Toward the end of Deandre Aytonβs dominant freshman year with the Arizona Wildcats, new adjectives became hard to find.
Usually, UA coach Sean Miller and others in college basketball would simply note that the Bahamian big man was like few others around.
Now, the accolades say it all: Ayton on Tuesday became the Wildcatsβ first consensus first-team All-American player in two decades, and the first in program history to do it as a freshman.
Ayton was named to the Associated Pressβ five-man All-American team, following similar honors by the USBWA (writers), NABC (coaches) and Sporting News. According to the NCAA, honors from those four organizations qualifies as a consensus.
Arizona junior Allonzo Trier, who will join Ayton and sophomore Rawle Alkins in leaving for the NBA draft this spring, was named an AP honorable mention selection. While Ayton led the Wildcats in scoring (20.1) and rebounding (11.6), Trier was Arizonaβs second-leading scorer (18.1) while shooting 50 percent.
The Wildcats have not had a first-team AP All-American since Jason Terry became one in 1998-99, and have been without a consensus first-teamer since Mike Bibby in 1997-98.
Several UA players have been named first-team picks by other organizations, including two others during the Miller era: Derrick Williams in 2010-11 and Nick Johnson in 2013-14.
Ayton is not eligible to have his jersey hung inside McKale Center under UAβs current rules unless he wins a national honor such as player or freshman of the year. Ayton is a finalist for the Naismith Award and a member of the 15-man Wooden Award ballot, though Oklahomaβs Trae Young already won the USBWAβs Freshman of the Year award.
Counting honorable mention selections, Arizona now has 31 All-Americans in program history, including consensus first-teamers in Ayton, Bibby, Damon Stoudamire and Sean Elliott.
Brown considering
UA conditionally
One of the few remaining five-star players in the class of 2018, forward Jordan Brown of Roseville, California, says he is considering Arizona again.
At a practice in preparation for Wednesday’s McDonald’s All American Game, Brown told Flohoops.com that he’s “kind of waiting on how things go” at Arizona. He’s also considering Stanford, UCLA, Nevada, St. John’s, Gonzaga, Oregon, Cal and Louisiana-Lafayette.
βIf things get cleared up, then Iβm going to think more on it,β Brown told Flohoops.
Brown also told Rivalsβ Eric Bossi that UA has picked up its recruiting of him after being βon and offβ before.
Brown said he has not discussed the federal investigation with UA coaches, but βif we continue to explore that option, that will have to be something that will come up.β
While Brown says he wonβt be making a quick decision while he waits to see how things play out, itβs also possible that Arizona wonβt have much clarity for months or maybe even years. NCAA president Mark Emmert has told the Los Angeles Times that his organization is waiting for the federal officials to finish their investigatory process before moving in.
Jahvon Quinerly will play with Brown on the McDonaldβs West team on Wednesday. Quinerly decommitted from the Wildcats in the wake of the federal investigation that resulted in the arrest of UA assistant coach Book Richardson.
Several other McDonaldβs players dropped Arizona afterward, too, including R.J. Barrett and Simi Shittu of Canada, center Bol Bol of California and forward Nassir Little of Florida.
Arizona has had representatives play in the McDonaldβs menβs game for the past six years. The schoolβs womenβs team will have a representative (Cate Reese) for the first time this year. The womenβs game is scheduled for 2 p.m. on ESPN2 and the menβs game at 4 p.m. on ESPN.
Rim shots
- The aunt of four-star guard James Akinjo of Richmond, California, posted a photo on Twitter of Miller and UA assistant Mark Phelps visiting him on Monday. Akinjo, of Richmond, Calif., decommitted from UConn after the Huskies fired Kevin Ollie.
- Alkins posted his official notice that heβs leaving for the NBA draft on Twitter. βAlthough I am leaving UofA but my heart will always be here I love you guys!!β Alkins tweeted.
- UCLAβs Thomas Welsh and USCβs Jordan McLaughlin will play in the seniors-only NABC All-Star Game on Friday.
- Washington State guard Malachi Flynn announced on Twitter that he is transferring.
