|
ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – A mix of young standout players has
been selected to the 2012-13 U.S. Basketball Writers Association
All-America Team. Eight of the 10 honored players are underclassmen –
including all five on the first team – and there are six conferences
represented on the squad. Based on regular-season performance, the
USBWA selects the nation's top five players on two teams regardless
of position.
First-teamer Doug McDermott
of Creighton is the lone repeat selection, which also includes
Marcus Smart of Oklahoma State, winner of the Wayman
Tisdale Award as the National Freshman of the Year. Smart was selected
to the second team.
The Big Ten and Big 12 led the USBWA
list with three All-American selections each. The ACC, Big East,
Missouri Valley and West Coast Conferences were also represented
on the team.
McDermott averaged 23.1 points and 7.5 rebounds
per game this season in leading the Bluejays back to the NCAA Tournament.
Trey Burke (19.2 ppg, 6.7 apg) of Michigan is one
of two sophomores on the first team, along with Otto Porter
of Georgetown (16.3 ppg, 7.4 rpg). Other first-team honors went
to Victor Oladipo of Indiana (13.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg),
who helped the Hoosiers to earn a top seed in the NCAA Tournament,
as did Kelly Olynyk of Gonzaga (17.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg),
who helped the Zags ascend to college basketball's elite this season.
Two freshmen are on the second team, Smart (15.4 ppg, 4.2 apg)
and Kansas' Ben McLemore (16.7 ppg, 43.7 3-pt FG
pct). Mason Plumlee of Duke (17.2 ppg, 10.2 rpg),
Jeff Withey of Kansas (13.6 ppg, 8.4 rpg) and
Cody Zeller of Indiana (16.9 ppg, 8.2 rpg) round
out the second team and give No. 1 seeds Indiana and Kansas teammates
on the squad. This is the first time since 1976 that Indiana has
had two USBWA All-Americans in the same season. Plumlee and Withey
are the lone seniors honored by the USBWA.
Each of the 10
All-American selections is among the Oscar Robertson Trophy
finalists. The USBWA's National Player of the Year Award will be
announced on Friday, April 5, in Atlanta in conjunction with the
Final Four. The Oscar Robertson Player of the Year Trophy presented
by Aflac will be formally presented on Monday, April 15, at the
Devon Energy College Basketball Awards Gala in Oklahoma City.
Following is the complete 2012-13 USBWA All-America team:
| 2012-13
USBWA MEN'S ALL-AMERICA TEAM |
| First Team |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Cl. |
Hometown |
| Trey Burke,
Michigan |
G |
6-0 |
190 |
So. |
Columbus, Ohio |
| First USBWA
All-American since 1994 (Jalen Rose); 15th in Michigan's
history |
| Doug McDermott,
Creighton |
F |
6-8 |
225 |
Jr. |
Ames, Iowa |
| Only repeat
member on the team; becomes 75th player to earn All-America
honor twice |
| Victor Oladipo,
Indiana |
G |
6-5 |
214 |
Jr. |
Upper Marlboro, Md. |
| First Indiana
All-American since 2008 (D.J. White, 2nd team); 1st first-teamer
since 2000 |
| Kelly Olynyk,
Gonzaga |
F |
7-0 |
238 |
Jr. |
Kamloops, B.C. |
| First Gonzaga
All-American in eight seasons (Adam Morrison, 1st team,
2006) |
| Otto Porter,
Georgetown |
F |
6-8 |
205 |
So. |
Sikeston, Mo. |
| First first-team
All-American since Allen Iverson in 1996; ninth for Georgetown
overall |
| Second Team |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Cl. |
Hometown |
| Ben McLemore,
Kansas |
G |
6-5 |
195 |
Fr. |
St. Louis, Mo. |
| Kansas has
had a USBWA All-American in five consecutive seasons |
| Mason Plumlee,
Duke |
F |
6-10 |
235 |
Sr. |
Warsaw, Ind. |
| Duke has
had a USBWA All-American in three of last four seasons |
| Marcus Smart,
Oklahoma State |
G |
6-4 |
225 |
Fr. |
Flower Mound, Texas |
| Wayman Tisdale
Award winner as National Freshman of the Year; OSU's 4th
USBWA All-American |
| Jeff Withey,
Kansas |
C |
7-0 |
235 |
Sr. |
San Diego, Calif. |
| Fifth time
Kansas has had two USBWA All-Americans in the same season |
| Cody Zeller, Indiana |
F |
7-0 |
240 |
So. |
Washington, Ind. |
| Last time
Indiana had two All-Americans in same year was 1976 (Kent
Benson, Scott May) |
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in
1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers.
Today, it is one of the most influential organizations in college
basketball. It has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57
season. For more information on the USBWA and its All-America team,
contact executive director Joe Mitch at 314-795-6821.
Related links:
• 2012-13
USBWA All-District teams
•
All-time USBWA All-America
teams
|
