Good point on his freshman year, and I didn’t think of adjusting for Wisconsin’s pace. Still though, with Taylor you’d basically be rewarding two good seasons. His sophomore year he was a fine starter but nothing special. His senior year averages (15, 4, 4) on 40% shooting don’t even compare favorably to Anthony Cowan’s sophomore-senior seasons. If those Wisconsin teams won anything I might remember him a little different.
I don’t think you can just state that as if it’s a fact. Zeller and Oladipo were both awesome that year. I mean they went #2 (Oladipo) and #4 (Zeller) in the draft, both ahead of Trey. And I would also point out that Zeller was clearly better than Oladipo in 2011-12.
Overall, I think you can make a case that Oladipo is ahead of Zeller but I don’t think it’s obvious and if Oladipo is second team I’m not sure how Zeller could be completely left off. I wonder who Indiana fans would think of as their player of the decade?
I think it’s a fact, but, then again, that’s just my opinion, man.
(Fair enough. I think Oladipo was clearly the best player on the team, but I suppose there’s a case to be made for Zeller, even if I personally think it’s not a particularly strong case.)
Two good seasons is as many good seasons as a lot of the other guys had
Two good seasons with 0 conference titles and 0 final fours is less than anyone in that top 10 list I had though. Everyone had one nuclear season, at least one additional season of either good or great play, a minimum of one outright conference title and in most cases an additional final four trip or more B1G titles.
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I don’t have a huge argument with Oladipo being the better player on the 2012-13 team. I do think it’s closer than you think it is but I remember Oladipo being incredible that year. That being said wouldn’t you agree the year before Zeller was better? And then you certainly can’t give Oladipo any bonus points for his freshman year considering he wasn’t very good and their team was absolutely horrible.
So like I said, if you’re talking about career, I don’t see how Oladipo is 2nd team and Zeller’s not even in the top 15. I think Zeller belongs ahead of Oladipo but if he’s behind him he shouldn’t be very far behind.
Oladipo was almost definitely the best player on the 2013 IU team, but Zeller was equal or better than him in counting stats.
My first team would have been Burke, Winston, Oladipo, Green, Kaminsky. Those were the 5 best players imo and the best team that could be assembled.
2nd team I think I’d go with Edwards, Stauskas, Sullinger, Valentine, and Zeller. Edwards being the one I’m debating.
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I think the difference here is just methodology. It seems like you’re talking about peak performance. Oladipo had one bad season, one good season, and one incredible season. Sure, if you take only that last season he might be first team but if you’re doing it that way then Evan Turner deserves it more than him. In short, if you’re talking about career accomplishments I think Oladipo ranks lower than if you’re talking about best “peak season”. If it’s best peak performance then I think your first team is close but Turner has to be on there. Not sure who gets the boot.
Oh yeah I’m admittedly a peak performance guy. Career still matters to me, but it’s weighted toward peak. So I still wouldn’t include Turner since he just has a couple months to go off of.
Although I don’t know what would really change if I went career instead. Valentine didn’t blow up til his junior year so not like he has a fantastic 4 years
I’d say Winston over Burke if you want to stick to the five positions.
Oladipo was the guy who won one of the NPOY awards and was considered Burke’s primary candidate in the B10 POY voting too, right?
I can’t say I remember enough about the 11-12 IU team to comment intelligently.
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They got that one right! Beast-mode Burke.
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Yes, that sounds right. Okay, I’ll concede that Oladipo was better than Zeller in 12-13 but Zeller was better in 11-12 and Oladipo and Indiana were awful in 10-11. My point that you can’t put Oladipo on the 2nd team and have Zeller not even make it stands.
I agree there’s probably a place for Zeller. I’d have slotted him in over Murphy or Happ, but he doesn’t come before Swanigan. Bump Swanigan up to second team, move Happ down to third team, and replace Murphy with Zeller.
Zeller is in the Stauskas, KBD category that I think would have benefited if people voted for 11-15. I don’t think there’s a great argument to vote a lot of those guys in the top ten but they would have consistently been third teamers.
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Burke’s my player of the decade. Absolutely no bias when I say that
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If this exercise has done anything it’s made me remember how many awesome players have been in the B1G in the last decade. Here’s what I think it should be if the criteria is career production from 2010-19. I decided to leave Evan Turner off due to his career mostly being in the prior decade.
1st Team:
Burke
Winston
Green
Sullinger
Kaminsky
2nd Team:
Edwards
Valentine
Oladipo
Swanigan
Zeller
3rd Team:
Ferrell
Moore
Stauskas
Bates-Diop
Johnson
Honorable Mention (also could be considered the 4th team with an extra guy):
Taylor
Thomas
Happ
Russell
Wagner
Hummel
Should never be mentioned with an all-decade team again:
Craft
Murphy
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