Big Ten Basketball: My First Team All-American Starters

As we all know the Big Ten is one of the best — if not the best — conference in college basketball. It is a conference full of great pride and tradition but out of all the great teams and great players in the Big Ten, I have selected a group of kids I think should be first—team All—Americans. 

These players have the best basketball and leadership skills in the whole Big Ten Conference, in my opinion.

Point Guard: Demetri McCamey

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CHAMPAIGN, IL - NOVEMBER 30: Demetri McCamey #32 of the Illinois Fighting Illini puts up a shot in the lane against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the 2010 ACC/Big Ten Challenge at Assembly Hall on November 30, 2010 in Champaign, Illinois. Illinois d

McCamey is the heart and soul of the llinois men's basketball team.  He's leading the Big Ten in assists for the second straight year, he has a good shooting touch and great court vision. 

Basically, he has everything a point guard should have.

Shooting Guard: Talor Battle

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INDIANAPOLIS - MARCH 13: Talor Battle #12 of the Penn State Nittany Lions looks on against the Purdue Boilermakers during the second round of the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse on March 13, 2009 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Phot

For my shooting guard I have a great, quick, scorer in Talor Battle.  He has led his team from being winless in Big Ten games last year to wins over Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan State this year. 

They also came right down to the wire with Ohio State and Purdue.  Battle is one of the Big Ten's best scorers and such a great ball handler that I had to put him in this spot.

Small Forward: Jon Leuer

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JACKSONVILLE, FL - MARCH 21: Jon Leuer #30 of the Wisconsin Badgers shoots over Mark Coury #42 of the Cornell Big Red during the second round of the 2010 NCAA men's basketball tournament at Jacksonville Veteran's Memorial Arena on March 21, 2010 in Jacks

Leuer is my choice at small forward. He is a great shooter — one of the best in the Big Ten.  He creates his own shots and passes the ball quite well. 

Not only that, he averages 7.2 rebounds a game and is a lock down defender.  Another thing Leuer has is leadership and that's why I picked him and that's why he has led the Badgers to a great start of conference play.

Power Forward: John Shurna

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NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 20: John Shurna #24 of the Northwestern Wildcats loses the ball as he is fouled on a shot attempt by Dre Calloway #1 of the St. Francis Terriers during the Madison Square Garden Holiday Festival at Madison Square Garden on Decembe

John Shurna of Northwestern is my power forward.  Like Leuer, he is a great scorer and also a great leader.  He plays on an average college team but Northwestern is second in the Big Ten in points per game.  Shurna leads the team in points with 19.5 per game. 

Shurna has good fundamentals, he will guard your best player, make good choices, and plays at 100% all the time.  He is someone I would want everyone to play like and that's why I picked him.

Center: JaJaun Johnson

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MADISON, WI - JANUARY 27: JaJuan Johnson #25 of the Purdue Boilermakers leaps to pull down a rebound against Jason Bohannon #12 of the Wisconsin Badgers at the Kohl Center January 27, 2009 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

JaJaun Johnson rounds out my team at center.  He is a pure physical player, one of the best in the conference.  He leads the Big Ten in points 20.5 per game.  He is in the top five in rebounds with 8.1 per game.  He also leads the conference in blocks with 2.3 per game.  There is not much else to say. The stats speak for themselves.