UConn guard Shabazz Napier picked up the most significant honor of his career Wednesday, when he received first-team All-America honors from the US Basketball Writers Association. Napier, a senior from Roxbury, Mass., joined Creighton’s Doug McDermott, Arizona’s Nick Johnson, Duke’s Jabari Parker and Louisville’s Russ Smith as first-team selections by the association, which picked its 58th annual All-America team.
Cincinnati’s Sean Kilpatrick was named to the second team, giving the first-year American Athletic Conference three selections – more than any other conference in 2014.
Napier earlier was USBWA District I Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.
Here is the press release from the USBWA:
ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – The 2013-14 USBWA Men’s All-America Team features seven seniors, including forward Doug McDermott of Creighton, who becomes just the 19th player in the 58-year history of the team to earn three-time USBWA All-America honors. Based on regular-season performance, the entire USBWA membership of nearly 1,000 selects the nation’s top five players on each of two teams regardless of position.
The first-year American Athletic Conference leads the USBWA list with three All-America selections – including two first- teamers – followed by the ACC and Big 12 with two apiece. The Big East, Missouri Valley and Pac-12 Conferences are also represented on the two teams. All five players named to the first team were selected as USBWA District Players of the Year.
McDermott, a 6-8 senior from Ames, Iowa, leads the nation in scoring (26.5), ranks second in field goals and third in points scored. He has scored 20 points or more in 26-of-30 games, including a career-high 45 points in last Saturday’s Senior Night win over Providence. In the process, he’s moved up to seventh in NCAA history with 3,011 career points. Yesterday, McDermott was named the association’s District VI Player of the Year, an honor he also received a season ago.
Arizona’s Nick Johnson, a 6-3 junior guard from Gilbert, Ariz., is the Pac-12 Conference Player of the Year. The District IX Player of the Year leads the Wildcats in scoring (16.1) and is second in assists (2.8) and steals (1.2). He became the 48th member of Arizona’s 1,000-point club in mid-January.
Connecticut guard Shabazz Napier, a 6-1 senior from Roxbury, Mass., leads the Huskies in scoring (17.8), rebounding (6.0), and assists (5.2), on his way to becoming the only player in school history to lead the team in all three categories. He is the USBWA’s District I Player of the Year for the second straight season.
ACC Freshman of the Year Jabari Parker, a 6-8 forward from Chicago, is averaging 19.2 points and 9.0 rebounds per game for Duke. His 16 20-point games are tied for second-most in ACC history, three shy of the conference record. The District VI Player of the Year is also a finalist for the Wayman Tisdale Award, pesented to the National Freshman of the Year by the USBWA.
Guard Russ Smith, the District IV Player of the Year from defending national champion Louisville, is a 6-0 senior from Brooklyn, N.Y. He is the American Athletic Conference’s fourth-leading scorer (17.5), while ranking third in assists (4.8).
The second team features four seniors, including forward Cleanthony Early of unbeaten Wichita State, Big 12 Player of the Year Melvin Ejim of Iowa State, District II Player of the Year forward C.J. Fair from Syracuse, and Cincinnati guard Sean Kilpatrick. Kansas guard Andrew Wiggins, the Big 12 Freshman of the Year, rounds out the second team.
Each of the 10 All-America selections is among the Oscar Robertson Trophy finalists. The USBWA’s National Player of the Year Award will be announced on Friday, April 4, in Arlington, Texas, in conjunction with the NCAA Final Four. The Oscar Robertson Player of the Year Trophy will be formally presented on Monday, April 14, at the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards Gala in Oklahoma City.
Following is the complete 2013-14 USBWA All-America team:
2013-14 USBWA MEN’S ALL-AMERICA TEAM
First Team (Ht., Wt., Yr., Hometown)
G Nick Johnson, Arizona (6-3, 200, Jr., Gilbert, Ariz.)
First first-team All-American from Arizona since 1999 (Jason Terry)
F Doug McDermott, Creighton (6-8, 225, Sr., Ames, Iowa)
19th player to earn three-time USBWA All-America (Last: Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina, 2008-09)
G Shabazz Napier, Connecticut (6-1, 180, Sr., Roxbury, Mass.)
Fifth UConn player to earn All-America since 2004 (Last: Kemba Walker, 2011)
F Jabari Parker, Duke (6-8, 235, Fr., Chicago, Ill.)
12th Duke All-American selection since 2000
G Russ Smith, Louisville (6-0, 165, Sr., Brooklyn, N.Y.)
First USBWA All-American from Louisville since 1994 (Clifford Rozier)
Second Team (Ht., Wt., Yr., Hometown)
F Cleanthony Early, Wichita State (6-8, 219, Sr., Middletown, N.Y.)
Third USBWA All-American from Wichita State (First since Xavier McDaniel, 1985)
F Melvin Ejim, Iowa State (6-6, 220, Sr., Toronto, Ont.)
Fourth Iowa State All-American (First since Jamal Tinsley, 2001)
F C.J. Fair, Syracuse (6-8, 215, Sr., Baltimore, Md.)
First Syracuse All-American since Wesley Johnson (2010)
G Sean Kilpatrick, Cincinnati (6-4 , 210, Sr., Yonkers, N.Y.)
First Cincinnati All-American since 2002 (Steve Logan)
G Andrew Wiggins, Kansas (6-8, 200, Fr., Vaughan, Ont.)
Sixth straight season Kansas has had a USBWA All-America selection
The USBWA will continue to unveil its 2013-14 men’s award winners throughout the remainder of the season. Here is the remaining schedule of releases:
• Mon., March 17: Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year and Freshman All-America Team announced
• Mon., March 24: Henry Iba Coach of the Year announced
• Mon., March 31: Women’s All-America team announced
• Fri., April 4: Oscar Robertson Player of the Year announced
• Mon., April 14: Presentation of the Integris Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year Award, the Henry Iba Coach of the Year Award and the Oscar Robertson Player of the Year Trophy at the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards Gala in Oklahoma City
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:
• 2013-14 USBWA All-District teams
• All-time USBWA All-America teams
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