Two Spartans, one Wolverine named to preseason All-Big Ten basketball teams
The Big Ten rolled out its preseason basketball honors this week, and the Spartans and Wolverines were both represented.
On the men’s side, Michigan State guards A.J. Hoggard and Tyson Walker were among the 10 players named to the preseason All-Big Ten team, while Michigan guard Laila Phelia was selected on the women’s side.
The three upperclassmen all earned conference recognition last season. Walker and Phelia were both All-Big Ten second-team selections in 2022-23, while Hoggard was an honorable mention by the coaches and a third-team honoree from the media.
Walker led the Spartans with 14.8 points per game to go along with 2.9 assists and 2.5 rebounds last year, while Hoggard averaged 12.9 and 5.9 assists, a mark that ranked 12th in the nation. Phelia averaged 16.7 points and 4.2 rebounds during a breakout sophomore campaign.
Hoggard and Walker were joined on the 10-member team — which was chosen by a select media panel — by Purdue’s Zach Edey (unanimous), Illinois’ Terrence Shannon Jr. (unanimous), Maryland’s Jahmir Young (unanimous), Northwestern’s Boo Buie (unanimous), Maryland’s Julian Reese, Minnesota’s Dawson Garcia, Nebraska’s Keisei Tominaga and Rutgers’ Clifford Omoruyi.
Phelia was one of five unanimous selections by the coaches, along with Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, Indiana’s Mackenzie Holmes, Maryland’s Shyanne Sellers and Ohio State’s Cotie McMahon. The quintet was joined Illinois’ Makira Cook, Nebraska’s Alexis Markowski, Nebraska’s Jaz Shelley, Ohio State’s Jacy Sheldon and Penn State’s Makenna Marisa.
To no surprise, Clark and Edey, who both won several national awards last season, were tabbed as the preseason Big Ten players of the year.