Big East Basketball: Three reactions to all-conference team selections

Depth and the future

I was impressed at the number of teams with players receiving honors this season. Every team besides bottom-feeder DePaul has a representative, which is not surprising based on the overall quality of the league. There is a wealth of talent across the conference, with plenty of other deserving players who may have earned a spot in other years (Hauser, Jessie Govan, Max Strus, Kamar Baldwin, Donte DiVincenzo, etc.)

Going forward, plenty of these players will have the opportunity to prove themselves worthy of recognition. Bluiett, Martin, and Foster are graduating seniors, and while Brunson and Bridges have another year of eligibility at Villanova, most prognosticators expect them to turn pro.

On the second team, Seton Hall’s Rodriguez and Delgado are both seniors and Creighton‘s Thomas is a likely first-round NBA draft pick come June. Honorable mentions Rowsey and Cartwright will also be moving on after graduation. Only Ponds, Howard, and Derrickson are expected to return to their respective campuses next year, meaning nearly the entire conference is up for grabs.

Next: 2018 National POY Rankings

Much of the old guard is heading to greener pastures; its time for the fresh blood to step up. The 2018-19 season will begin another era of Big East basketball, and the conference standings and all-conference teams will certainly see quite the shake-up.