Wisconsin snubbed with zero players on Preseason All-Big Ten Team

Ultimately, their 2024-25 roster has a lot of unknowns.

Mar 17, 2024; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Wisconsin Badgers forward Steven Crowl (22) reacts in the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The Big Ten released its Preseason All-Conference Team on Tuesday and Wisconsin is one of eight teams in the new 18-team conference without a player recognized.

Preseason All-Big Ten Team:

Oumar Ballo, Indiana
Payton Sandfort, Iowa
Dawson Garcia, Minnesota
Brooks Barnhizer, Northwestern
Bruce Thornton, Ohio State
Jackson Shelstad, Oregon
Ace Baldwin Jr., Penn State
Braden Smith, Purdue
Dylan Harper, Rutgers
Great Osobor, Washington

— John Fanta (@John_Fanta) October 1, 2024

Wisconsin had a tumultuous offseason with A.J. Storr and Chucky Hepburn entering the transfer portal to head elsewhere and Tyler Wahl off to professional basketball. Ultimately, their 2024-25 roster has a lot of unknowns.

If there is any Wisconsin player to have any realistic argument for being named Preseason All-Conference, it's veteran Steven Crowl. He averaged 11.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game last season while shooting 55.6% from the field.

Incoming transfers Camren Hunter and Xavier Amos simply have not proved that they will be high-end Big Ten talents, coming from the Atlantic Sun Conference and the Mid-American Conference (MAC), respectively.

Returning players such as Max Klesmit and John Blackwell have the opportunity to take a major leap and perform at an all-conference level, but neither has averaged more than 10 points in the conference.

If anything, Wisconsin's omission proves that they will be a more balanced team in 2024-25 with no dominant star. Now whether that's a good or bad thing is up for debate...