Iowa men’s basketball: Payton Sandfort named preseason All-Big Ten

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IOWA CITY — Preseason recognition is rolling in for Iowa basketball player Payton Sandfort. 

Sandfort has been named preseason All-Big Ten, the conference announced Tuesday. 

The preseason All-Big Ten team includes 10 players:

PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Braden Smith, Purdue

PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN TEAM

Note: All caps indicates unanimous selection

  • Ace Baldwin Jr., Penn State
  • Oumar Ballo, Indiana
  • Brooks Barnhizer, Northwestern
  • Dawson Garcia, Minnesota
  • Dylan Harper, Rutgers
  • Great Osobor, Washington
  • Payton Sandfort, Iowa
  • Jackson Shelstad, Oregon
  • BRADEN SMITH, PURDUE
  • Bruce Thornton, Ohio State

Sandfort is coming off the most productive season of his college career, averaging 16.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game while shooting 37.9% from deep. All of those figures were career highs for Sandfort. 

After going through the pre-NBA Draft process, including attending the combine, Sandfort elected to return to Iowa for his senior season. Being named preseason All-Big Ten is further evidence that Sandfort is considered one of the league’s best players entering the 2024-25 campaign. 

Sandfort’s return to Iowa was part of a successful offseason for the Hawkeyes. Iowa was able to retain a handful of contributors from last season’s team while adding some potentially impactful newcomers. 

More: Iowa men’s basketball schedule 2024-25: What is Hawkeyes’ path back to March Madness?

Big Ten Media Days is this week in Rosemont, Ill. Sandfort, reigning Big Ten co-Freshman of the Year Owen Freeman and head coach Fran McCaffery are set to represent the Hawkeyes on Thursday.

Iowa’s exhibition against Minnesota-Duluth is less than one month away. The Hawkeyes open the 2024-25 regular season against Texas A&M Commerce on Nov. 4.

How Tyler Tachman of the Des Moines Register voted

Preseason Big Ten Player of the Year: Payton Sandfort, Iowa

Preseason All-Big Ten:

  • Payton Sandfort, Iowa
  • Ace Baldwin Jr., Penn State
  • Braden Smith, Purdue
  • Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Maryland
  • Brooks Barnhizer, Northwestern
  • Mackenzie Mgbako, Indiana
  • Owen Freeman, Iowa
  • Dawson Garcia, Minnesota
  • Bruce Thornton, Ohio State
  • Frankie Fidler, Michigan State

Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact via email at ttachman@gannett.com

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