2001-02 through 2010-11 seasons
Each team includes the top 5 players from that program over the course of the past 10 years. As mentioned previously, I have not attempted to put together teams that fill all 5 positions on the floor.
The order in which the programs are listed corresponds to the power rankings from my previous post, "A Decade of Big Ten Basketball." This order should not be construed as a ranking of top 5s. In other words, just because I have Michigan State listed first and Ohio State third does not mean that I believe Michigan State's top 5 is better than Ohio State's top 5. That being said, I have ranked the players within each program.
Where part of a player's career came before the 2001-02 season, I have taken those years into consideration for purposes of this post.
Where a player transferred to a Big Ten program, I have not taken into account the year(s) prior to the transfer. Similarly, where a player transferred away from a Big Ten program, I have not taken into account the year(s) subsequent to the transfer.
There is no doubt that a number of talented players have suited up for Tom Izzo in the last ten years, but I was pretty surprised by just how underwhelming Michigan State's top 5 is (at least in terms of star power). Still, Izzo's ensemble cast managed 3 trips to the Final Four during that span.
1. Michigan State
1. Maurice Ager (03-06)
2. Kalin Lucas (08-11)
3. Paul Davis (03-06)
4. Draymond Green (09-present)
5. Shannon Brown (04-06)
2. Illinois
1. Dee Brown (03-06)
2. Deron Williams (03-05)
3. Frank Williams (00-02)
4. Brian Cook (00-03)
5. Luther Head (02-05)
3. Ohio State
1. Evan Turner (08-10)
2. Jared Sullinger (11-present)
3. Greg Oden (07)
4. Terrence Dials (02-06)
5. Mike Conley (07)
4. Wisconsin
1. Alando Tucker (03-07)
2. Devin Harris (02-04)
3. Jordan Taylor (09-present)
4. Jon Leuer (08-11)
5. Kirk Penney (00-03)
5. Purdue
1. JaJuan Johnson (08-11)
2. Robbie Hummel (08-present)
3. Carl Landry (05-07)
4. E'Twaun Moore (08-11)
5. Willie Deane (01-03)
6. Indiana
1. Jared Jeffries (01-02)
2. D.J. White (05-08)
3. Eric Gordon (08)
4. Bracey Wright (03-05)
5. Marco Killingsworth (06)
7. Minnesota
1. Vincent Grier (05-06)
2. Kris Humphries (04)
3. Rick Rickert (02-03)
4. Trevor Mbakwe (10-present)
5. Blake Hoffarber (08-11)
8. Michigan
1. Lavell Blanchard (00-03)
2. Manny Harris (08-10)
3. Daniel Horton (03-06)
4. DeShawn Sims (07-10)
5. Darius Morris (10-11)
9. Iowa
1. Reggie Evans (01-02)
2. Jeff Horner (03-06)
3. Adam Haluska (05-07)
4. Pierre Pierce (02-05)
5. Luke Recker (01-02)
10. Northwestern
1. John Shurna (09-present)
2. Kevin Coble (07-09)
3. Michael Thompson (08-11)
4. Vedran Vukusic (02-06)
5. Jitim Young (01-04)
11. Penn State
1. Talor Battle (08-11)
2. Geary Claxton (05-08)
3. Jamelle Cornley (06-09)
4. Jeff Brooks (08-11)
5. Stanley Pringle (08-09)
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