Yesterday, the Big East announced their All-Big East First Team via social media, and the responses were very mixed. The six players named are all amazing in their own right, but not one player from Seton Hall made the cut.
The list is as follows…
Kelan Martin – Butler
Marcus Foster – Creighton
Shamorie Ponds – St. John’s
Mikal Bridges – Villanova
Jalen Brunson – Villanova
Trevon Bluiett – Villanova
The only team with more than one selection was Villanova. Brunson and Bridges were a key reason the Wildcats finished second in the Big East, and 27-4 overall. There were three unanimous selections, and those players were Brunson, Trevon Bluiett, and Kelan Martin.
Many argue that Shamorie Ponds shouldn’t have made it over Delgado because of where St. John’s is in the standings. The Red Storm currently sit ninth, with a 4-14 record in the Big East (15-16 overall).
However, without Ponds, it’s likely St. John’s would be the worst team in the conference, and wouldn’t have those two big wins against Duke and Villanova. There’s no doubt the southpaw from Brooklyn put New York on his back for a good stretch of the season.
Yet, it seems like an injustice to not include Delgado. The 6-10 center posted a solid 13.4 points per game, along with 11.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists. He’s the all-time leading rebounder in Big East history, and the Pirates currently sit third in the conference. The question is, who would he replace?
Former Seton Hall point guard Isaiah Whitehead, who is now a part of the Brooklyn Nets organization, made his opinion of the snub known on Twitter.
Kelan Martin averaged the most points per game in conference play, and finished the season averaging 21.2 points per game. He carried a Butler team that performed better than most expected this season. But, was he a better overall player than Delgado? After all, there is no true big-man included in the list.
What about Mikal Bridges? The 6-6 guard averaged 17.6 points per game, along with 5.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists. Those might be the two I look for Delgado to replace, but all three players make a strong case.
Was Delgado snubbed? Was anyone else snubbed? Do you agree with the list? Sound off in the comments below.
Big East Basketball Breakdown 