red carpet for the Big Ten’s best.
Now that the Big Ten regular season has concluded, it’s award season. We had 12 of our staff writers vote on the conference’s most prestigious awards. Here are Inside NU’s Big Ten men’s basketball awards for the 2024-25 season.
Note: Our writers did not vote on Sixth Man of the Year or Assistant Coach of the Year.
Player of the Year: Braden Smith, Purdue (12 votes)
Last season, Smith made the All-Big Ten First Team, was an Honorable Mention All-American and was named a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award. Then his team lost Zach Edey…and he got exponentially better. Smith is second on the Boilermakers in points and rebounds, and leads the team in three-pointers made, steals and assists — by a margin of 202. In terms of ranks in the Big Ten, Smith is second in minutes per game, 10th in points per game, first in assists per game and second in steals. Perhaps most importantly, Smith played his best on the biggest stages. This list could be infinite, but I’ll pick a few: He had 17 points and 10 assists against Alabama, 24 points and 10 assists against Maryland, 24 points, seven assists and 6 rebounds at Michigan and 18 points and 12 assists at Illinois to close the season. All told, 16.3 points, 8.8 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game (on extremely high efficiency considering the workload) is one of the best stat lines in the entire country. Smith is basically a shoo-in for First Team All-American, so it’s no shock that he was the unanimous winner of this award. —Brendan Preisman
Coach of the Year: Tom Izzo, Michigan State (10 votes)
Tom Izzo has a chance to win Big Ten Coach of the Year in four different decades (1998, 2009, 2012 and 2025) should he take home the award this year, and its hard to deny the basketball legend is deserving of more hardware after winning an uber-competitve, parity-heavy conference by a full three games. Perhaps most impressive is the way Izzo elevated a roster that isn’t quite as talented as Spartan teams we’re used to seeing. Not a single Michigan State player made our first or second teams (not to spoil what’s down below), and no individual Spartan finished top 35 in the conference in points per game. Yet, Michigan State still finished in the top half in the Big Ten in offense and finished the year on a seven-game win streak with victories over March Madness-bound Illinois, Purdue, Michigan (twice), Maryland and Wisconsin in that stretch. Although Dusty May took a Michigan team that went 3-17 in Big Ten play a year ago and boosted that number by 11 wins, our writers gave the nod to the conference’s best team. —Ethan Segall
Others receiving votes: Dusty May, Michigan (two votes)
Defensive Player of the Year: Kobe Johnson, UCLA (8 votes)
After two years on the PAC-12 All-Defensive Team, Johnson’s transition to the Big Ten proved even more fruitful defensively. He led the Bruins in minutes and his average of 28.9 minutes per contest was over two minutes higher than any other UCLA player. Johnson started every single game for the Bruins in the backcourt and was a closer despite a seemingly mediocre 7.9 points per game. That’s because Johnson was an absolute menace defensively. He led UCLA in rebounding (again, he’s a guard) at 6.0 boards per game, a mark that was good enough for a tie for 18th in the Big Ten. Johnson also finished sixth in the Big Ten in steals with 1.7 per game, which ranked 31st among all power-conference players. He closed the season with seven games with three or more steals, including a four-steal night to go with a double-double in a blowout win over Penn State. He’s the best rebounder and perimeter defender on the best defense in the Big Ten. Case closed. —Brendan Preisman
Others receiving votes: Jaden Akins, Michigan State (three votes); Danny Wolf, Michigan (one vote)
Freshman of the Year: Derik Queen, Maryland (11 votes)
Queen takes home the trophy from one of the best freshman classes the Big Ten has ever seen. While five Big Ten freshmen have a legitimate chance to be lottery picks, Queen stands above the rest for his performance this season. Queen averaged 15.6 points per game in conference play, which was good for 16th in the conference. Queen shot 49.3% from the field, significantly better than Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, the other main contenders for this award. More importantly, what puts Queen over the top of other deserving rookies is his defense. Queen led the league in rebounding with 9.7 boards a night, slightly outpacing teammate Julian Reese. The 6-foot-10 center blocked one shot a game and snatched 1.1 steals to anchor a Maryland defense that conceded just 70.7 points per game in Big Ten play, third best in the conference behind Michigan State and UCLA. The Baltimore native was the only freshman to receive votes for our staff’s All-Defense team, and his two-way impact ultimately earned the nod over plenty of other deserving candidates. —Eliav Brooks-Rubin
Others receiving votes: Dylan Harper, Rutgers (one vote)
All-Big Ten First Team:
Braden Smith, Guard, Purdue
12 first-team votes
Brendan laid out the argument above as Smith garnered unanimous Big Ten Player of the Year, All-Big Ten First Team and Defensive Team honors from our staffers. The stats are borderline ridiculous, especially for a team trying to re-find itself in a post-Zach Edey world. But Smith did everything coach Matt Painter could’ve hoped for and more, hitting big shots, setting up open teammates, playing elite defense and forming one heck of a one-two punch with Trey Kaufman-Renn. Without Smith, there’s no way Purdue even sniffs the No. 6 seed in the Big Ten Tournament. If you want to be bashed over the head with a couple more stats, among players who played more than 50% of their team’s minutes, Smith ranked second in the Big Ten in both PRPG! and D-PRPG (Bart Torvik advanced metrics that measure offensive and defensive value over replacement). Talk about being elite on both ends. —Adam Beck
John Tonje, Guard, Wisconsin
12 first-team votes
Tonje bet on himself by transferring to Madison from Missouri in the offseason and boy did it pay huge dividends. The sixth-year senior averaged 18.9 points (sixth-most in the Big Ten) and asserted himself as the Badgers’ primary offensive weapon, scoring 20-plus points 12 times and 30-plus points four times this season. Alongside his leadership replacing AJ Storr, his 5.1 rebounds per game, 37.8% hit rate from deep and conference-best 6.0 made free throws per game helped spur the Badgers to a fifth-place regular season finish. Heading into March Madness, Tonje looks to lead the program beyond the second round for the first time since 2017. —Natalie Wells
Nick Martinelli, Forward, Northwestern
11 first-team votes, one second-team vote
Martinelli had a sensational junior year for the ‘Cats, leading the team and the conference in scoring with 20.2 points per game while also contributing 6.2 rebounds per contest. If you had told Northwestern fans before the season that Martinelli would be the conference’s leading scorer, few would have believed it. After averaging 2.6 points per game in his first year and 8.8 points a night last season, Martinelli took an extraordinary leap to establish himself as one of the most unique and dominant offensive forces in the Big Ten. From the very first week of the season, Martinelli hinted at something special. He was named Big Ten Player of the Week after exploding for 26, 32 and 27 points in his first three games, setting the tone for what would be an unforgettable year. Given his phenomenal production, rapid improvement and crucial leadership, Martinelli is more than deserving of an All-Big Ten First Team nod. —Ascher Levin
Trey Kaufman-Renn, Forward, Purdue
10 first-team votes, two second-team votes
Heading into the season, the Boilermakers had a Zach Edey-sized hole on their roster. And while Kaufman-Renn will not be a Naismith College Player of the Year winner, his 19.7 points per game on 61.2% shooting and 6.1 rebounds per game, paired with some Braden Smith Gorilla Glue, kept Purdue among the best in the Big Ten. As Smith’s running mate, Kaufman-Renn finished as the conference’s third most valuable offensive player per Bart Torvik’s PRPG! metric as he not only handled the conference’s highest usage rate, but handled it efficiently. With a bounty of fundamental post moves and an astonishing 11 games with 20-plus points in conference play, Kaufman-Renn’s ability to dominate inside offensively has him among the conference’s best five this season. —Adam Beck
Danny Wolf, Center, Michigan
Six first-team votes, five second-team votes
Wolf makes an appearance on the All-Big Ten First Team for three main reasons. No. 1: He led the conference in rebounding with 9.7 boards per game; No. 2: Despite his status as a seven-footer, Wolf also ranked top-15 in the conference in assists (3.7 per game); No. 3: Wolf averaged 12.9 points per game for a team that tied for second place in the conference. In short, you can make the argument that Wolf is Michigan’s best playmaker, rebounder and scorer. Wolf’s versatility adds another ball handler to a Wolverines roster that severely lacks in that department, as well as a respectable 34.4% shooter from deep that can space the floor despite having the size of a post player. While Wolf’s exact placement on the All-Big Ten roster is up in the air, if there was a Unicorn of the Year award, he would be a unanimous selection. —Patrick Winograd
All-Big Ten Second Team:
Vladislav Goldin, Center, Michigan
Four first-team votes, eight second-team votes
Goldin had a legitimate case for First Team recognition, but with Wolf taking the final spot, Michigan’s more traditional big man slots in on our Second Team. Averaging 16.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, Goldin gave the Wolverines a certain level of nasty critical to their dynamic frontcourt duo. The Big Ten’s most efficient scorer of any player with more than four field goal attempts per game, Goldin’s size, strength, scoring and shot-blocking prowess instantly raised the floor of Michigan in year one under coach Dusty May. Not to mention, Goldin finished the year strong with six 20-plus point games in his last seven, including four consecutive to end the regular season. —Adam Beck
Brice Williams, Guard, Nebraska
Four first-team votes, six second-team votes
Williams saw his ‘Huskers collapse down the stretch en route to losing five straight games and whiff on the Big Ten Tournament on the season’s final day. However, Williams’ play was strong all season long and was the only thing keeping Nebraska afloat at times. Williams finished as the leading scorer in conference games with an average of 20.7 points a game. At one point, the fifth-year senior reeled off six consecutive games of 20-plus points, a stretch that saw the Cornhuskers go 5-1. Williams also holds the Big Ten’s best scoring performance of the season, a 43-point outburst in a double overtime loss to Ohio State. Williams contributed a career-high 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals to round out a stellar final season in college. The end of Nebraska’s season surely leaves a sour taste in Williams’ mouth, but earning all-conference recognition should ease that pain slightly. —Eliav Brooks-Rubin
Dawson Garcia, Forward, Minnesota
11 second-team votes
Garcia has been all around the country during his five-year college career, but his final season in college might have been his best one. Garcia brought his three-point shooting up to 36.4%, his highest since shooting 37.5% at North Carolina in the 2021-2022 season. Even though Garcia’s overall efficiency numbers dipped slightly, an increased workload in the Minnesota rotation allowed Garcia to average a career-best 19.1 points (fifth in the Big Ten) and 7.5 rebounds (eighth in the Big Ten). The Golden Gophers pulled off numerous upsets in conference play, and in the victory against Michigan that started that trend, Garcia knocked down a game-winner from almost half-court. Garcia was always available to provide memorable moments all season long amid what was otherwise a relatively mediocre season for Minnesota. —Patrick Winograd
Dylan Harper, Guard, Rutgers
Nine second-team votes
Despite entering the season with lofty expectations — ranking in the preseason Top 25 for just the second time since 1979 — Rutgers has struggled, sitting at 14-16 and in desperate need of a miracle run in the Big Ten Tournament to qualify for March Madness. Yet, despite his team’s underwhelming play and lack of a strong supporting cast, Harper has solidified himself as a lock for a top-three selection in the upcoming NBA Draft. In 28 appearances this season, Harper ranks fourth in the Big Ten with 19.2 points per game while also filling the stat sheet with 4.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists per contest. His versatile skill set often evokes comparisons to James Harden at Arizona State — a dynamic scorer with elite shot creation, crafty playmaking and the ability to take over games. In most years, Harper would be the clear-cut No. 1 pick, but with a generational talent like Cooper Flagg leading this class, he’s likely to come off the board just behind him. —Jacob Hare
Derik Queen, Center, Maryland
Eight second-team votes
The case for Queen is laid out above, and it’s no surprise that such gaudy numbers earned him a spot on the second team. Effective scorers such as Kasparas Jakucionis and Bruce Thornton could’ve earned the final spot as well, but at the end of the day, Queen’s scoring efficiency, rebounding physicality and defensive presence were simply too much to ignore for the majority of our writers. Queen did struggle a bit in Maryland’s final four games of the regular season (shooting a combined 18-of-47 from the field), but big performances against elite squads like Marquette, Purdue and Illinois this season should give fans confidence that he will bounce back. Queen has been instrumental in leading Maryland to a high seed in March Madness. Maybe the Terps will be the ones to break the famed Big Ten curse. —Calvin Kaplan
Others receiving votes: Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois (five second-team votes); Bruce Thornton, Ohio State (one first-team vote, two second-team votes); Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Maryland (two second-team votes); Jaden Akins, Michigan State (one second-team vote)
All-Big Ten Freshman Team:
Derik Queen, Maryland (12 votes)
Ace Bailey, Rutgers (11 votes)
Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois (11 votes)
Jase Richardson, Michigan State (11 votes)
Dylan Harper, Rutgers (10 votes)
Freshmen in the Big Ten this season were must-see TV. Getting it down to just five was as challenging as ever, especially with four more teams in the conference. Derik Queen is an obvious pick as the favorite for Big Ten Freshman of the Year — reflected by his unanimous selection by our crew. Queen led Maryland to the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament and the No. 11 spot in the AP Poll with a 24-7 overall record. Joining Queen is Rutgers’ duo of Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper. The two Scarlet Knights have been penciled in as top-three picks in the 2025 NBA Draft since they committed to Rutgers, and they didn’t disappoint. Harper averaged 19.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists when healthy, while Bailey averaged 17.2 points and 7.2 rebounds. Next is Fighting Illini guard Kasparas Jakucionis. While there was some inconsistency offensively, Jakucionis was a lethal shooter when hot. He scored 15.2 points per game on solid shooting splits to go along with 5.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. Last on this list is Michigan State’s Jase Richardson. Richardson’s on-court swagger and ability to turn it up down the stretch for the Spartans was a key factor here. After scoring only four in a loss to UCLA in early February, Richardson scored at least 11 in every remaining game, including a career-high 29 against Oregon. The Spartans don’t get too much love on this list other than Tom Izzo, but Richardson was a huge contributor to the conference’s best team. —Charlie Jacobs
Others receiving votes: Wesley Yates III, USC (five votes)
All-Big Ten Defensive Team:
Braden Smith, Purdue (12 votes)
Kobe Johnson, UCLA (12 votes)
Nate Bittle, Oregon (10 votes)
Danny Wolf, Michigan (five votes)
Kylan Boswell, Illinois (five votes)
In a conference as physical and defensively-minded as the Big Ten, it’s no surprise our staffers named a ton of stingy defenders that didn’t make the cut. But a clear big three emerged between Smith, Johnson and Nate Bittle. Smith’s ability to impact opposing ball handlers with the conference’s second-best steal rate, steals per game and D-PRPG rating among players who played more than 50% of their team’s minutes has the Boilermaker as a unanimous selection. Meanwhile, Johnson’s physical on-ball prowess, highlighted by the Big Ten’s fourth-best steal rate and sixth-best D-PRPG rating helps the leader of UCLA’s elite defensive unit join Smith. Bittle’s shot blocking and ability to protect the rim with the Big Ten’s second-best block rate at 8.9% gives the Ducks their first honoree on our awards. Dropping to those two last picks, Wolf’s impact as a shot-blocker and his defensive versatility and length, paired with Boswell’s gritty on-ball defense has the pair just ahead of worthy defenders like Jaden Akins, Tomislav Ivisic and Derik Queen who finished just short of recognition. —Adam Beck
Others receiving votes: Jaden Akins, Michigan State (four votes); Tomislav Ivisic, Illinois (four votes); Derik Queen, Maryland (three votes); Ace Baldwin Jr., Penn State (two votes); Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Maryland (one vote); Tre Holloman, Michigan State (one vote); Matthew Nicholson, Northwestern (one vote)