Don't look now, but the University of Wisconsin men's basketball team is getting some preseason attention. On the heels of picking up a No. 9 ranking in the preseason ESPN/USA Today coaches poll last week, the Badgers were lauded at the annual Big Ten media day in Chicago. Star forward Alando Tucker was tabbed preseason Player of the Year, and UW was picked to finish second in the league, only behind Ohio State.
"It's an honor, a great honor for me," a very gracious Tucker said of his selection as the league's preseason MVP, but he was quick to point out the importance of such preseason rankings. "We aren't going to win anything for being picked high now. We have to be there at the end of the year."
Also announced was the preseason all-conference team headed by Tucker, who was joined by Penn State forward Geary Claxton, Iowa guard Adam Haluska, Indiana forward D.J. White and the nation's most hyped freshman, Greg Oden of Ohio State.
Tucker took home the Big Ten league scoring title in 2005-06, averaging 20 points per game and being named first team all conference. It was clear that players and coaches around the league have been thoroughly impressed by Tucker and supported his selection as the conference's preseason Player of the Year.
"For three years, he has been solidly, consistently a great player," Minnesota head coach Dan Monson said. "You look at him at media day and you wonder, 'How is he so good?' Because he's not 240 pounds, he's not this ultra-strong player, he's not 6'8", but he's just so relentless the way he plays … The word to describe him is relentless."
"Now that he has a [better] shot, and as long as he continues to work hard, he's pretty much unstoppable," UW senior guard Kammron Taylor said.
Bringing back 12 players from last year's NCAA tournament squad (accounting for 90 percent of their scoring), Wisconsin was still picked to finish behind an Ohio State team that lost four starters, including the Big Ten Player of the Year Terence Dials.
"I'm shocked," Ohio State head coach Thad Matta said. "It's almost comical to me in that regard."
"Ohio State is relying on a lot of freshmen that were good in high school, but the Big Ten is tricky," Tucker said. "When they get there, with the physical play it takes a toll. It's going to be interesting to see how they react."
While Ohio State has been hyped since last season, when it was announced that Oden would head to Columbus as part of the nation's best recruiting class, many Big Ten coaches stated that Wisconsin could be the team to beat.
"I think Wisconsin is my pick," Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo said. "The best team by the end of the year might be Ohio State … but Wisconsin has the experience; they're well coached. They'd be my pick to win it right now."
The other mild surprise of media day was Oden being named to the preseason all-conference team, becoming the first freshman on record to be named to squad. He arrives on campus as perhaps the most hyped freshman in the history of college basketball, being openly discussed as the likely first overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft had the league not changed its rules to ban high school seniors from the draft.
"I think he's the best player in college basketball," Purdue head coach Matt Painter said. "He's unselfish, he's humble, he's huge, he's quick, he changes the game defensively … I think he's special; I think he's a special kid."
"Oden is a Magic Johnson. He's that special of a player," Izzo said.
Indiana's Roderick Wilmont might have explained the hype best.
"If he was going to be the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, he better be the best player in the conference," a smiling Wilmont chided.
Wisconsin begins its season this week with exhibition games against Carroll College this Wednesday and UW-Stout on Friday.
