Wisconsin’s All-Decade Team
It’s been a memorable decade for hoops inside the state of Wisconsin. From NBA Draft picks to March Madness success to everlasting moments at the WIAA State Tournament, the Badger State has provided an incredible stage for many of the nation’s top players to excel on since 2010.
Taking a trip down memory lane, here is the Prep Hoops Wisconsin All-Decade Team — factoring in high school, college, and pro success .
PG: Tyler Herro (Whitnall)
They don’t make a lot of guards quite like Herro. An extremely skilled, three-level scorer who thrived in hostile environments, Herro wanted all the smoke. As a senior, Herro averaged 32.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game. In one season at Kentucky, Herro helped the Wildcats reach the Elite Eight while averaging 14.0 ppg. He was a first round pick by the Miami Heat this past summer and is currently averaging 13.7 ppg in his first NBA season.
SG: Patrick Baldwin Jr. (Sussex Hamilton)
He’s still got a year and a half left in his career, but from a pure talent standpoint, I’m not passing on Baldwin. One of the best shooters and scorers this state has ever seen, Baldwin is a consensus top five player in the 2021 class. The 6-foot-8 wing has a rare ability to get any shot he wants at pretty much any point in the game. Baldwin and Sussex Hamilton very well could win the Division 1 state championship this season as well.
SF: Jalen Johnson (Sun Prairie/Nicolet)
Johnson led Nicolet to a Division 2 state championship as a junior. A transcendent talent in the state, there wasn’t much Johnson couldn’t do on the floor. The Gatorade State Player of the Year in 2018-19, Johnson averaged 19.9 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game. A versatile, matchup nightmare, the 6-foot-9 point forward transferred to IMG for his senior season, but left the program according to reports. Johnson, who is signed with Duke, is a consensus top 10 player in the 2020 recruiting class.
PF: Kevon Looney (Milwaukee Hamilton)
Mr. Basketball in 2014, Looney took his talents to UCLA where he spent one season. An extremely long and athletic forward, Looney averaged 11.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game in his one season in college. The Golden State Warriors would select Looney late in the first round and the former Milwaukee Hamilton star has been a valuable role player ever since. Looney has two NBA championship rings with GSW, winning it all in 2017 and 2018.
C: Henry Ellenson (Rice Lake)
Ellenson was as fluid and as good of a shooting big man that I’ve ever covered in this state. The 6-foot-10 forward signed with Marquette where he averaged 17.0 points and 9.9 rebounds per game in his one season with the Golden Eagles. He was a first-team All-Big East selection and the Big East Freshman of the Year. In the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons selected Ellenson with the 18th pick.
Sixth Man: Sam Dekker (Sheboygan Lutheran)
Dekker was Mr. Basketball in 2012. He led Sheboygan Lutheran to their first-eve state title as a senior. While at Wisconsin, Dekker spent three years in Madison, helping the Badgers reach consecutive Final Fours and a national championship game as a junior. Dekker, who won a Big Ten championship in 2014-15 as well, averaged 12.1 ppg for his career. He was selected by the Houston Rockets with the 18th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.
Bench: Diamond Stone (Dominican)
A McDonald’s All-American and Mr. Basketball in 2015, Stone scored nearly 2,200 points during his high school career, which featured four consecutive state championships. Stone went to Maryland where he averaged 12.5 points and 5.4 rebounds per game as a freshman. A dominant and physically imposing big man, Stone came out after one season and was selected in the second round of the 2016 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Pelicans.
Bench: Tyrese Haliburton (Oshkosh North)
Haliburton led Oshkosh North to the Division 1 State Championship as a senior. A high-IQ, electrifying playmaker, Haliburton averaged 22.9 points, 6.2 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per game that season. Now at Iowa State, Haliburton is viewed as a potential first round pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Haliburton, who played for the FIBA USA Under-19 team as well, is averaging 17.3 points, 7.7 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game for the Cyclones as a sophomore.
Biggest Snubs: Vander Blue, J.P. Tokoto, Kobe King, Trevor Anderson, Sam Hauser, Matt Thomas, Bronson Koenig, Duane Wilson, Deonte Burton, Jordan McCabe, Joey Hauser, Jordan Poole