The Big Ten Conference has announced its 2024-2025 men’s basketball postseason honors, highlighting the exceptional performances of both coaches and players this season.
Tom Izzo Named Big Ten Coach of the Year
Michigan State University’s head coach, Tom Izzo, has been honored as the Big Ten Coach of the Year. Under Izzo’s leadership, the Spartans achieved a 17-3 conference record, securing the league title by a three-game margin. This accolade marks the fourth time in his illustrious 30-year career that Izzo has received this award, with his previous recognition in 2012. Notably, during this season, Izzo surpassed Bob Knight for the most Big Ten conference wins in history, achieving his 354th conference victory on February 15, 2025.
Braden Smith Awarded Big Ten Player of the Year
Purdue University’s junior guard, Braden Smith, has been named the Big Ten Player of the Year by both the league’s coaches and media. Smith’s outstanding season statistics include averaging 16.3 points, 8.8 assists (leading the conference and ranking second nationally), 4.7 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game. This recognition continues Purdue’s recent dominance in this category, marking the third consecutive year a Boilermaker has earned the award, following Zach Edey’s back-to-back honors in 2023 and 2024.
Additional Honors
The Big Ten also recognized other standout performances:
- Derik Queen of Maryland: Selected as Freshman of the Year, Queen led his team with averages of 15.7 points and 1.0 blocked shots per game, while also contributing 9.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.1 steals.
- Will Riley of Illinois: Earned the Sixth Man of the Year award, averaging 12.2 points and 3.9 rebounds over 31 games.
These accolades underscore the high level of talent and leadership within the Big Ten Conference this season.
