Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor, March 17, 2014

The Big Ten is home to some of the nation's elite basketball players and coaches. The conference also boasts an impressive who's who of players-turned-assistants. From a familiar Big Ten name, Dane Fife, to a familiar national name, Chris Quinn, the Big Ten could field a very competitive pickup game featuring assistants. View my All-Big Ten assistant team in this post.

G: Chris Quinn (Notre Dame), Northwestern – Director of player development

  • Three-year starter and two-time captain
  • 2006 first team All-Big East selection (17.7 points, 6.4 assists)
  • Ranks 16th in school history in points (1,454) fifth in steals (155), sixth in 3-point field goal percentage (.417), seventh in 3-point field goals made (239) and eighth in assists (428)
  • Averaged 11.8 points, 2.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.3 steals in 123 career games, including 82 starts
  • Played six NBA seasons (Miami, New Jersey, San Antonio, Cleveland)
Matt Cashore-US PRESSWIRE
Matt Cashore-US PRESSWIRE

G: Greg Paulus (Duke), Ohio State – Assistant coach

  • Three-year starter who played in four NCAA tournaments
  • Led Blue Devils in assists in 2006, 2007 and 2008
  • 2006 ACC All-Freshman Team and second-team freshman All-American
  • One of four players ever to lead ACC in assists as a freshman
  • Averaged 8.6 points, 3.4 assists, 2.1 rebounds, 1.2 steals in 139 career games, including 100 starts
  • After his basketball career, played quarterback at Syracuse in 2009
Greg M. Cooper-US PRESSWIRE
Greg M. Cooper-US PRESSWIRE

G/F: Dane Fife (Indiana), Michigan State – Assistant coach

  • Three-year starter who played in four NCAA tournaments
  • Helped lead Indiana to 2002 NCAA runner-up finish and share of Big Ten title
  • His 37 starts in 2002 mark an Indiana record; 47.8 3-point field-goal percentage in 2002 ranks sixth in Indiana annals
  • 2002 Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Year; Indiana's career steals leader (180)
  • Averaged 5.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.4 steals in 131 career games, including 104 starts
Michael Heinz-US PRESSWIRE
Michael Heinz-US PRESSWIRE

F: Dwayne Anderson (Villanova), Penn State – Assistant coach

  • Two-time captain who led Villanova to the Sweet 16 (2008) and Final Four (2009); also made Elite Eight (2006) as a freshman
  • Tallied career bests 9.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists as a senior
  • Averaged 5.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.1 steals in 98 career games, including 42 starts
Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE
Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE

F/C: Brandon Brantley (Purdue), Purdue – Assistant coach

  • Four-year player who played in three NCAA tournaments and one NIT
  • Registered career bests 56% FG, 10 points and six rebounds as a junior
  • Averaged 6.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 0.9 blocks in 129 career games, the 10th-most in school history
  • 114 career blocks rank sixth in Purdue annals
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
About Brent Yarina BTN.com senior editor Brent Yarina covers football and men's basketball for BTN.com. He writes the popular uniform feature "Clothes Call," which also focuses on the latest cosmetic changes across Big Ten arenas and stadiums. Read all of his work here. You can subscribe to Yarina's RSS feed and follow him on Twitter @BTNBrentYarina.