Michigan was the big winner of the 2025-26 season Big Ten men’s basketball season. The Wolverines won the league by four games and added to its dominance with Yaxel Lendeborg being named Big Ten Player of the Year by a panel of USA TODAY Network voters. It was a near unanimous selection with Lendeborg receiving 15 of 16 votes.
He was, however, the only unanimous first team All-Big Ten selection. Illinois’s Keaton Wagler appeared on the first team in 15 of the 16 ballots.
Lendeborg also took home Big Ten Newcomer of the Year, ahead of Wagler, while Michigan’s Aday Mara was voted Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.
Nebraska’s Fred Hoiberg edged Michigan’s Dusty May for Big Ten Coach of the Year.
The Big Ten Tournament begins Tuesday in Chicago.
Here are the All-Big Ten first and second teams and postseason awards as voted on by USA TODAY Network reporters who cover the conference.
2026 All-Big Ten basketball first, second teams
* denotes unanimous selection
FIRST TEAM
- Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan*
- Keaton Wagler, Illinois
- Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State
- Braden Smith, Purdue
- Bennett Stirtz, Iowa
SECOND TEAM
- Bruce Thornton, Ohio State
- Pryce Sandfort, Nebraska
- Nick Boyd, Wisconsin
- Nick Martinelli, Northwestern
- Lamar Wilkerson, Indiana
Also receiving votes: Hannes Steinbach (Washington), Morez Johnson Jr. (Michigan), Tyler Bildeau (UCLA), David Mirkovic (Illinois), John Blackwell (Wisconsin), Fletcher Loyer (Purdue), Jaxon Kohler (Michigan State).
2026 Big Ten basketball Player of the Year
Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg was a near unanimous pick for Big Ten Player of the Year. The UAB transfer didn’t post monster numbers (14.7 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 3.2 apg), but he’s the best player on the conference’s best team.
‘If he’s not Big Ten Player of the Year, then I’ll be shocked,’ Wolverines coach Dusty May said Monday.
Well Dusty, all is right in the world.
Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz and Purdue’s Braden Smith received the other two votes.
2026 Big Ten basketball Coach of the Year
This was the closest vote as Nebraska’s Fred Hoiberg edged Michigan’s Dusty May by three votes.
The Cornhuskers (26-5, 15-5) were predicted to finish 15th in the Big Ten preseason rankings and will enter the conference tournament as the No. 2 seed.
Nebraska is the only Power conference team to never win a game in the NCAA Tournament, but it looks like Hoiberg’s group may be the one to break that duck.
Wisconsin’s Greg Gard also received a vote.
2026 Big Ten basketball Newcomer of the Year
Yaxel Lendeborg wins this one, too, though Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler received a decent amount of consideration. Lendeborg arrived via the transfer portal after winning back-to-back American Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors and consecutive first-team all-league picks.
2026 Big Ten basketball Defensive Player of the Year
Michigan’s Aday Mara won the vote for Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, with Nebraska’s Sam Hoiberg and Mara’s Michigan teammates Morez Johnson Jr. and Yaxel Lendeborg also receiving votes.
Mara averaged a Big Ten-best 2.6 blocks per game, tied for fifth-best in the nation, and added 6.9 rebounds per game.
Voters for Big Ten postseason awards included: Tony Garcia (Detroit Free Press), Chris Solari (Detroit Free Press), Sam King (Lafayette Journal & Courier), Adam Jardy (Columbus Dispatch), Zach Osterman (IndyStar), Nathan Baird (IndyStar), Tyler Tachman (Des Moines Register), Chad Leistikow (Des Moines Register), John Steppe (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel), Graham Couch (Lansing State Journal), Connor Earegood (Detroit News), James Hawkins (Detroit News), Michael Niziolek (Bloomington Herald-Times), Chris Hansen (Eugene Register Guard), Austin Curtright (USA TODAY Network), John Leuzzi (USA TODAY Network).
