ESPN article ↗ | KU Sports article ↗
Marcus Smart was a unanimous selection. Smart was joined on the preseason All-America team by seniors Doug McDermott of Creighton and Russ Smith of Louisville, sophomore Mitch McGary of Michigan and freshman Andrew Wiggins of Kansas.
Man... Marcus Smart is the real deal! This article focuses more on what my opinion has been about Marcus... that he came back because of his competitiveness, not because of his slight injury. X-out his reverse flip in AFH and I've got total respect for Smart. I'm glad he's in our league this year bringing the challenge to us, I just hope we will be ready for those wars!
I hope Wiggins has a better year than Barnes did his freshman year!
Middle America well represented. Louisville might as well be midwest, four other midwest states with a representative.
Good point. Someone should go back and see when was the last time there was no player from the Big East, the SEC, the ACC or the Pac12 in the pre-season all-America team.
I know pre-season selection doesn't mean much... It's a popularity contest played out in the media where perception is the driver of the selections. Nevertheless, is this group of 5 evidence of a power shift in basketball?
It's a good list. I would probably take someone else instead of McGary, though.
@gary_bedore Hey Gary, can you guys find another pic for Wiggins? You know, something that says more "once in a decade electrifying basketball talent" and less "I just woke up and have to do this dumb photo shoot"?
KUAthletics: WIGGINS AND SELDEN EARN PRESEASON ACCOLADES ↗
Another article here about it also. I like how this one also mentioned that Wayne Selden has been added to the Wayman Tisdale Award Preseason Watch List along with Wiggins.
"Joining Wiggins on the AP 2013-14 Preseason All-America team are Marcus Smart (Oklahoma State), Doug McDermott (Creighton), Russ Smith (Louisville) and Mitch McGary (Michigan)."
So Mitch McGary of Michigan was no fluke last season. No wonder he dominated in that ill-fated game.
@Wishawk If Mitch McGary was a fluke in that game, I'd still think we'd see him on that list, as beating KU in the tournament is how legends are born (I think his inclusion in that list is predicated on his 20/10 line against us, or whatever it was). But he's definitely a beast, and made Withey look slow and confused.
Wish the Big12 would have went after Louisville, and not TCU.
Also the Big East has a player on the First team in McDermott. This is Creighton's first year in the new Big East all basketball conf.
I agree with everyone in here... we missed out on Louisville, especially when we could have landed them over West Virginia. Their stature, venue... everything is better.
@bskeet-Pre season is what you say it is. End of season? Kansas has more AA's than any D 1 program in history & also have the most conf titles in D 1 history. Like to get the hat trick with another NC this season too. Sorry but I'm a tad Greeeeeedy. Let's see where we end up this year. Don't recall, was BMac 2nd team?
@globaljaybird I like the way you think!
And yes... he was 2nd team All America ↗
Just for giggles (or tears), check out that little article and the vast discussion that follows it. Scores of comments...
On the Popeye thing from above -