Olympic Fan
11-10-2015, 07:00 PM
Don't know if anybody noticed, but for the fourth time, the preseason AP All-America team included a freshman -- LSU's Ben Simmons:
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/14091015/ben-simmons-lsu-tigers-fourth-freshman-selected-ap-preseason-all-america-team
In this one-and-done era, freshmen are going to make All-America teams. But it's interesting to see that the track record of the AP voters is not very good. So far, they are 1-for-3 with their preseason picks.
2010-11 -- Harrison Barnes became the first freshman to earn preseason AP All-America honors without playing a game. A total miss -- Barnes didn't make one of the three postseason AP All-America teams. In fact, he didn't earn a single All-America mention that year (he did earn second-team NABC as a sophomore)
2013-14 -- Andrew Wiggins was also a miss. He made second-team AP All-American in postseason. He was consensus second-team. BTW: Duke freshman Jabari Parker did make the first AP All-America team and was a consensus first-team All-American in postseason.
2014-15 -- The voters finally get one right -- with Duke's Jahlil Okafor. He ended up first-team AP All-American as predicted in preseason ... in fact, he made every single first-team All-America team that is recognized by the NCAA.
Will Simmons match Okafor or will he follow in the illustrious footsteps of the Black Falcon? Or will he be a near miss like Wiggins?
I don't get to see as much prep basketball as I once did, but while I think Simmons is a very good prospect, I don't think he'll be recognized as one of the five best players in college basketball by the time the season is over. I'm guessing that h ends up more like Wiggins -- just missing first-team status.
BTW: I'm not predicting that Brandon Ingram will be a first-team AP All-American this year, but Duke does have two straight freshmen made first team. Can Ingram make it three?
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/14091015/ben-simmons-lsu-tigers-fourth-freshman-selected-ap-preseason-all-america-team
In this one-and-done era, freshmen are going to make All-America teams. But it's interesting to see that the track record of the AP voters is not very good. So far, they are 1-for-3 with their preseason picks.
2010-11 -- Harrison Barnes became the first freshman to earn preseason AP All-America honors without playing a game. A total miss -- Barnes didn't make one of the three postseason AP All-America teams. In fact, he didn't earn a single All-America mention that year (he did earn second-team NABC as a sophomore)
2013-14 -- Andrew Wiggins was also a miss. He made second-team AP All-American in postseason. He was consensus second-team. BTW: Duke freshman Jabari Parker did make the first AP All-America team and was a consensus first-team All-American in postseason.
2014-15 -- The voters finally get one right -- with Duke's Jahlil Okafor. He ended up first-team AP All-American as predicted in preseason ... in fact, he made every single first-team All-America team that is recognized by the NCAA.
Will Simmons match Okafor or will he follow in the illustrious footsteps of the Black Falcon? Or will he be a near miss like Wiggins?
I don't get to see as much prep basketball as I once did, but while I think Simmons is a very good prospect, I don't think he'll be recognized as one of the five best players in college basketball by the time the season is over. I'm guessing that h ends up more like Wiggins -- just missing first-team status.
BTW: I'm not predicting that Brandon Ingram will be a first-team AP All-American this year, but Duke does have two straight freshmen made first team. Can Ingram make it three?