Another Big Ten Tournament is upon us, and with that, we flash back to this all-B1G All-Name team piece from 2015. Michigan State has a new starting point guard named Lourawls Nairn. Make that Lourawls “Tum Tum” Nairn Jr.
He’s just a freshman right now, and Travis Trice still essentially has the gig for the rest of this season. In time though, Nairn could be special, like a Kalin Lucas or a Keith Appling. Tum Tum was ranked Rivals.com’s #61 overall prospect nationally in the Class of 2014.
We’ve profiled Tum Tum, including an explanation of his name, here. After all, it is his name that is the story in A Block here.
Comedy Central has a fantastic sketch comedy series entitled “Key and Peele;” you should check it out. Their signature bit is the “East/West Bowl,” now in its third edition. The most recent one included real life players. With that spirit we look at who would be all Big Ten based on name alone. Who has the coolest names, the greatest names in the league?
Take a look; they’re all pretty good too. Some of ’em can really play.
G Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rakhman, Michigan Wolverines
As UM continued to suffer injuries, especially so amongst their guards and wings this season, Abdur-Rakhman is seeing the court a lot more. Same goes for Andrew Dakich, son of polarizing ESPN announcer Dan Dakich. We’re also seeing Spike Albrecht become the alpha dog of the team.
G Lourawls Tum Tum Nairn Jr., Michigan State Spartans
The team and the offense just seems to move faster when Tum Tum is out there. The real All-Big Ten selections will be out in less than two weeks. However, you get the all name selections this morning!
G Melo Trimble, Maryland Terrapins
McDonald’s All-American and superstar rookie is the main reason Maryland is surprisingly second; and saving Mark Turgeon’s job. Trimble, who continues the great and storied tradition of Terrapins basketball names (Exree Hipp, D.J. Strawberry, Nik Caner-Medley, Laron Profit, Lefty Driessel) is 6th in the league in scoring, 8th in steals, 12th in assists and 13th in assist to turnover ratio.
F Marc Loving, Ohio State Buckeyes
Loving you, is easy cuz you’re a Buckeye fan. Loving is top ten in three point shooting and offensive rebounds.
F Basil Smotherman, Purdue Boilermakers
No, he’s not a Great Gatsby character, but a major reason the Boilers have surprised in league play. He’s been an underrated component of the Boilers Big Ten success.
SIXTH MAN G Yogi Ferrell, Indiana Hoosiers
The Big Ten leader in minutes played, he’s what makes the Hoosiers truly go. Yogi is a big time shooter and scorer, and perhaps Tum Tum will be as valuable to MSU one day as Yogi is to IU.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to Ravens Wire, part of the USA Today SMG’s NFL Wire Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and the Washington Times. You can follow him on Twitter.