Since the first month of the season, when he destroyed Illinois and a group of mid-major opponents with some ruthless efficiency in the post, there wasn’t much question that Arizona’s Zeke Nnaji would be better than expected as a freshman this season.
But en route to being named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year on Monday, Nnaji faced a few other questions.
Such as, could he deal with increasing double-teams and other defensive tricks on him, especially as UA’s really only consistent low-post scoring threat?
Would he be able to avoid a freshman wall in Pac-12 play and struggle to maintain his energy and efficiency, especially as Arizona moved him further inside while benching center Chase Jeter and moving Stone Gettings into his old power forward spot?
And would he be able to outplay other Pac-12 freshmen posts who entered with loftier credentials, guys like USC’s Onyeka Okongwu and Washington’s Isaiah Stewart and Jaden McDaniels?
Or shine more than the Pac-12’s other NBA-scout-drawing freshmen, guys such as his old Minnesota club teammate, Tyrell Terry of Stanford — or even his own UA teammates, Nico Mannion and Josh Green?
The answers, to all of the above, turned out to be yes.
Nnaji was not only named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year but also made the conference’s 10-player all-conference first team, while Mannion made the five-player second team and senior Dylan Smith received honorable mention in the all-defensive voting.
Both Nnaji and Mannion also made the five-player all-freshman team, along with Okongwu, Stewart and Terry.
The only uncertain question surrounding Nnaji isn’t up to him: That is, have the Wildcats been getting him the ball enough, considering his efficiency inside and everybody else’s inconsistency outside?
When Nnaji is available for comment after games, he routinely credits his teammates — “They got me the ball in great spots and I was able to finish,” he said in typical fashion after UA beat WSU on March 5 — but coach Sean Miller has given the impression often this season that something is being left on the table.
“Clearly, being able to get him the ball in scoring position is a big, big deal,” Miller said on Feb. 25, when answering a question about UA’s late-game failures in a loss to Oregon three days earlier. “A really, really big deal. Maybe the biggest deal that we have going on here at Arizona basketball in ’19-20.”
In other words, Nnaji’s numbers might even be better under different circumstances.
As it is, the 6-foot-11 forward from Minnesota leads 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 57.3% shooting 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 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 while leading the Ducks to the regular-season title and UCLA’s Mick Cronin was named Coach of the Year after the Bruins made a dramatic second place finish following a 7-6 nonconference season and a 1-3 start in league play.
Colorado forward Tyler Bey was named Defensive Player of the Year, while UCLA forward Chris Smith was named Most Improved and ASU’s Alonzo Verge was given Sixth Man honors.
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.
Rim shots
• Washington’s 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.
• Despite losing to the last-place Huskies, Arizona was still projected as a No. 8 seed in ESPN’s bracketology and a No. 9 by CBS. The Wildcats are No. 14 overall in the NET, No. 20 in Kenpom and No. 49 in Sagarin.
• Oregon (at No. 13) was the only Pac-12 team in the Associated Press Top 25, though Arizona, USC and UCLA also received votes.
