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:
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