Wisconsin Badgers Football All-Decade Team

This was one of, if not the, best decade in the history of Wisconsin football. During the decade, Wisconsin made a New Year's bowl in eight of the 10 seasons (I count the Orange as a NYD bowl). In those, the Badgers made four Rose Bowls and their first ever appearance in the Cotton and Orange Bowls. Here is my All-Decade team for the Wisconsin Badgers football team.

Quarterbacks: Russell Wilson, Scott Tolzien, Joel Stave

The starting quarterback is a given. Quite simply, Russell Wilson is the greatest quarterback in the history of Wisconsin football. Even though he was only in Madison a single season, finished with the most passing yards and passing touchdowns, not to mention he led the team to the Rose Bowl. His 33 touchdown passes  ranks tied for seventh in program history, even though he played at Wisconsin the one year. His quarterback rating was tops in NCAA history at the time of graduation for a single season. Russell was so incredible that he had to have the top spot.

As mentioned at the open, Wisconsin went to four Rose Bowls, an Orange Bowl and a Cotton Bowl during the decade. One of the most interesting things about that is the fact that every single one of those bowls was started by a different quarterback. It was tough to pick Wilson's backups, but I settled on Scott Tolzien and Joel Stave. Funny thing is, Stave never started any of those major bowls I mentioned. However, he does have the most wins as a quarterback in school history and led the team to some big wins. It was a toss-up between him and Alex Hornibrook. Scott Tolzien was super efficient and never got rattled. His single-season completion percentage of 73 in 2010 is the best in school history, just over Wilson's 2011 season. Like Wilson, Scotty T also led the Badgers a Big Ten championship and a trip to Pasadena.

Running Backs: Jonathan Taylor, Melvin Gordon, Montee Ball

You know you are stacked when you have to leave off such great players as John Clay and James White. Not only are these three great Wisconsin backs, but three of the best running backs in college football history. I chose Jonathan Taylor as the starter. He had the best three-year career of any running back ever. If he would have stayed for his senior season, he would have destroyed Ron Dayne's career rushing record. His 6,174 yards on the ground is second in school history and he holds three of the top six single-season rushing yardage totals in Badgers history. His best performance came at Purdue as a sophomore when he ran for 321 yards and the game-winning touchdown in a triple overtime victory. Simply put, JT23 was one of the best running backs of all-time.

Melvin Gordon shared time with Montee Ball and James White during his time in Madison, but as a junior, he was the main guy and embarked on one of the best seasons a running back has ever had. In his final season, he rushed for a whopping 2,587 yards, which is the second most in NCAA history. In that season, he rushed for an incredible 408 yards in just three quarters against Nebraska. His 26-yard touchdown to end the third quarter also ended his day as the Badgers blew out Nebraska 59-24. That was the NCAA record.....for one week. He capped off his stellar career with an Outback Bowl-record 251 yards in an overtime victory against Auburn. He would be the starter in virtually every other school, but he was outdueled by JT here, as did Montee Ball. Taylor was actually the one one out of the three who was not a Heisman finalist, as Ball finished fourth in 2011 and Gordon finished second in 2014. As a junior, Montee scored 39 touchdowns, which is tied for the school record, and as a senior, he broke the NCAA rushing touchdowns record. At the time Melvin broke the single-game record, former Badgers held the rushing yardage, rushing touchdowns record and single-game rushing record. Not bad.

Fullbacks: Derek Watt, Bradie Ewing

Wisconsin has had some great fullbacks over the years. I didn't even include Alec Ingold in this, and he has done well with the Las Vegas Raiders. Derek Watt opened holes for Melvin Gordon, helping No. 25 have one of the greatest rushing seasons in college football history. Watt also had more than 300 yards receiving in college too, showing that he is a well-rounded fullback. Ewing was the fullback at the beginning of the decade. He led John Clay, Montee Ball and James White to big years in 2010 and 2011. In 2010, Ewing paved the way for the Badgers running backs to run for nearly 3,200 yards with Wisconsin nearly becoming the first team in college football history to have three running backs rush for more than 1,000 yards. In 2011, the rushing attack did even better, gaining nearly 3,300 yards on the ground. The offensive line was really good, but so was the fullback. Ewing had a lot to do with the ground attack.

Wide Receivers: Jared Abbrederis, Quintez Cephus, Alex Erickson, Nick Toon, Jazz Peavy

For a running offense, Wisconsin has produced some really good wide receivers this past decade. Jared Abbrederis was one of the best receivers in school history. Abbrederis is tied with Brandon Williams for most receptions in school history (202) and second in receiving yards, only behind the great Lee Evans. In 2013, he was the only receiver teams had to key on, but he still caught 78 balls for 1,081 yards and seven scores. Quintez Cephus was on the verge of coming on as a sophomore, as he caught 30 passes for 501 yards in 9+ games before missing the final four games with injury. After missing a year due to a sexual assault trial, he had 901 yards receiving and seven scores. In the Big Ten Championship against one of the best secondaries in the country, Cephus caught seven passes for 122 yards in the 34-21 loss to Ohio State.

Alex Erickson is one of the more underrated wide receivers in program history. As a senior, he nearly had 1,000 yards receiving (978), the sixth most in school history for a single season. That came after a season in 2014 where he had 772 yards receiving, having to fill the shoes of Abby, who was drafted by the Green Bay Packers. Nick Toon had a really nice sophomore campaign and an even better senior one. His 10 touchdown grabs is the second-most in program history, only to Lee Evans' 13 in 2003. He did one better than his father in his best TD season, as Al Toon caught nine in 1983. In addition to his 10 touchdowns, he had 926 yards receiving, Jazz Peavy was on the verge of breaking out as a junior. He had 953 total yards from scrimmage and six touchdowns, including a touchdown grab against Ohio State. Although he didn't have 1,000 career receiving yards, I feel comfortable putting him on this team because he was a really solid wide receiver, both catching the ball and as a weapon on jet sweeps.

Tight Ends: Troy Fumagalli, Lance Kendricks, Jacob Pedersen

Fumagalli was a solid receiving option for the Badgers and the top option in 2016 and 2017. Arguably his best game came against Western Michigan in the 2017 Cotton Bowl when he hauled in six passes for 83 yards and a touchdown. In the season opener against LSU that year, he caught seven passes for 100 yards in the 16-14 upset win. He was also a good blocker for Corey Clement.

Lance Kendricks only was at Wisconsin for one season, but the former wide receiver showed his receiving skills. As a senior, he caught 43 passes for 663 yards and five touchdowns, including a nice grab in the end zone in the regular season finale against Northwestern. As a sophomore in 2011, Jacob Pedersen caught 30 passes and eight of them went for scores. Overall, he caught 17 touchdowns, which is seventh in school history. He had 551 yards receiving in his senior season, which was second on the team to Jared Abbrederis.

Offensive Tackles: Gabe Carimi, Ryan Ramczyk, Rob Havenstein, Rick Wagner

Gabe Carimi and Ryan Ramczyk only played one year for the Badgers this decade, but they both made the most of that season. Carimi is the last Outland Trophy Award winner from the program, given to the country's most outstanding lineman. Winning the Outland Trophy, he was also named First Team All-Conference and unanimous First Team All-American, as well as winning the Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year. A lot of hardware in that one year. In that year, he paved the way for John Clay, James White and Montee Ball to run roughshod over the conference. Ball came up just four yards short of being the first trio of running backs from one team to run for 1,000 yards in a single season. Ramczyk was a walk-on who came out of nowhere to dominate the Big Ten. Ryan was a First Team All-Americans and All-Big Ten selection. He helped Corey Clement run for 1,375 yards and 15 scores.

Rob Havenstein had a great career at Wisconsin, which ended after a 2014 season in which he paved the way for Melvin Gordon to rush for more than 2,500 yards, which is the second-most rushing yards ever. For his efforts, he was named First Team All-Big Ten and First Team All-American. For that, he was drafted by Rams early in the 2015 NFL Draft. Wagner was an All-Big Ten selection every year from 2010-12, as he was honorable mention as a junior and senior before being named to the first team in 2012. In his senior season, he paved the way for Montee Ball to rush for 1,833 yards and 22 touchdowns en route to winning the Doak Walker Award.

Offensive Guards: Kevin Zeitler, Michael Deiter, Beau Benzschawel, John Moffitt

It is no secret that the Wisconsin Badgers have been loaded at offensive line this past decade. Both the starters on this list, Kevin Zeitler and Michael Deiter just earning a spot on the Big Ten Network's All-Decade team, with the latter earning first team honors. Deiter was a really good lineman at multiple positions. He played all along the offensive line and earned First Team All-Big Ten honors as a junior at left tackle and then again as a guard as a senior, which also earned him a First Team All-American selection and the Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year award. Zeitler played two years in the decade and helped create openings for Montee Ball, John Clay and James White to run through, averaging well over 3,000 yards on the ground in those two seasons. In 2011, Zeitler was named First Team All-Big Ten and First Team All-American.

Most of the time being a two-time First Team All-Big Ten selection would make you a shoo-in for a starting spot on the program All-Decade team, but that just goes to show you how dominant the Wisconsin offensive lines were. Benzschawel started as a freshman in 2015 and every year from his sophomore year on, he was an All-Big Ten pick. In 2016, he made the second team and he made the first team in 2017 and 2018. It was tough to leave him off as a starter, but he still gets a much-deserved spot on the team. Moffitt was also a two-time selection on the First Team All-Big Ten team, but only one of them was in this past decade. Wisconsin rushed for more than 3,000 yards as a team in 2010 and James White, Montee Ball and John Clay almost all had 1,000 yards, which would have been the first time in NCAA history that three running backs from the same school all ran for 1,000 yards in the same season.

Centers: Travis Frederick, Tyler Biadasz

Before he became one of the best centers in the NFL, Travis Frederick was dominating for Wisconsin. He played guard in his redshirt sophomore season before moving to guard to replace Peter Konz. All he did was anchor an offensive line that helped the Badgers dominate on the ground, especially in the Big Ten Championship against Nebraska. For his efforts, he was named First Team All-American by Pro Football Weekly.

Tyler Biadasz was a really good lineman right from the start in Madison, starting from day one. As a freshman, he earned Third Team All-Big Ten honors. In his last two years, he was named First Team All-Big Ten, as well as being named unanimous All-American and the Rimington Award winner in 2019, given to the nation's top center. His three years playing were also the same as record-breaking running back Jonathan Taylor, and that's not a coincidence.

Defensive Ends: J.J. Watt, Alec James, Louis Nzegwu, Conor Sheehy

J.J. Watt is another one of those players who were only in the decade for one year, but he had such a great year that he was named to the Big Ten Network's All-Decade team. After a solid sophomore season, Watt had a fantastic junior season in 2010. J.J. had 21 tackles for loss and seven sacks. He had three tackles for loss and two sacks in the big win over Ohio State. Watt was named First Team All-Big Ten, First Team All-American and was named the Lott IMPACT Trophy. Alec James was very solid for the Badgers who finished with 11 sacks in his career, including 6.5 as a senior in 2017, He was incredibly under-rated and the pass rushers couldn't get much pressure on the quarterback without him in 2018.

Like James, Louis Nzegwu also had 11 career sacks. He spread them out in his final three years. As a senior, he had 4.5 sacks and had a fumble recovery for a touchdown in the Rose Bowl against Oregon. In 2010, he had four passes defensed. With James, Sheehy was also super underrated. He didn't put up huge numbers With them, the pass rushers made hay. Without them, the pass rushing struggled in 2018, not to mention they went from a great run stopping team to a less than stellar on. That just goes to show you the impact they had, even if they didn't put up flashy numbers. James and Sheehy deserve to be on this list.

Nose Tackles: Beau Allen, Warren Herring, Olive Sagapolu

Beau Allen was a great run stuffer for the Badgers and was a key component as the nose tackle when Wisconsin transitioned from the 4-3 to the 3-4 when Dave Aranda came in with Gary Andersen. Wisconsin became a really good defense with Beau being one of the key contributors. He is obviously not going to put up huge numbers, but he did put up 9.5 tackles for loss his final two seasons for the Badgers.

The reserves I have are Warren Herring and Olive Sagapolu. Herring was a solid run stuffer and was a key part of the Badgers good defense in 2014. In 2013, he had six tackles for loss from the nose tackle position. Following the graduation of Herring, Sagapolu took the nose tackle baton and ran with it. Despite being a nose tackle, he brought down opposing quarterbacks five times in his last two seasons and had eight tackles for loss. He was an integral piece of the defense in 2017 that was one of the best units in college football.

EDGEs: Joe Schobert, T.J. Watt, Zack Baun, Vince Biegel, Andrew Van Ginkel

The linebackers are the best and deepest group on the All-Decade team. After Dave Aranda came over and implemented the 3-4, the edge rushers have been the biggest part of the defense. The starters here are Joe Schobert and T.J. Watt. Both came on when given the opportunity. In 2014, Joe the Show had 11 tackles for loss and two sacks, which set the stage for his monster senior season. In 2015, he had 9.5 sacks and a whopping 20 tackles for loss. For his efforts, he was named First Team All-Big Ten, First Team All-American and was named Big Ten Linebacker of the Year. In the Big Ten opener in 2015 against Iowa, he was the best player on the field. Schobert tallied eight tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. After not playing much as a sophomore, Watt came on in a big way in 2017. As part of one of the best defenses in America, he had 11.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss, not to mention a pick six against Purdue. He was named First Team All-Big Ten and Second Team All-American.

It was tough to choose reserves since there were a number of choices. Zack Baun had a decent junior season, but turned it up a notch as a senior. As part of arguably the best core of linebackers in the country, Baun had 12.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss. Like T.J. Watt, Baun also had a pick six, which he had in the 38-0 blowout of Michigan State. Biegel was a three-year starter who had a good career for the Badgers. His 20.5 sacks rank in the top 10 in Wisconsin history. In the three years he was a starter, he was named to Second Team All-Big twice and to the third team once. Biegel was a consistent performer who was often overlooked by other pass rushers, namely Watt and Schobert. Andrew Van Ginkel had 12 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss in his two-year Wisconsin career and had a pick six in the 2017 Big Ten Championship against Ohio State.

Inside Linebackers: Chris Borland, T.J. Edwards, Chris Orr, Jack Cichy, Ryan Connelly

While the pass rushers were really good, they might not even be better than the inside linebackers of the past decade from Wisconsin. Chris Borland and T.J. Edwards are two of the best linebackers to ever don the cardinal and white. Borland was recently named to the All-Decade First Team by the Big Ten Network. He had more than 100 tackles in each of his final three seasons, including 143 in 2011, which included 19 tackles for loss. In that 2011 season, he also picked off two passes and registered five passes defensed. His 420 tackles ranks sixth in school history and his 17 sacks are tied for 10th. His accolades speak for themselves: Three-time All-Big Ten First Team selection and an All-American, Big Ten Linebacker of the Year and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year pick in 2013. Despite being a linebacker, Edwards had a knack for intercepting passes. His 10 career interceptions is tied for seventh in school history and his 367 tackles ranks ninth. T.J. even had a pick six his senior season against Maryland. Another one of those picks was against Western Michigan in the 2017 Cotton Bowl, intercepting WMU's Zach Terrell deep in Broncos territory, setting up the Badgers for the eventual winning score. For that and his 10 tackles, he was named Cotton Bowl MVP. He was named First Team All-Big Ten as a junior and senior and First Team All-American as a senior in 2018.

The reserves would start on a lot of teams. Chris Orr had an incredible senior season, sacking opposing quarterbacks 11.5 times. That helped him earn Second Team All-Big Ten honors. One of his biggest plays came in Lincoln in 2017 when he ran back a pick six to get the Badgers on the board first. Orr was an impact player who made a difference from day one. Jack Cichy announced to the world what is his name was at the bowl game his sophomore season. The former walk-on sacked USC quarterback Cody Kessler on three consecutive plays to thwart the USC momentum and lead the Badgers to victory in the Holiday Bowl. Despite missing the first half due to a targeting foul in the regular season finale against Minnesota, Cichy was named the Defensive MVP of the game. He only played in 20 games at Wisconsin, but he made his presence felt deserves to be on this team. Orr got hurt on the first defensive play against LSU in 2016 and missed the rest of the season. Ryan Connelly filled the spot left by Orr and took the spot and ran with it. He made one of the biggest plays of that LSU game, bringing down Leonard Fournette short of the first down in the fourth quarter, setting up the game-winning drive by the Badgers. Connelly was consistant and formed a great tandem with Edwards in the middle of the defense. He had 29 career tackles for loss. Connelly was named Third Team All-Big Ten as a senior.

Cornerbacks: Nick Nelson, Sojourn Shelton, Antonio Fenelus, Derrick Tindal, Darius Hillary

Nick Nelson only played one season in Madison, but it was one of the finest seasons a cornerback has played with the Badgers. While he did not pick off any passes, he had 21 passes defensed for a one of the best defenses in America. For his performance, he was named First Team All-Big Ten and Second Team CBS Sports All-American. Sojourn Shelton was a four-year starter in Madison who raised eyebrows with four interceptions as a freshman in 2013. He did not have another one until the Holiday Bowl when he picked off Cody Kessler late in the game to preserve a 23-21 Badgers victory. As a senior in 2016, he picked off four more passes, including two huge interceptions in the second half of a comeback victory on Senior Day against Minnesota. He was named First Team All-Big Ten that season.

Antonio Fenelus was a First Team All-Big Ten media selection in both 2010 and 2011, as he picked four passes each season and 12 passes defensed as well. One of those Fenelus picks was brought back to the house to cement a 34-13 win in 2010 at Purdue. Derrick Tindal was one of the corners on great defenses in 2016 with Shelton and then 2017 with Nelson playing opposite of him. He made five interceptions in his career, but his biggest one may have been his last when he intercepted Malik Rosier in the end zone to preserve a Wisconsin lead. Darius Hillary was a rock-solid cornerback during his time in Madison, forming a good cornerback duo with fellow All-Decade pick Sojourn Shelton. Hillary picked off one pass during his Wisconsin career and had 12 passes defensed, helping him earn All-Big Ten Honorable Mention.

Safeties: Aaron Henry, D'Cota Dixon, Michael Caputo, Natrell Jamerson

Aaron Henry began as a cornerback, but transitioned to safety after missing the entire 2008 season due to injury. He was a big part of a defense that made the Rose Bowl in 2010 and 2011. Henry had a knack for the ball, intercepting two passes in 2010 and four more in 2011. When the ball was in his hands after a turnover, he knew what to do with it, bringing both of his interceptions back to the house in 2010 against Indiana and Northwestern. He also recovered three fumbles in 2010, bringing one of them back for a score as well. He made the Coaches Second Team All-Big Ten in 2010 and First Team in 2011. D'Cota Dixon was a strong force in the back of the defense for the Badgers in 2016 and 2017. His best year came as a sophomore in 2016 when he intercepted four passes and four passes defensed. Dixon cemented two of the biggest wins of the season with big plays, picking off LSU's Brandon Harris in the closing minute to knock off No. 5 LSU at Lambeau Field, and knocking away a fourth down pass to preserve an overtime victory against Nebraska. In 2017, he was a leader of one of the best defenses in the country.

In speaking of leaders, Michael Caputo was one of those great leaders of the secondary in the middle of the decade. In 2014, he finished with more than 100 tackles, leading a solid Wisconsin defense and picked off two passes in 2015 for a defense that was the best defense in the country in points allowed. Caputo was a consensus Second Team All-Big Ten in both 2014 and 2015 and a FWAA Second Team All-American in 2014. Like Henry, Natrell Jamerson also switched from corner to safety and thrived. In his season at safety, he made 51 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Jamerson also picked off two passes, including returning one back to the house against Northwestern. With Leo Musso graduating, Jamerson stepped in at safety and the defense didn't skip a beat....and perhaps got even better.


Kicker: Rafael Gaglianone

Rafael Gaglianone is one of the best kickers in the history of Wisconsin football. In his first attempt as a freshman, he nailed a 51-yarder against LSU. Not a bad way to start your career. His 76 percent accuracy in field goals are fifth in school history and he has the second and third best percentage in a single season. Gags' 216 extra points made are the most in school history. The highlight of his career came at Lambeau Field in September 2016 when he drilled a 47-yard field goal with less than two minutes to play to give the Badgers the 16-14 win against No. 5 LSU. Earlier in the summer, he lost good friends Mike Sadler and Sam Foltz, and he hit the winner in the first game following their deaths. He was named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week along with National Special Teams Player of the Week. Gags was named to the Freshman All-Big Ten team in 2014, Second Team All-Big Ten in 2017 and Honorable Mention All-Big Ten in 2014 and 2018.

Punter: Brad Nortman

Brad Nortman was a good punter for the Badgers in the early part of the decade. Nortman had a career punting average of 42.1 yards per punt, which is the third best in the history of the program. The punting was so rough following the departure of Nortman that Gary Andersen decided to randomly sometimes use backup quarterbacks as the punter. One of his best moments is the fake punt against Iowa to help prolong a drive that Wisconsin scored on to win the game 31-30. He was an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten punter with the Badgers. His 8,383 career punting yards ranks fourth in school history and his 199 punts checks in at fifth all-time.

Kick Returner: Aron Cruickshank

Aron Cruickshank wasn't on Wisconsin for long, but he made a huge impact as a kick returner in the limited time in Madison. Last season, he returned 23 kickoffs for 674 yards, including two back to the house against Nebraska and Oregon. In both games, the Badgers opponents took a 7-0 lead before Aron took the ensuing kickoff back for a score to turn the tide in the game. For his efforts, he was named Second Team All-Big Ten as a return specialist.

Punt Returner: Kenzel Doe

Kenzel Doe was a really solid punt returner for the Badgers. In his career, he returned 49 punts for an average of nearly 10 yards per return. Doe returned one punt to the house, a game-changing touchdown against Utah State in 2012, cutting it to a 14-10 game, a contest in which the Badgers won 16-14. In addition to bringing a punt back for a score, he also returned a kickoff back as well, which he did in the 2014 Capital One Bowl against South Carolina. Doe was an all-around really good return man.

Head Coach: Paul Chryst
Player of the Decade: Jonathan Taylor

Minnesota Timberwolves All-Decade Team

This decade saw the Wolves make their first playoff appearance since 2004. There were some tough calls here at certain positions, but here is my All-Decade team for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Point Guards: Ricky Rubio, Jeff Teague, Luke Ridnour

Ricky Rubio is a given. I would argue that no one did more to rejuvenate the fan base than him. Not even Kevin Love or KAT. There aren't many better passers in the NBA than Ricky. He was drafted in 2009, but couldn't get out of his contract overseas and stayed there for two seasons. When he came over to Minnesota, the Wolves were coming off a 17-65 season. When he suited up for Minnesota, he was instantly a fan favorite. In his very first game, he scored six points, grabbed five rebounds and dished out six assists in 26 minutes, and the Wolves nearly beat one of the best teams in the league, the Oklahoma City Thunder. Minnesota was primed to make its first playoff appearance in eight seasons, but Rubio tore his ACL colliding with the late, great Kobe Bryant, and the season fell apart. Minnesota won 40 games in 2013-14 with him as the lead man, the most wins in several seasons. He average more than 10 points a game and averaged 8.5 assists per contest. He also had more than two steals a game in four of his six seasons with the Wolves. Even more than his stats, he gave the Timberwolves hope. He lifted up a fan base that was starving for something to cheer about.

The guy who led the Wolves to their first playoff appearance in more than a decade was Jeff Teague, whom they signed in free agency. In his 2+ seasons in Minnesota, he averaged 13.4 points per game and 7.1 assists. He also had two and a half steals per contest. In the Wolves one win in the playoffs in game three against Houston, Teague scored 23 on 9-of-14 shooting in the 121-105 win. He also dished out eight assists. As the starting point guard on the playoff team, he deserved to be on the list and his tenure should be looked at fondly by Minnesota fans.

Luke Ridnour was a consistent player for the Wolves during the early part of the decade. Ridnour's three seasons in Minnesota were the best in his career. The former Oregon standout averaged 11.7 points and 4.6 assists per game in Minneapolis, shooting 45 percent from the floor. In his first season with the Wolves, Teague shot 44 percent from deep and he shot a respectable 36 percent during his tenure with Minnesota. One of his better moments was his game-winning floater to beat Utah in 2012. He was a solid player for the Wolves and earned a spot as one of the reserves on this All-Decade team.

Shooting Guards: Andrew Wiggins, Zach Lavine, Kevin Martin

Andrew Wiggins was one of the most polarizing players on the Timberwolves throughout his time there. He has all the talent in the world and headlined the trade that sent All-Star Kevin Love to Cleveland. In his five-plus years with Minnesota, he averaged 19.7 points per game, which ranks second in Wolves history. Andrew was a good player for the Wolves, but it never seemed like he reached his full potential in the Twin Cities. He was a scorer, but never averaged five rebounds or three assists in any full season in Minneapolis, and that bothered people. Wiggins helped lead the Wolves to a playoff appearance in 2017-18 and hit the clinching free throws to ice the playoff appearance in the regular season finale against Denver. Wiggins was a good player for the team and deserves to be the starter on this team. It will be interesting to see how he does in Golden State when he gets to play with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green next season.

The reserve shooting guard is also an easy choice. Zach LaVine was online with the Wolves for three years, but he made the most of it, improving his scoring each year and give the fans a show with his dunking ability. He also was a great shooter. In his final season in Minnesota, he averaged nearly 19 points per game. Not only did his scoring improve, but his shooting did too. After shooting 34 percent from deep as a rookie, he shot nearly 39 percent in his second and third years. In his final season with Minnesota, he shot nearly 46 percent overall. He was a budding star in Minnesota before being traded to Chicago in a package to acquire Jimmy Butler. LaVine is showing that he was on the verge of becoming a star, as he averaged 25.5 points per game this season for the Bulls.

The last shooting guard is one of the best free agent signings in Wolves history. I know, that isn't saying much. In his first two seasons in Minneapolis, he averaged at least 19 points per game. He brought much-needed long range shooting to a team in dire need of some. In his two full seasons with Minnesota, he shot at least 38 percent from deep. K-Mart helped the Wolves to 40 wins, which was the most number of wins by the franchise since 2005. They also hadn't had more than 31 wins in a season since 2006-07 prior to 2013-14. Martin was a big free agent signing and they had a nice season, despite the losing record.

Small Forwards: Jimmy Butler, Corey Brewer, Robert Covington

When Jimmy Butler was traded for, Minnesota fans were as pumped as ever for a season to begin. He helped lead the Wolves to the playoffs for the first time in 14 years, and would have been a higher seed had Jimmy not gotten hurt and had to miss a few weeks. In his one full season with Minnesota, he averaged 22.2 points per game, the second most in his career. He also averaged 5.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game. A lot will be made about how he left and the manner in which he left, but he still was a major factor in the season where the Wolves made the playoffs. Butler was only on the team for one full season, but he absolutely deserves to be starting on the Wolves All-Decade team.

Corey Brewer had multiple short stints with the Timberwolves throughout this decade. He was one of the most consistent things about the team in the early part of the decade. In a two-point win in 2014, Brewer scored a career-high 51 points, which was tied for the best mark in franchise history to that point. That season he averaged 12.3 points per game, which was second to his 13 in 2009-10. He was never a big scorer, but he did what he was capable of and did them well. Corey was the energizer bunny and he is needed on this team.

Like Jimmy Butler, Robert Covington was not in Minneapolis long. That is ironic consider Covington cane over in the deal from Philadelphia for Butler. He only played 70 games with the Wolves, but he proved he is a worthy player to have on this list. In addition to playing terrific defense, he averaged more than 13 points per game in his short stint in the North Star State. He averaged 1.9 steals per game, which is the most he has had with any team. Covington also averaged a block a game with the Wolves and had a respectable 35.4 percent shooting from 3-point land, which was one of the best on the team. Solid offense and great defense made him a really solid player for the Timberwolves and a prime candidate to be on this team.

Power Forwards: Kevin Love, Al Jefferson, Taj Gibson

Love is one of the slam dunks on this list, along with KAT, Wiggins and Rubio. When he was in Minnesota, he was one of the best power forwards in the NBA, and one of the best rebounders in recent memory. His passing ability reminded many people of Vlade Divac. With the Wolves, he was a three-time All-Star and averaged 19.2 points per game, including three seasons in which he averaged more than 20 points per. Of those seasons, he averaged at least 26 points per contest twice. Not only did he score, but he averaged more than 12 points per during his time with the Wolves. During the 2010-11 season, Love averaged more than 15 rebounds per game. During his time in Minnesota, he had a lengthy double-double streak and also had a 30-30 game in a win against New York. When Minnesota was a disaster in the early part of the decade, Kevin Love was a reason people actually paid attention to them. He is easily one of the best players in the history of the franchise and is without question the starter on this list.

He barely played with the Wolves in this decade, but he still deserves a spot on this list. He deserves to be considered one of the 5-6 players in Timberwolves history. He wasn't great, but very solid. In his three seasons with Minnesota, he averaged 20.1 points per game, including 17.1 per game in the season this past decade. He had at least 21/11 the previous two years in Minnesota, and while his numbers dipped a bit his final season in Minnesota, he still put up really solid numbers of 17 points and nine rebounds. Even though he was with the team in some rough years, he was a bright spot on them.

Like many others on this list, Taj Gibson only played with the team for a short time. In his two years with the Wolves, he was the junkyard dog. He manned the paint and was a solid mid-range shooter as well. When Minnesota made the playoffs in 2017-18, Taj averaged 12.2 points per game, the second best mark in his career. His 7.1 rebounds per game were also the best he has put up since his rookie season. He wasn't flashy and didn't put up big numbers, but I don't think Minnesota reaches the playoffs without his contributions. Gibson made one of the biggest plays in the game against Denver to get them into the playoffs. With just seconds to go in regulation and the score tied, he was 1-on-1 with Nuggets star Nikola Jokic. The ball was passed to Jokic and he was rising for a shot and Taj slapped the ball away, forcing the turnover. Minnesota won in overtime. Even though he only played in the Twin Cities two seasons, his contributions cannot be overlooked and therefore, earned a spot on this All-Decade team.

Centers: Karl-Anthony Towns, Nikola Pekovic, Gorgui Dieng

This is another slam dunk (no pun intended). Not only is KAT the starting center on the All-Decade team, he is also my Minnesota Timberwolves Player of the Decade. Towns has been dominant inside and out ever since he came into the league in 2015. In his rookie season, he averaged 18 points per game, but has been over 20 ever season since. Just in his second season, KAT scored 25 points per game and grabbed more than 12 rebounds per contest. Every season in his career so far, he has averaged more than 10 boards per game. He made the All-Star game twice in his career, including 2017-18 when Minnesota made the playoffs. Towns followed that up with another All-Star appearance, as he averaged 24 points and a career-high 12.4 rebounds per. Before COVID hit, Towns was on pace for a career year in the scoring department, averaging 26.5 per. In his career, he has averaged 22.7 points and 11.8 rebounds per contest. He is a well-deserving choice of being named the Wolves Player of the Decade.

Nikola Pekovic was a fierce player, very intimidating on the court. Pek was drafted with the first pick in the second round of the 2008 draft. He had lottery potential, but his deal overseas made him a shoo-in for the top pick of the second round. One of the better centers in the history of the franchise, Pek averaged double figures in points four years in a row before his career derailed due to injuries. His best season came in 2013-14 when he averaged a career-best 17.5 points per game and 8.7 rebounds per, which was nearly a career high. Pek also shot 54 percent. Unfortunately, injuries caught up with him. The highest number of games he played in a season was 65, which was his rookie season in which he did not play a ton. He only played in at least 60 games twice in his six-year career, which was really disappointing because he could have been one of the better centers in the NBA if he didn't have the injury problems. But his six years in Minnesota were very good and he is absolutely worth being on the All-Decade team.

Rounding out the All-Decade team is Gorgui Dieng, who came in a draft day trade along with Shabazz Muhammad for Trey Burke. Like a few on this list, Dieng was never a superstar, but he was a solid role player and he knew his role well. He spent his first 6+ seasons with Minnesota and he was a solid player on the court and terrific off of it. For his Wolves career, he averaged eight points and six board per game, coming off the bench. His best years came from 2014-17 when he averaged 10 points and nearly eight rebounds. In 2016-17, he also had 3-point range, connecting on 37 percent of his triple attempts in addition to being an already deadly mid-range shooter. In those three years, he showed his defensive ability too, averaging more than one block and steal per game. As the No. 3 center, he deserves he recognition on this All-Decade team.

Head Coach of the Decade: Tom Thibodeau
Player of the Decade: Karl-Anthony Towns

Northwestern State MBB All-Decade Team

Northwestern State had another decade in which the Demons earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament, making it as a No. 14 seed against Florida in 2013. Here is the All-Decade team I created from Northwestern State players.

Point Guards: Jalan West, Shamir Davis, Devon Baker

Jalan was a beast from the second he stepped on the floor. Primarily coming off the bench, West scored 10 points per contest and his 5.16 assists per game average is tops in school history for a freshman. He only got better from there. West averaged 19.4 and 20 points per game as a sophomore and junior, respectively. As his scoring average went up, so did his assist average, as he averaged 6.4 and 7.7 helpers per game in those two seasons. He holds several Demons single-season records, including assists, steals and 3-pointers made. Jalan did it all. He could shoot, he could drive, creating for others and defend. West is a deserving player to be not only the starting point guard on the All-Decade team, but the Player of the Decade as well.

While Jalan was getting his feet wet in college basketball, Shamir Davis was the player who led the Demons to that NCAA Tournament in 2013. In the Southland Tournament Championship, Davis poured in 19 points en route to the 68-66 win over Stephen F. Austin, as well as being named the tournament's most outstanding player. Davis' best season came as a junior when he averaged more than 13 points per game and shot 45.5 percent from the field. Shamir started every game in his last two seasons, leading the Demons to the NCAA Tournament as a senior.

Devon Baker only played one year in the decade, but that season was good enough to put him on this list. His 15.5 points were second on the team and his two assists were second on the team, only to Shamir Davis. His 41.4 percent shooting from deep as a senior ranks 17th in school history (min. 60 att.). He dropped a career-high 31 against in-state rival Southeastern Louisiana and poured in 24 at Assembly Hall against Indiana.

Shooting Guards: Zeek Woodley, Louis Ellis

Zeek Woodley was the only choice for the starting shooting guard. As a sophomore, the Pelican, Louisiana, standout scored 711 points, which is still a program record. He followed that up by scoring 622 points as a junior, which is sixth-most in Demons history for a single season. Woodley stands as the all-time scoring leader in NSU history and one of just two players (Billy Reynolds) to score 2,000 points in the history of the program. He was not just a great scorer, but he was efficient as well. When you think of a high-scoring guard, shooting 46-48 percent is pretty good. Woodley shot 55.6 percent in his four-year career and finished above 50 percent in all four years. Zeek was also deadly from deep, having shot more than 40 percent in three of his four seasons......and the only one he didn't, he shot 39.8 percent. Not bad. His 3-point percentage of 43.55 percent as a senior ranks third in school history. Coach Mike McConathy has said that Zeek is the best shooter in NSU history. Despite being 6-2, he played the post occasionally and guarded down low as well due to how strong he is.

Ellis was a solid off-ball guard for the Demons, averaging nearly 10 points per game in his two seasons with the Demons. As a senior, Louis trailed only Shamir Davis in assists. He started 50 games in his two-year stint in Natchitoches, including starting 31 of the 32 games as a senior. As a junior, he was a threat from deep, shooting nearly 37 percent from 3-point territory and nearly 41 percent overall. He was a good player for the Demons and he take his place as the reserve shooting guard.

Small Forwards: Will Pratt, Nikos Chougkaz

Will Pratt only played one full year in the decade, but that year was such a good year that Pratt definitely deserves to be in this spot. As a senior, he averaged 17.8 points per game, which led the team. Despite shooting just 31 percent from 3-point land, Pratt shot higher than 50 percent overall due to the blistering 55 percent he shot from inside the arc. Pratt was a weapon off the bench, as he came off the bench about roughly half his games at NSU. Even though he only played two years in Natchitoches, he still almost reached 1,000 points.

Nikos is the only current player who is a member of the All-Decade team and could be on it again for this decade if he keeps it up. He scored nearly 10 points per game as a freshman in addition to averaging more than seven boards per game. Chougkaz's 210 rebounds were tied for the sixth most by a freshman in school history. Nikos was a solid player for the Demons in year one, but he can still get much better, which is scary for other Southland Conference teams.

Power Forwards: Ishmael Lane, DeQuan Hicks, Chudier Bile

Over the course of his four years at Northwestern State, Ish was a consistent force. He averaged double figures in all of his seasons. As he got older, his rebounding average increased each year, and he finished as a senior averaging 9.5 rebounds per game. Lane's 843 career rebounds is eighth in school history. As a senior, he had a string of seven consecutive double-doubles, earning him a Player of the Week honor in that period. He also was named First Team All-Southland Conference. Another big moment as a senior came against rival Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches, Texas, when he finished the game on a buzzer-beater, giving NSU a 61-59 win. He was good offensively and could drive the ball well for a big guy and he could step put and hit jumpers, so you had to respect his inside and outside game. Ish was tremendous defensively, as evidenced by 69 blocks in his final season. The final two years, he was the Demons main threat offensively, but he still averaged 13-14 points a game on better than 50 percent shooting. He was one of the most underrated players in the conference this decade.

The Wisconsin native transferred in prior to the 2012-13 season and made an immediate impact. In his first year with the Demons, he averaged 14 points per game, despite mainly coming off the bench. His 14 per came on 58.3 percent shooting, which ranks 14th in school history for a single season. In that first year, he led the team in scoring and helped the Demons make their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2006. He scored in double figures in all but three games in 2012-13, including 13 in the conference tournament championship against Stephen F. Austin. As a senior, he scored 15.1 points per game, which was second on the team, and his 226 rebounds were tops on the team, helping NSU finish with another winning record and fourth place finish in the Southland Conference. His two-year Demons career, which he averaged 14.6 points per game, made him a worthy candidate for inclusion onto this team.

Bile only played one season with the Demons, but it was good enough for him to make the All-Decade team. He led the team in points (399), rebounds (213) and blocks (41) for a team that finished tied for fourth in the conference. With those numbers, Chudi earned himself a Second Team All-Southland Conference selection. On the road against league-leading Nicholls in January, Bile drilled a game-winning triple, but his finest moment came two months later against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the conference tournament. In the 79-62 win, NSU trailed big early in the first half, but Bile put the team on his back and carried the team back from the early deficit to set the stage for a big win. In the game, NSU trailed by as many as 14 in the first, but Bile scored 14 of his 17 points in the first half to help capture the lead going into the break. Overall, he shot 48 percent from the field and 37.6 percent from 3-point land.

Centers: William Mosley, Marvin Frazier

This was an easy choice as the starting center. William Mosley is one of the best shot blockers in NCAA history. Mosley was not a huge scoring threat, but he didn't need to be. As a senior, he averaged a career-best 11.7 points per game. When he did shoot, there was a good chance the ball was going in. In terms of shooting percentage, Mosley had two of the three best seasons and three of the top 10 in school history. But defense and rebounding was his calling card. Will holds three of the top 20 rebounding seasons in program history and averaged at least 8.5 rebounds per contest every season in his four-year career. Mosley was a prolific shot blocker from the moment he stepped on campus. As a freshman, he had 76 blocks, but it only improved from there. That goes to show you how impressive he was at blocking shots. As a matter of fact, that "low" number of 76 blocks ranks sixth in school history for a single season. By the time his career was overwith, he ranked fifth in NCAA history with 456 rejections, sandwiched in between two Hall of Famers, Tim Duncan and Alonzo Mourning. All four of his seasons are ranked in the top six in Demons history for blocks, including three of the top four. This is a well-deserved spot on the All-Decade team.

The final person on this team is Marvin Frazier. Like Mosley, Frazier was never a big scorer, but he was a good shot blocker and a solid rebounder. As a senior, he averaged 8.2 points per game and 5.2 rebounds per game, starting 20 games in that season. Frazier blocked 148 shots his last three seasons, all three in the top 15 for a single season in program history. His 160 blocks would be tops at many schools, but Frazier ranks third in NSU history in that category. Having a pair of rim protectors on this team make it dangerous for any big who would have to score inside on this duo.

Player of the Decade: Jalan West
Head Coach: Mike McConathy

Green Bay Phoenix All-Decade Team

This decade saw Green Bay reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 20 years. It was a productive decade for the Phoenix. Here are the 12 players who make up my All-Decade team for Green Bay.

Point Guards: Keifer Sykes, Carrington Love

There was not one player who meant more to Green Bay basketball this past decade than Keifer Sykes. From day one, he was exciting to watch and you knew the program would be in good hands with him at the point. People around the program knew how good he was early on, but the conference was introduced to how great he was in the conference tournament in 2013 at Valpariaso. Despite losing on a buzzer beater, Sykes poured in 31 points on 11-of-20 shooting. That performance set the stage for two incredible years. He averaged at least 18.6 points per game in each of his final two seasons, including 20.3 as a junior in 2013-14, leading the Phoenix to the Horizon League regular season title. Sykes won the conference Player of the Year award as both a junior and senior, the first two-time winner of the award since Detroit's Rashad Phillips in 1999-00 and 2000-01. Quite simply, he was one of the best players in school history.

After Keifer's graduation, Carrington Love took over the point and did something Sykes fell short of doing: lead the Phoenix to the NCAA Tournament. Love was not a full-time starter until his junior season, but averaged double figures both of his final two seasons. His final season, under Linc Darner, Carrington averaged 17 points per game, shooting a career-high 35 percent from deep. His shining moment came as a senior in the tournament semifinals against Valparaiso, as Love scored 23 points on 7-of-12 shooting in the upset over the top-seeded Crusaders. Love was a really solid guard for the Phoenix and deserves to be on this team.

Shooting Guards: Rahmon Fletcher, Khalil Small, JayQuan McCloud

Rahmon Fletcher was the point guard in the early part of the decade, but he is too good not to have as a starter. I put him as the shooting guard since he was a tremendous shooter for the Phoenix. In his four years, he played in 128 games with 123 starts. In his last two years when it was part of the decade, Fletcher started 64 games of the 65 he played in. A four-year starter, Rahmon averaged double figures in each season. In his final two seasons, he averaged more than 15 points per game in both seasons. Fletcher shot more than 47 percent in his career, including 37.6 percent from deep. He is not only a hell of a player, but consistent as well, and that gets him a starting nod on this All-Decade team.

Khalil Small was a solid player for Green Bay whose coming out party was in the NCAA Tournament against Texas A&M as a sophomore. In the game, he poured in a game-high 22 points in the 92-65 loss. After three solid years with the Phoenix, Khalil turned it up a notch as a senior. Thrust into more of a scoring role, Small averaged 18.2 points on 44 percent shooting. He also was a sniper, connecting on more than 38 percent of his attempts from deep. In his final season, he led the team in points, rebounds, assists and steals.

Hey, you, get off of McCloud. Despite only playing two years for the Phoenix, JayQuan still scored 1,058 points. He saved his best season for his last, averaging 17.1 points per game and led the team in points, rebounds and assists. He scored at least 30 four times as a senior, helping lead the Phoenix to the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament and an appearance in the semifinals.

Small Forwards: Sandy Cohen III, Amari Davis, Bryquis Perine

There are many times when the player you were so excited to get turns out to be a flop when he plays for you. Sandy Cohen was not one of those players for the Phoenix. Coming in as a transfer from a few hours down south at Marquette, Cohen was not eligible to play until mid-season in 2017-18. Even though he only played 60 games for GB, he racked up 1,020 points, averaging 17 per contest. As a senior, he averaged 17.5 per game on 47.5 percent shooting. He was a great offensive player and was a great defender as well with his log arms. Sandy was the do-it-all player for the Phoenix in his final season, leading the team in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks en route to a First Team All-Horizon League honor. His tremendous play carried to the post-season, as he willed the Phoenix to the CIT Championship game. In CIT play, he averaged 20 per game on 55 percent shooting, including knocking the down the game-winner against Texas Southern in the semifinals. I wonder what would have happened had he played all four years in Titletown.

The only current player to make the list is Amari Davis.....and he just finished his freshman season, so we could very easily see him on the next All-Decade team as well. Amari broke the record for most Horizon League Freshman of the Week awards, which unsurprisingly, earned him Freshman of the Year honors. He is a throwback player, as he made exactly zero 3-pointers on the season. He was a mid-range and attack the basket player.....and he is good at it. The 6-3 guard (yeah, I know, I put him out of position in this team. I could not leave him off) shot 51.4 percent from the floor and averaged nearly 16 per game. The best is yet to come for Amari.

Another guy who is playing out of position on this team, Bry Perine played second fiddle to Rahmon Fletcher on some good Phoenix teams. He and Fletcher stayed with the team, even after Tod Kowalczyk left Green Bay for Toledo and the Phoenix hired Brian Wardle. Bry averaged double figures both years he was a full-time starter. Perine's best moment was the game-winning shot on Senior Day against a Valparaiso team with a chance at the top seed in the conference tournament. Perine was a solid player who deserved to be on this team.

Power Forwards: Jordan Fouse, Greg Mays

During his time with the Phoenix, Jordan Fouse played more small forward, but he could very easily play power forward on this team. Fouse was never a big-time scorer, although he did average 12.7 points per game as a senior. He started 133 games out of 134 games he played in during his career and did everything he could to help the team win. The ultimate glue guy. Early in his sophomore year, the Phoenix played Virginia and former Green Bay legend Tony Bennett. Late in the game, the Phoenix led by two and Fouse deflected a pass off a trap and scored on a layup to give Green Bay a four-point lead and the Phoenix won 75-72 in one of the biggest wins in program history. His accomplishments speak for themselves in his career. He was a starter on one of the best teams in program history, which went 24-7 and won the regular season conference title and was a part of a team that broke a 20-year NCAA Tournament drought. Fouse led the team in points in both the semifinals and the finals during that run. He was an All-Horizon League Defensive team choice all four years in Titletown, one of just two players in school history to accomplish the feat, joining Terry Evans from 2006-09. Jordan is also the only player in NCAA history with 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 350 assists, 250 steals and 175 blocks. Quite simply, No. 4 for Green Bay was a beast. And this time I am not talking about Brett Favre.

Mays was a steady presence for the Phoenix, starting on the 24-7 2013-14 team. Mays had a deadly mid-range shot and was known for his dunking ability. Along with Keifer Sykes, Mays was a headline dunker for a team the Anchorage Daily News referred to as Pho Slamma Jamma, His best season came in that 2013-14 season when he averaged 10.3 points per game on nearly 59 percent shooting. In the NIT game for Green Bay against Belmont, Mays dropped in a team-high 15 points in the loss. Greg was a very steady contributor for the Phoenix on some of the best teams in program history.


Centers: Alec Brown, Brennan Cougill

Alec Brown was an obvious choice as the starting center for this team. From day one, he was a starter and major contributor. Brown started 125 games in his illustrious Phoenix career. He averaged double figures in every single season. Through two seasons, he was 6-of-25 from deep, but he transformed himself into one of the top 3-point shooters in the country. In his final two seasons, he made 72 triples and had shot 42.4 percent from deep. He was the absolute perfect complement to Keifer Sykes. Keifer was more of an attack-the-basket type point guard and Alec was more of a jump shooting 7-footer. He was a First Team All-Horizon League selection his last two seasons and was named the Defensive Player of the Year as a senior. Brown was also a fierce rim protector, as he rejected 309 shots in his career, which was tied for the Horizon League record at the time of graduation. Alec was a part of the first recruiting class Brian Wardle brought in and he set the tone for what would be a terrific tenure.

Brennan Cougill, a transfer from Iowa, was a solid big for the Phoenix for his two seasons, averaging at least nine points per game both seasons. Cougill was one of the emotional leaders of the team, getting the crowd pumped after big shots. His best year was his junior season when he averaged 9/7, starting 21 games. His seven rebounds per game was second on the team to Alec Brown. He edged out a few players for this backup center spot.


Player of the Decade: Keifer Sykes
Coach of the Decade: Brian Wardle

All-Decade Wisconsin Basketball Team

Wisconsin had a terrific decade, reaching the Sweet 16 six times and the Final Four twice more. There were so many terrific players in the golden age of Bucky basketball. Here is the 12-man team I created for Wisconsin:

Point guards: Jordan Taylor, Bronson Koenig, Traevon Jackson

With all the success with Frank Kaminsky and how much he improved throughout his time in Madison, people forget how much Jordan Taylor improved from his freshman through his senior years. Taylor was incredible his final two seasons at Wisconsin, but people don't really remember how much he struggled shooting his freshman season. In his rookie campaign, he shot just 26 percent overall and 19 percent from deep. In his rookie campaign, Taylor had a chance to win it at the end of regulation in the NCAA Tournament against Florida State. However, Taylor bricked a wide open triple try and the game went into overtime, where Trevon Hughes hit a basket at the end to win it 61-59. Everything started to turn around as a sophomore when taking over in the starting lineup midway through the season for an injured Jon Leuer. He improved his shooting percentages to 40 percent from the field and 33 percent from deep. His junior season was his best, and he played Batman to one of the biggest basketball moments in program history. He scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half, leading the Badgers to a comeback victory against undefeated No. 1 Ohio State. He was an All-American and led the Badgers to Sweet 16 appearances in his final two seasons in Madison and is a worthy starter on this team.

Bronson Koenig is a legend at Wisconsin after what he did as a junior, knocking out Xavier in the second round in the NCAA Tournament, but he was a lot more than that. With 270 3-point hits, he cruised past Ben Brust for tops in school history in that category. He drilled a school-record eight triples in Wisconsin's 80-70 win over Virginia Tech in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament. As a sophomore, he burst onto the scene after an injury to Traevon Jackson midway through the season. Wisconsin did not miss a beat with Bronson in the starting lineup and was the floor leader for a team that reached the NCAA Title game. In the Big Ten Tournament title game, he scored 18, including drilling two massive triples in overtime, helping Bucky to the big win. He shot more than 39 percent from deep in each of his last three seasons.

When you think of big shot makers, Traevon Jackson is one of the first names that comes to mind. Regardless of how he did in the game up to that point, Trae was the guy who would have the ball at the end. And he made quite a few of those big shots. Bo Ryan loved to have point guards take the big shots at the end of the game, and Jackson loved having the ball at the end. Jackson first showed his big shot making ability in 2013 in a game against No. 12 Minnesota. With the game tied and the game and shot clocks winding down, Jackson pumped and got a friendly bounce to give the Badgers the victory. He also hit the winner in the regular season finale at Penn State. The following season, he hit the dagger shot against Florida, but the biggest shot happened against Michigan State. With Wisconsin having lost five of six and facing MSU, Jackson hit a jumper over Gary Harris to give the Badgers the win and it was the catapult to an eight-game winning streak. There is no doubt he should be on this All-Decade team.

Shooting Guards: Josh Gasser, Ben Brust

The heartbeat of the All-Decade team is Josh Gasser. He had to be on the team. Gasser was never a big scorer, but he never had to be, being on teams with Jordan Taylor/Jon Leuer early on and Frank Kaminsky/Sam Dekker at the end. But he did everything else needed to win. Defense? You bet. Hustle? Absolutely? Good shooter? Yessir. Gasser started from the second game of the season in Madison as a freshman and never looked back. In his first game, he scored 21 in a blowout win against Prairie View A&M and started 30 games in his rookie campaign. Overall, he shot 40 percent from deep for his career, but he will always be remembered for one play. The play that epitomizes Josh Gasser happened in the Big Ten Tournament title game in 2015. With Wisconsin down two with time winding down, Bronson Koening missed a 3-pointer and the ball was going out of bounds. Gasser chased it down and saved it while diving into the crowd. Yeah, his foot was out of bounds, which wasn't called by the refs, but that play will always be the play that sums up the player Josh Gasser is.

Ben Brust was the ultimate sniper for Wisconsin. He had the 3-point makes record for Wisconsin until Bronson Koenig broke it. Brust was notable for his halfcourt shots. He made his first one at the end of a loss in Chapel Hill to North Carolina, but he will always be remembered for his other halfcourt heave on Feb. 9, 2013. His shot tied No. 3 Michigan after Tim Hardaway, Jr. had given the Wolverines a three-point lead with two seconds left. Brust followed that up with a deep 3-pointer over Caris Lavert in overtime to give the Badgers the lead, which held up for the win. He broke the school 3-point record with a huge triple against Oregon in the NCAA Tournament that held up as the winner. He improved significantly on defense over the course of his career. Brust was a really solid Badger who is more than deserving to be on this team.

Small forwards: Sam Dekker, Nigel Hayes

When Sam Dekker came to Madison, people expected Dekker to be an All-Conference performer from day one. Dekker was a good player his first two seasons with the Badgers. However, people wanted more. Even throughout his junior season, he was a good player, a great Robin to Frank Kaminsky's Batman. But in the NCAA Tournament, he turned it on. He was the West Region's Most Outstanding Player, leading Wisconsin to its second consecutive Final Four appearance. Against Arizona in the Elite 8, the Sheboygan native scored 27 on 8-of-11 shooting and a blistering 5-of-6 from behind the arc. In the NCAA Tournament, he averaged 19.2 points on 57.1 percent field goal shooting and 41.7 percent from 3-point land. He was a monster, and he carried it to the National semifinals, where he buried a 3-pointer from the top of the key to beat previously unbeaten Kentucky. He will forever go down as a Wisconsin legend.

Nigel was a good player for Wisconsin from the moment he stepped on campus. As a freshman, he scored 7.7 points per game and earned Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year. He stepped into the starting lineup in 2014-15 and averaged 12.4 points per game as the Badgers made the title game. His biggest shot came against Villanova as a senior in the second round of the 2017 tournament. With the game tied late, he made a Kobe-esque move around the defender and went with a reverse layup to give the Badgers the lead they would not relinquish, as Bucky defeated the defending champs. In all four of his years, Wisconsin made the Sweet 16, reaching the Final Four twice.

Power Forwards: Ethan Happ, Jon Leuer, Nate Reuvers

Ethan Happ was an incredible player for the Badgers. After learning for a year under Frank the Tank, he made the most of his career. He is one of just six players in NCAA history to score 2,000 points, grab 1,000 rebounds and dish out 400 assists. As a freshman, he helped turn around Wisconsin's season with a game-winning layup against Michigan State. That win was the catalyst for a run that ended in the Sweet 16. He scored all those points despite making one 3-pointer in his entire career. At the time of graduation, he was third in school history in points and assists and far and away the program's leading rebounder. He was one of a kind.

In Jon Leuer's two years this decade, he was one of the best players in the Big Ten. Despite missing a few weeks in 2009-10, he still averaged 15.4 points per game. His inside-outside combination was lethal. He shot 37.5 percent from deep in his final two seasons and nearly 49 percent shooting overall. Along with Jordan Taylor, they formed one of the best duos in the country. Leuer averaged 18.3 and 7.2 rebounds per game. His ability to score inside and out earned him a second round selection by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2011.

It was tough to choose the last power forward. Keaton Nankivil and Vitto Brown also were in consideration for this final forward spot, but ultimately, I decided to go with the only current player to be on the All-Decade team. After the graduation of Vitto and Nigel Hayes, the Badgers needed a big to complement Ethan Happ. That was even more evident when the Badgers were hurt by injuries in 2017-18. Reuvers was planning on redshirting to gain strength to handle the grind of the Big Ten season, but was pressed into action. He gave them a boost, averaging more than five points a game, which is not bad for a guy deemed not ready. Reuvers also blocked 26 shots as a freshman. His shot blocking capabilities has been on display through his first three years, blocking 144 shots. He is only 10 behind Happ, so barring injury, he will shatter that record. Reuvers has improved his scoring as well, averaging 13.1 points per game this past season, earning an All-Conference nod. I am looking forward to seeing what he will do as a senior.

Centers: Frank Kaminsky, Jared Berggren

I can't think of one player who improved himself from his first year to his final year more than Frank Kaminsky. As a freshman, you could see his shooting ability, but only averaged 1.8 points per game. He improved a little his sophomore year, but still not great. After Jared Berggren, Mike Bruesewitz and Ryan Evans graduated in 2013, he knew he needed to take a big leap. Early on in the 2013-14 season, he scored a school-record 43 points in a win over North Dakota. He introduced himself to the conference with a 25 point, 11 rebound, effort at league-leading Michigan. Frank introduced himself to the nation with his 28-point, 11-rebound performance in the Elite 8 against Arizona, helping the Badgers reach their first Final Four since 2000. His encore the following year was the best individual season in school history, as Frank racked up awards like his squad racked up wins. Kaminsky led the Badgers to the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles and the program was a No. 1 seed for the first time in school history. Again meeting with Arizona in the Elite 8, Frank scored 29 in the 85-78 win, as the Badgers made consecutive Final Four appearances for the first time in program history. Kaminsky slayed undefeated Kentucky with a 20-point, 11-rebound effort to send the Badgers to their first title game since 1941. His goofy personality and incredible improvement on the court made him easy to root for, and not only is he a starter on this team, but he is the All-Decade Player of the Year.

Jared Berggren was an underrated big. He was known for his ferocious dunks and blocking ability. Perhaps his most famous dunk is over 2013 Player of the Year Trey Burke. His dunk and foul tied the game with less than a minute left, where Bucky won in an overtime thriller. At the time of graduation, Berggren was the school's all-time leader in blocked shots with 144. He has since been passed by Ethan Happ and Frank Kaminsky and tied by Nate Reuvers, but he still ranks third and that does not diminish how much of a rim protector he was. Much like other Wisconsin players, he did not see the floor much early on, but developed into a good player. After averaging 1.1 points per game as a freshman, he developed to a player who averaged 11 points and seven boards as a senior. He is well-deserving as being the reserve to Frank on this All-Decade team.

Head Coach: Bo Ryan
Player of the Decade: Frank Kaminsky

All-Decade NFL Undrafted Team (2010-19)

I went through the draft classes, starting in 2010, and came up with the All-UDFA Team of this past decade. To be included in this list, they have to be an undrafted FA in this decade, so if a player was an UDFA in 2009 and had a great decade, he was not included.

QB Case Keenum

There really wasn't much competition for this spot. The former Houston standout signed with the Houston Texans after going undrafted in the 2012 Draft. He has gone on to throw for more than 14,000 yards and 75 touchdowns and led the Minnesota Vikings to the NFC Championship game in 2017.  He was the only choice for this spot.

RB LeGarrette Blount

Blount was a solid player for New England. Whenever the Patriots needed a dependable back to call when they suffered an injury or had an ineffective starter, Blount was ready to go. He burst on to the scene as an undrafted free agent rookie for the Buccaneers, running for more than 1,000 yards and scored six touchdowns. His greatest performance happened in the 2014 AFC Championship against Indianapolis, running for 148 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Patriots to a 45-7 blowout of the Colts. Following that effort, he led New England to a Super Bowl win against Seattle. Overall, he won three Super Bowls in four years with the Patriots and Eagles. His best season came in the Patriots championship season of 2016 when he had career-highs in rushing yards (1,161) and touchdowns (18). Overall in the decade, he ran for 6,306 yards and 56 touchdowns.

RB Phillip Lindsay

He only has been in the league two seasons, but I decided to put him on this list. He has run for more than 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons, including becoming the first offensive undrafted rookie ever to make the Pro Bowl. In two years, he has amassed 2,048 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns, while averaging nearly five yards per carry.

WR Adam Thielen

It took him a few years to make his mark with the home state Minnesota Vikings, but once he did, the Vikings had one of the most potent receiving cores in the NFL. After having a solid 2016 season, he really burst onto the scene on Christmas Eve that season. At Green Bay, he caught 12 passes for a career-high 202 yards and a pair of touchdowns. That set the stage for back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in Pro Bowl seasons in 2017 and 2018. In the decade, he caught 323 passes for 4,315 yards and 25 touchdowns.

WR Doug Baldwin

Doug Baldwin showed flashes his first two years, but he became a real weapon with Russell Wilson as his career went on. He had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2016 and 2017, catching 21 touchdowns in those two seasons. Despite abruptly retiring following the 2018 season, he caught at least 50 passes in seven of his eight seasons and caught 722 passes for 6,563 yards and 49 touchdowns.

WR Robby Anderson

Rounding out this loaded wide receiver trio, Robby Anderson was a good wide receiver for the New York Jets, despite having no other receiving talent during his time. The deep threat has had more than 750 receiving yards in his last three seasons, catching at least 50 passes in each of those seasons. In his four seasons, he has caught 207 passes for 3,059 yards and 20 touchdowns. It will be interesting to see how he does with Teddy Bridgewater in Carolina.

TE Jack Doyle

Jack Doyle has been a dependable tight end for the Colts, especially when Andrew Luck was in town. He had his best seasons in 2016 and 2017 when he combined for 1,274 yards receiving and nine scores. He has gone to the Pro Bowl twice, including last year when he had 448 yards receiving and four touchdowns. The undrafted tight end out of Western Kentucky has recorded more than 2,000 receiving yards in his career and 18 touchdowns.

OT Alejandro Vellanueva

After signing as an undrafted free agent, the Army graduate signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2014 before moving on to the Pittsburgh Steelers after being cut in 2014. He developed for a year and has been a mainstay along the Pittsburgh offensive line after that. He has started 74 games and has made two appearances in the Pro Bowl. He has consistently been named one of the better tackles in the NFL by Pro Football Focus.

OT La’el Collins

La'el Collins is interesting due to the fact that he had first round talent and would have gone top 10-15, but there was an investigation surrounding a shooting death of a pregnant woman, whom he had previously had a relationship with. He was not a suspect, but it was detrimental enough that he went undrafted. Dallas signed him, and he has been a fixture in the offensive line ever since. He played guard until Doug Free retired, and then he moved over to right tackle. In 2019, he signed a five-year extension. He has played in 62 games in his career, starting 61, for the Cowboys strong offensive line unit.

OG Andrew Norwell

After signing as an undrafted free agent, he was put into the lineup because of the Panthers struggling offensive line. He helped anchor an offensive line that helped lead the Panthers to Super Bowl 50. When he was a free agent in 2018, he became the highest-paid guard in the NFL.

OG Ronald Leary

Ronald Leary has played in 77 games, starting 76, since entering the league in 2012. He helped Zeke lead the NFL in rushing as a rookie in 2015. He signed a nice contract with the Broncos and spent the last three with the Broncos.

C David Andrews

Since entering the league in 2015, David Andrews has started 57 games for the New England Patriots. He started week one as a rookie and started the Super Bowl wins against Atlanta and Los Angeles. He missed the 2019 season with a pulmonary embolism, but he has done enough up to that point to be the center on the All-UDFA Decade team.

UTIL: Taysom Hill

Taysom Hill has done a bit of everything in the NFL. After signing as an UDFA and playing pretty well in the preseason, the Green Bay Packers tried to hide him on the Practice Squad, but he was signed to their 53-man roster by the New Orleans Saints. He has been used everywhere by New Orleans, playing quarterback, running back and even returning kicks. In the last two years, he has run in three touchdowns and caught six touchdowns. He has also blocked multiple kicks during his short career so far.

EDGE Shaquil Barrett

Shaq Barrett was signed by Denver as an UDFA and registered 14 sacks in five years. But everything turned around after signing a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With Tampa Bay, he had a career-year. He more than doubled his career sack total with 19.5 sacks to go along with 37 quarterback hits. He cashed in on his monster season with a franchise tender being placed on him by the Buccaneers.

EDGE Mario Addison

After a few years, Mario Addison came into his own after landing in Carolina. He registered three sacks in 20 games to begin his Panthers career, but turned it up a notch in 2014, recording 6.5 sacks. He followed that up with six in 2015. He really turned it the last four years, bringing down opposing quarterbacks 39 times. He signed a big deal with the Buffalo Bills this offseason.

IDL Michael Pierce

Michael Pierce helped anchor a good Ravens defense. He has played in at least 14 games in all four seasons, including starting 30 in his career. He had 151 tackles and 3.5 sacks in his career and that helped land him a three-year deal with the Vikings this offseason.

IDL Zach Kerr

Kerr has had a solid career, bouncing around the NFL. After signing as an undrafted free agent with the Colts, he played there for three years before going to Denver. In his two years with the Broncos, he played in 27 games and recorded 52 tackles and two sacks. Overall, he has 135 tackles and 7.5 sacks during his career. 

IDL Damon Harrison

"Snacks" has had an incredibly productive career. He is currently a free agent, but I think he will be signed at some point this season. He signed as an undrafted free agent with the Jets and started all 16 games his final three seasons with the Jets. He had 193 tackles during his time with the Jets and was rewarded with a contract by the Giants, where he improved even more. In less than three years with the Giants, he turned into one of the best run-stuffing defensive tackles in the league. He racked up 162 tackles and four sacks before being traded to Detroit. Harrison is only 31, so I don't think he is done yet.

LB Todd Davis

It took him a few years to really become a player, but he has morphed into a tackling machine the past few years. His last four years, he has averaged 107 tackles per season, including a career-high 134 in 2019. He has started at least 14 games in each of the last four seasons and will continue to be a tackling machine for the Broncos.

LB Vontaze Burfict

Burfict is one of the most controversial players in the NFL, but when he is on the field, he is a pretty darn good player. Like La'el Collins, Burfict was more talented than an undrafted player. He was a first or second day-caliber player, but the dirty play concerns from his time at Arizona State forced him to become undrafted. The Bengals, known to take a chance on people with problems, signed him as an UDFA, and he rewarded them. He burst onto the scene with 127 tackles as a rookie and followed that up with a whopping 171 tackles in 2013, which earned him a Pro Bowl selection. However, due to injuries and suspensions, he has only reached 100 tackles once in since then. His overall work has earned him a spot on this team, though, as he has racked up more than 600 career tackles to this point.

LB Cory Littleton

Much like Todd Davis, Cory Littleton has turned a corner the past few seasons. He played his first four seasons with the LA Rams before cashing in a big payday with the the Vegas Raiders this offseason. The last two years, he has racked up 259 tackles and 7.5 sacks, earning a Pro Bowl invite in 2018 when the Rams made their first Super Bowl appearance since the 2001 season. He has also picked off five passes the past two seasons. The 26-year-old will only get better as time goes on.

CB Malcolm Butler

Malcolm Butler burst onto the scene in the Super Bowl against Seattle when he picked off Russell Wilson at the goal line to preserve New England's 28-24 victory. After that, he became one of the league's better defensive backs. Over his final three seasons with the Patriots, he intercepted eight passes and recorded 44 pass deflections and earned a Pro Bowl appearance in 2015. He cashed in when he hit free agency, earning a big pay day with the Tennessee Titans. He hasn't had near the success with the Titans, but he has picked off five passes, including a pick six in each of his two seasons with the Titans.

CB A.J. Bouye

After a rookie season in which he played in just six games with the Houston Texans, he turned it on his next three seasons. In his next three seasons, he had six interceptions as the nickel back, playing in 44 games in those three seasons. He was rewarded with a hefty contract to be a starter for the Jaguars and he rewarded them by reaching the Pro Bowl in his first season with the team. In that season, he recorded six interceptions, playing on a defense that helped the Jaguars reach the AFC Championship game. 

CB Chris Harris Jr.

One of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, it didn't take him long to make an impact. He intercepted three passes in three consecutive seasons. He has made four Pro Bowls, including helping leading a dominant Broncos defense to a Super Bowl 50 win over Carolina. Harris has 20 career interceptions, taking four back to the house. He has also forced six fumbles and recovered four. His career-high is 17 passes defensed in a season, but that is mostly due to teams avoiding him.

S Anthony Harris

After playing just four games as a rookie, he has played at least 14 games the past four seasons and has transformed into one of the better safeties in the league. He did not record an interception his first three years, but came away with three in 2018 and six in 2019. His 2019 season helped him receive the franchise tag by the Vikings. 

S Tashaun Gipson

Gipson is heading to his fourth team in his career, which started in 2012, and has been successful every place he's been. He played in 10 games as a rookie, picking off one pass. But he started 16 in his second season and picked off five passes. That was followed by intercepting six in his third season in 2014. He earned a trip to the Pro Bowl that season. Overall, he has 23 interceptions since coming into the league, and since his second year in 2013, he is tied for fourth in the NFL in that category, just one fewer than Stephon Gilmore and Richard Sherman for second.

K Justin Tucker

Kickers are more likely to be undrafted, so it is not surprising that the best kicker in the game makes the cut here. He has been outstanding ever since stepping foot in the NFL, as he made 30-of-33 field goals in his rookie season in 2012. In his eight-year career up to this point, he has made 91 percent of his field goals, which makes him the most accurate kicker in NFL history. The former University of Texas standout has been named First Team All-Pro the past two seasons. Not bad.

P Johnny Hekker

Hekker has a cannon for a leg, averaging 47 yards per punt in his eight-year career. The four-time All Pro selection is a weapon for the LA Rams as a punter and as a passer. He has completed 13-of-22 passes for 184 yards and a touchdown. All 13 of his completions have gone for first downs. But he is known for his punting ability, and he is darn good at it. In 2015, he had his best season, averaging 47.9 yards per punt and made the All Pro team.

KR Darius Jennings

While Darius Jennings only played three years this past decade, he proved to be a weapon in the return game, specifically in 2018. In that season, he averaged a whopping 31.7 yards per return, including a 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the season opener against Miami. 

PR Marcus Sherels

Minnesota has been successful with undrafted free agents, as Sherels is the third Viking on this list after Thielen and Harris (fourth if you include Case Keenum, who had a career with them in 2017). Sherels has been a really good punt returner since joining the league. In his 10 years, he has had more than 2,500 yards worth of punt return yards. He has returned five for scores, including two in 2016.