Big Ten Conference has handed major individual awards and the most notable omission is Wisconsin Badgers’ John Blackwell.
The Badgers have John Tonje as representative for the Big Ten First Team this season. He joined Maryland Terrapins, Derik Queen, Nebraska Cornhuskers’ Brice Williams, and Purdue Boilermakers, Trey Kaufman-Renn and Braden Smith.
Blackwell is the second best player in Wisconsin in this season where they won big games against the nation’s top team.
That, however, is enough just for an honorable mention. Fans are not contented.
Blackwell himself thought he could have gotten an All-Team recognition, just like in first year. He continues to be denied and now, he said he will just use this a a motivation.
“Fuel to the fire,” he said in front of reporters on Tuesday.
“I feel like I got snubbed last year, the same way. So, I’m fine with it because I’m in. I’ll just keep working, keep getting better. I’ve been underrated and down my whole life. So, it’s nothing new.”
Blackwell eight points in the 2023-2024 season. He almost doubles it this 2024-2025 season with his 15.6 per game production. His minutes went up and almost all of his stats got better, too.
Max Klesmit sympathize with John Blackwell
Purdue are two spots below Wisconsin in the standings but they managed to have two players in the first team. Badgers even beat them by 10 points last February 15.
Fans are in consensus to say that it is travesty that Blackwell was not even considered in second or third team.
His senior teammate Max Klesmit has the same sentiment.
“I mean, I just don’t know how many sophomore guards – I mean, I don’t want to say sophomore, but – younger guards have a point guard that left last year that was ball dominant for us and ran most of the show for us. And that was big shoes for JB to fill. And I think he did everything and then some.” Klesmit said.
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