Ink on Indy
Fansided

Purdue’s A.J. Hammons Named to Preseason All-Big Ten

By Mathew Muncy

facebooktwitterreddit

Purdue Boilermakers senior A.J. Hammons the only member of the team to be named to the Preseason All-Big Ten team.

A.J. Hammons was announced as a unanimous selection to the preseason All-Big Ten team on Wednesday. The Purdue center, is the first Boilermaker to earn the recognition since Robbie Hummel in 2011-2012.

More from Purdue

Three other Big Ten players were voted in unanimously: Maryland guard

Melo Trimble

– also voted to be Big Ten Player of the Year – Michigan State forward

Denzel Valentine

, and Wisconsin forward

Nigel Hayes

.

Iowa forward Jarrod Uthoff, Michigan guard Caris LeVert, Indiana guards James Blackmon Jr. and Yogi Ferrel, Wisconsin guard Bronson Koenig and Maryland forward Jake Layman round out the rest of the preseason All-Big Ten team.

Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Hammons was named to the Second Team All-Big Ten team after his junior season. He averaged 11.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game last season; a bit down from his sophomore year thanks to 7-foot-2 Isaac Haas.

Despite his slight reduction in minutes, rebounds, and blocks, Hammons and Haas have formed a terrorizing duo under the basket that helped the Boilermakers climb out of the bottom of the Big Ten. Now they’ve added highly-touted freshman Caleb Swanigan – voted to share Big Ten Freshman of the Year award with Maryland center Diamond Stone – and return Vince Edwards who is considered a top wing in college basketball.

The Big Ten panel selected Purdue to finish third in the Big Ten – behind Maryland and Indiana.

With Hammons leading the way it’s hard to see the Boilermakers not winning the Big Ten for the first time since 2010. Maryland is a strong team and IU added some nice pieces, but Purdue handed IU two losses last season, including a 16-point beatdown when IU was ranked No. 22, and only lost to Maryland – who was No. 4 in the nation – by seven. Bringing back the majority of your core should get you closer than third in the Big Ten.

Either way the Boilermakers are trending in the right direction and they are ready for Hammons to put them on his back, a la Hummel style, and will them to at least a Final Four appearance this year.

Next: 5 Things to Know Before Purdue vs. Wisconsin

As always, follow me on Twitter and Facebook and be sure to check back for more Purdue coverage here at Ink On Indy!

More from Ink on Indy

Home/Purdue