Six games into the Conference season, here’s an indiscriminate collection of players we enjoy watching without sole regard to their individual numbers.  Some are stars, some will be stars, some are glue.  All make their teams better, which at the end of the day is all that really matters.

Damian Johnson (Minnesota): Hoopraker’s choice for Defensive Player of the Year.  He’s a country mile ahead of anyone else in the Big Ten on the defensive end.  Never gives up on a play.  Makes his team better, much better.

Mike Davis (Illinois): Flashes of unstoppable scorer on the horizon. An unsigned recruit after his senior year in high school, Davis’ growth since the departure of Brian Randle has been nothing short of staggering.

Evan Turner (Ohio State): Seeing Turner, Demetri McCamey (Ill) and Garret Leffelman (Brown) play for Gen Pingatore’s St. Joe’s Chargers was a treat.  Turner plays hard and smart.  With a consistent jumper, Turner would be the best all around player in the Conference, if he’s not there already.

Goran Suton (Michigan State): We love him in spurts, which makes for a double edged sword.  When he unleashes sick post moves that remind me of Kevin McHale, I’m left asking myself why not more?  If Suton’s head stayed in the game, he could be ridiculous good.

Jon Leuer (Wisconsin): Another emerging sophomore in a Conference chock full of excellent sophomores. Leuer is the player that can take Wisconsin to the next level.  Marcus Landry and Trevon Hughes are good, but Leuer could be great by the time he’s finished in Madison. Plays with a bounce in his step.  Can handle the ball, pass, shoot and run.  Bo Ryan is waiting for consistency, which will come.

Zack Novak (Michigan):  How does Indiana keep growing kids like Novack?  Hard to believe he was unsigned last March.  Plays hard.  As a frosh shooter, he’s only going to get better under Beilein a la Mike Gansey.  A gem for Michigan.

Mike Tisdale (Illinois): Hard not to give props to a guy who clearly worked his rear end off all summer.  The rail thin Tisdale will battle weight issues throughout his career but still, but as a 7′1″ sophomore, he’s developed into a reliable scorer with a sweet stroke and a nice jump hook.  He’s a tough matchup for most Big Ten teams.

Talor Battle (Penn State): We’ve been chirping about Battle since he was a high school senior in Albany, New York.  For a guy south of six feet, Battle has a motor that runs full throttle 40 minutes a game.  He scores, rebounds and passes.

Jeremy Nash (Northwestern): Every time I see Bill Carmody play Nash, I wonder why he doesn’t play more.  Nash plays hard and adds an element of toughness and athleticism to the Wildcats and makes them a better team.

Steve Lavin (ESPN): Love hearing him call Big Ten games.  Knows more about hoop than I ever would’ve imagined when he inherited Jim Harrick’s UCLA team.  Has a coaches’ appreciation for the game that translates well to the tube.

Players we wished we liked a little more at this point in the season.  But there’s still time.

Raymar Morgan (Michigan State):  The team’s leading scorer but somehow it seems like he can do more, much more.

Demetri McCamey (Illinois): Far too inconsistent.  As the season progresses and each game takes on a little more meaning, McCamey could elevate his play.

Robbie Hummel - Could be the bad back is worse than Purdue’s letting on, but Hummel is pedestrian this season.  As we are with E’twaun Moore, we’re holding out hope Hummel gets it going soon.

BJ Mullens - If only Thad Matta tried to get the ball into the post, the frosh is too big and quick to stop in the block. Too quick for a seven footer.  But, if Matta refused to run the offense through Terrence Dials, Greg Oden or Kosta Koufus the past three years, he’s not going to start now.  The player to emerge for Ohio State the next six weeks will most likely be William Buford.

Posted by TD Lawlor on Monday, January 19th, 2009 at 11:23 am.