Wisconsin's Connor Essegian named to the Big Ten's all-freshman team; sophomore Chucky Hepburn honorable mention
MADISON – Wisconsin coach Greg Gard and his assistants believed Connor Essegian would be ready to help UW in his first season, either as a reserve or as a starter.
They were correct.
Essegian on Tuesday was named to the all-Big Ten freshman team.
Good company for @CEssegian as a Big Ten All-Freshman Team Badger:
• Connor Essegian (2023)
• Chucky Hepburn (2022)
• Brad Davison (2018)
• Ethan Happ (2016)
• Nigel Hayes (2014)
• Sam Dekker (2013)
• Joe Krabbenhoft (2006)
• Alando Tucker (2003) pic.twitter.com/18TRaTKcXK— brandon harrison (@brandonharrison) March 7, 2023
"It feels great," Essegian said, "but the guys on the team trusted me and I trusted them. It has been all of us. I wasn't really sure what position I would be in with this team so I'm just thankful for this."
The 6-foot-4, 185-pound player from Fort Wayne, Indiana, has started 14 of 30 games this season and is second on the team in scoring (11.9 ppg). He set a UW freshman record for three-pointers in a season (64) and is shooting 38.8% from beyond the arc. He is also No. 1 among the players in the regular rotation in free-throw shooting (87.3%).
Essegian scored in double figures in 15 of 20 Big Ten games, headlined by a college-high 24-point performance in UW’s overtime loss at Michigan and became the eighth UW player named to the league's all-freshman team.
He joins sophomore Chucky Hepburn last season, Brad Davison (2018), Ethan Happ (2016), Nigel Hayes (2014), Sam Dekker (2013), Joe Krabbenhoft (2006) and Alando Tucker (2003).
Essegian is only the fifth UW player since 1998 to average at least 10 points per game as a freshman. The others were Davison (2017-18), Happ (2015-16), Tucker (2002-03) and Devin Harris (2001-02).
Hepburn was the only other UW player to receive Big Ten honors. He was named honorable mention.
Hepburn has started all 30 games this season and leads UW in scoring (12.2 ppg), assists (86), steals (45) and three-point shooting (43.1%).
In addition, he helped secure five victories with steals in the final minute. Four of those came in Big Ten games.
Hepburn expected Essegian to make the league's all-freshman team.
"We wouldn't be where we're at right now if it wasn't for him," Hepburn said. "I'm not surprised at all."
Gard lauded Essegian's willingness to work and improve his overall game.
"For Connor, that is a great compliment to him and his teammates that he was able to put together that type of year and get better as the year went on," Gard said.
"From Connor's standpoint, it's really about mindset. He's got tremendous confidence as a shooter and you have to to be that type of shooter. You have to have a short memory when the ball doesn't go in. And he's got a swagger to him that good players have.
"He understands there's things that he's got to get better at, but those things don't outweigh his confidence that he plays with."
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin Badgers' Connor Essegian, Chucky Hepburn honored by Big Ten
