Arizona freshman center Zeke Nnaji was named the Pac-12’s Freshman of the Year, the conference announced Monday.
Nnaji was also the only Arizona player named to the Pac-12's 10-player all-conference first team, though guard Nico Mannion was named to the five-player first team. In addition, Dylan Smith was named honorable mention in all-defensive voting.
All season-long awards are voted on by the league's 12 head coaches. Weekly awards are chosen by media who regularly cover the league.
A 6-foot-11 forward/center from Minnesota, Nnaji led the Wildcats in scoring (16.1) and rebounds (9.2) while shooting 50.3% from the field in Pac-12 games this season.
In all games, Nnaji is averaging 16.3 points, 8.6 rebounds and shoots 57.3% from the field. He also leads the Pac-12 in double-doubles with 14, the third most nationally for a freshman.
Nnaji is the fifth Arizona player to win Freshman of the Year honors over Sean Miller's 11 seasons with the Wildcats. Derrick Williams won it during Miller's first season of 2009-10, followed by Aaron Gordon (2013-14), Stanley Johnson (2014-15) and Deandre Ayton (2017-18).
In the Pac-12’s other major awards, Oregon guard Payton Pritchard was named Player of the Year, UCLA’s Mick Cronin was Coach of the Year, Colorado's Tyler Bey was Defensive Player of the Year, UCLA's Chris Smith was named Most Improved and ASU's Alonzo Verge was given Sixth Man honors.
All the Pac-12 all-league teams:
FIRST TEAM
Name School Pos. Yr. Hometown
Oscar da Silva Stanford F Jr. Munich, Germany
CJ Elleby Washington State F So. Seattle, Wash.
Remy Martin Arizona State G Jr. Chatsworth, Calif.
Zeke Nnaji Arizona F Fr. Hopkins, Minn.
Onyeka Okongwu USC F Fr. Chino, Calif.
Payton Pritchard Oregon G Sr. West Linn, Ore.
Chris Smith UCLA G Jr. Chicago, Ill.
Isaiah Stewart Washington F Fr. Rochester, N.Y.
Tres Tinkle Oregon State F Sr. Missoula, Mont.
McKinley Wright Colorado G Jr. North Robbinsdale, Minn.
SECOND TEAM
Name School Pos. Yr. Hometown
Timmy Allen Utah F So. Mesa, Ariz.
Tyler Bey Colorado G/F Jr. Las Vegas, Nev.
Matt Bradley California G So. San Bernardino, Calif.
Nico Mannion Arizona G Fr. Phoenix
Jonah Mathews USC G Sr. Santa Monica, Calif.
Honorable mention (receiving at least three votes): Chris Duarte (Oregon, G), Tyrell Terry (Stanford, G), Alonzo Verge Jr. (ASU, G).
ALL-FRESHMAN
Nico Mannion Arizona G Phoenix
Zeke Nnaji Arizona F Hopkins, Minn.
Onyeka Okongwu USC F Chino, Calif.
Isaiah Stewart Washington F Rochester, N.Y.
Tyrell Terry Stanford G Minneapolis, Minn.
Honorable mention: Jaime Jaquez Jr. (UCLA, G).
ALL-DEFENSIVE
Tyler Bey Colorado G/F Jr. Las Vegas, Nev.
Kylor Kelley Oregon State F Sr. Gervais, Ore.
Jonah Mathews USC G Sr. Santa Monica, Calif.
Bryce Wills Stanford G So. White Plains, N.Y.
McKinley Wright IV Colorado G Jr. North Robbinsdale, Minn.
Honorable mention: Chris Duarte (Oregon, G), Jalen Hill (UCLA, F), Jervae Robinson (WSU, G), Dylan Smith (Arizona, G).
Washington's Jaden McDaniels picked up the Pac-12's Freshman of the Week award after helping the Huskies to a road sweep in Arizona, while Utah's Both Gach won Player of the Week for his heroics in the Utes' upset of Colorado.
