Big Ten Basketball: Draymond Green Highlights Conference Award Selections

With its great play, the Big Ten has been a conference that has been hard to keep tabs on this season. Every team has had success in some form this year. 

With the regular season coming to a close and the B1G tournament starting on Thursday, it's time to see what the coaches and media thought of the season.

Here are the awards given out tonight. 

Player of the Year: Draymond Green

Draymond Green had a great season and was almost a surprise this year.

With Jared Sullinger and Jordan Taylor expected to run away with the honors, Green stepped up. He showed he is the elite player in the conference and should be recognized as one of the nation's best. Green averaged 16.7 points, 10.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists in conference while leading the Spartans to a share of the Big Ten title. 

It was more than his play on the court, though. Coach Tom Izzo regards him as one of the best leaders he has coached and another version of himself. 

First-Team All-Conference (Media)

Draymond Green, Michigan State

John Shurna, Northwestern

Jared Sullinger, Ohio State

Robbie Hummel, Purdue

Tim Frazier, Penn State

Overall these selections are right on. I'm not sure about Frazier yet due to the success of his team, but he is a great player with a lot of talent. 

First-Team All-Conference (Coaches)

Draymond Green, Michigan State

John Shurna, Northwestern

Jared Sullinger, Ohio State

Robbie Hummel, Purdue

Jordan Taylor, Wisconsin

Once again, this list is very good. Taylor had a fairly disappointing season, but he has found his role in the Badgers' offense. 

Second-Team All-Conference (Media)

Cody Zeller, Indiana

Matt Gatens, Iowa

Trey Burke, Michigan

William Buford, Ohio State

Jordan Taylor, Wisconsin

Second-Team All-Conference (Coaches)

Cody Zeller, Indiana

Trey Burke, Michigan

William Buford, Ohio State

Deshaun Thomas, Ohio State

Tim Frazier, Penn State

Third-Team All-Conference (Media)

Tim Hardaway Jr., Michigan

Keith Appling, Michigan State

Drew Crawford, Northwestern

Aaron Craft, Ohio State

Deshaun Thomas, Ohio State

Third-Team All-Conference (Coaches)

Brandon Paul, Illinois

Matt Gatens, Iowa

Tim Hardaway Jr., Michigan

Keith Appling, Michigan State

Drew Crawford, Northwestern

Honorable Mention (Media)

Meyers Leonard, Illinois

Brandon Paul, Illinois

Jordan Hulls, Indiana

Victor Oladipo, Indiana

Christian Watford, Indiana

Aaron White, Iowa

Zack Novak, Michigan

Branden Dawson, Michigan State

D.J. Byrd, Purdue

Lewis Jackson, Purdue

Jared Berggren, Wisconsin

Ryan Evans, Wisconsin

Honorable Mention (Coaches)

Meyers Leonard, Illinois

Christian Watford, Indiana

Aaron Craft, Ohio State

Lewis Jackson, Purdue

Jared Berggren, Wisconsin

Ryan Evans, Wisconsin

All-Freshman Team

Cody Zeller, Indiana

Aaron White, Iowa

Trey Burke, Michigan

Branden Dawson, Michigan State

Dave Sobolewski, Northwestern

Freshman of the Year (Media): Trey Burke

Trey Burke has had a great season. He stepped up to the hype, played great all season and was rewarded. 

In conference play, Burke shot 37 percent from beyond the arc, while averaging 15.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists. 

But although Burke had a great season, he didn't win the coaches' vote. 

Freshman of the Year (Coaches): Cody Zeller

Zeller came into Indiana with a lot on his shoulders, and he lived up to expectations.

This season, he changed the attitude of the Hoosiers, and Indiana will likely build off his success for many seasons. In conference play, Zeller averaged 15.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and a block per game. 

Zeller really should have been named unanimously for this award, but Burke did have a great season. It was up in the air, but I think the coaches got it right. 

All-Defensive Team

Victor Oladipo, Indiana

Draymond Green, Michigan State

Aaron Craft, Ohio State

Tim Frazier, Penn State

Josh Gasser, Wisconsin

Defensive Player of the Year: Aaron Craft

Widely regarded as one of the best defenders in the country, Aaron Craft backs it up on the court.

Once described as an "old soul," Craft certainty doesn't play like it. He is a fierce competitor who will stop at nothing to get a loose ball or fire up his team. 

Craft averages more than three steals per game and creates some fierce turnovers. He is not a player you want to come across, especially in the tournament. 

Sixth Man of the Year: D.J. Byrd

D.J. Byrd is having a great season. He was the center of attention following an off-the-court incident, but Byrd has been playing extremely well on the court. 

In conference play, Byrd is averaging 12.1 points and almost three rebounds per game, but he is really known for his three-point percentage (46.4 percent) in conference play. 

Coach of the Year: Tom Izzo

Tom Izzo was named Coach of the Year. He has led the Spartans to a conference championship after not even being ranked at the beginning of the season and has gotten the full potential out of this squad. 

Izzo did a great job this season. Tom Crean had to have been a close second in this one, but once again, I believe the right guy was given the award.