With the 2025-26 season coming around the corner, the Big Ten released its All-Big Ten preseason first team, which ironically included 10 players. One of those was Wisconsin Badgers star John Blackwell, who was an All-Big Ten selection a season ago with a breakout season.
In 2024-25, Blackwell was the Robin to John Tonje’s Batman, averaging 15.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists, while shooting 45.1 percent from the field and 32.2 percent from there. That was a step up from his freshman season,
when Blackwell scored 8.0 points per game, while shooting 45.5 percent from deep in more of an off-ball role.
Here were the following players that made the list.
Bennett Stirtz, Iowa
Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan
Nick Martinelli, Northwestern
Bruce Thornton, Ohio State
Nate Bittle, Oregon
Jackson Shelstad, Oregon
Trey Kaufman-Renn, Purdue
Braden Smith, Purdue
Donovan Dent, UCLA
John Blackwell, Wisconsin
That’s quite the loaded list. Stirtz comes over to Iowa from Drake, following head coach Ben McCollum to the Big Ten. Stirtz helped Drake to an NCAA berth a season ago, averaging 19.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 5.7 assists, while shooting 49.8 percent from the field and 39.5 percent from three.
Lendeborg is another top-tier transfer coming to the Big Ten. A projected late first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Lendeborg forwent the draft to go to Michigan. The forward was a star at UAB last season, averaging 17.7 points and 11.4 rebounds per game last year, while shooting 52.2 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from three.
Martinelli and Thornton were the leaders for their respective teams in the Big Ten last season. While Northwestern and Ohio State weren’t great in the Big Ten last year, both players had good individual success and earned All-Big Ten honors.
The same goes for returners Nate Bittle and Jackson Shelstad for Oregon. Both were All-Big Ten second-teamers last year for a quality Ducks team behind head coach Dana Altman.
Trey Kaufman-Renn and Braden Smith were both All-Big Ten first-teamers last year, and they will both be in contention for the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2025-26.
Then, there’s UCLA point guard Donovan Dent, who was one of the best players in the country this past season at New Mexico, signing a massive NIL deal to join the Bruins.
All 10 players have a great shot to make the All-Big Ten first team this season, so it’s a high honor for Blackwell, who is expected to take another step and lead Wisconsin in 2025-26. Blackwell should be able to play more off the ball with Nick Boyd as a primary ball-handler, which should improve his shooting numbers.
But, he’ll also have the ball in his hands quite often and will look for more growth in those situations as well, both as a passer and a scorer. Regardless, the expectations for Blackwell are high this season, and his appearance on the preseason All-Big Ten first team should indicate that.
