Big Ten Basketball: Carsen Edwards, Ethan Happ lead early Player of the Year race

1. Ethan Happ – Wisconsin

Ethan Happ is Wisconsin basketball of the last 4 years. When compiling a list of the best players in the Big Ten it is hard to compile the list without including the leagues best player. Through one month of the season the conference player of the year race may be over. Happ is dismantling the league with his play and Wisconsin is looking like a legitimate NCAA tournament contender. The difference between this years team and last years Badger team is the supporting cast that Happ has around him.

The senior big man, as previously mentioned has been having a tremendous season. Happ has a triple double to his name already this year and is a double-double waiting to happen. The big man does have some limitations to his game, but the things he does do well he is great at. Happ is one the true back to the basket post players in the country, and when he gets the ball in the paint it is almost always two points. Happ makes a living in the paint, and is a fantastic passer for a big man. Teams who choose to double cover Happ, are going to get beat by the other players on the Badgers roster.

The senior is not a good shooter and is not good from the free throw line either. These limitations lead some to believe that Happ may be slightly overrated, he just brings a different aspect to the game of the basketball. What makes the senior so much different is that he is played an old school game, in an era of the game that rejects that style of play.

Many coaches and players do not know how to defend that style of play, and many have not seen a player as skilled within his own skillset as Happ. The big man does not appear to be slowing down any time soon, because of that this race for the player of the year race may already be wrapped up.