Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker are already being recognized as some of the best in the Big Ten for the upcoming season.
The two Wisconsin men’s basketball forwards made the Big Ten Network’s Preseason All-Big Ten First Team, while a four-person panel picked Kaminsky as the Preseason Player of the Year in the Big Ten.
The Big Ten Network released their yearly preseason All-Big Ten teams Tuesday ahead of the start to the 2014-2015 season that’s just a few weeks away.
The seven-foot Kaminsky had a breakout season for the Badgers in 2013-2014, as he played an instrumental role in advancing the team to the Final Four.
Kaminsky was a consensus First Team All-Big Ten selection last season after averaging team-highs in points (13.9) and rebounds (6.3) per game. He also shot a team-high 52.8 percent from the field and added a 37.8 percent-mark from beyond the arc. His season was highlighted by a school-record 43 points against North Dakota Nov. 19.
A 2014 Second Team All-Big Ten selection, Dekker ranked third on the team in points per game (12.4) and second behind Kaminsky in rebounds per game (6.1) last season. He was selected as the MVP of the 2013 Cancun Challenge after recording his first career double-double in the championship game against West Virginia scoring 21 points with 12 rebounds.
Big things are expected from Dekker this season after he impressed in both the Kevin Durant and LeBron James Skills Academies this summer.
UW head coach Bo Ryan finished tied for second in Coach of the Year voting and sophomore forward Nigel Hayes was placed on one Third Team ballot.
The Big Ten Network’s Stephen Bardo, Tom Dienhart, Sean Merriman and Brent Yarina voted on the teams.
The Badgers will play in front of the public for the first time this season on Oct. 26 for the Red/White Scrimmage before starting the regular season against Northern Kentucky at the Kohl Center on Nov. 14.
