AP Preseason All-Americans

[nomar]

Player, School Yr. Key stats
Marcus Paige, North Carolina PG Jr. 17.5 ppg, 4.2 apg
Montrezl Harrell, Louisville F Jr. 14.0 ppg, 8.4 rpg
Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin F Sr.13.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg
Fred VanVleet, Wichita State PG Jr. 11.6 ppg, 5.4 apg
Jahlil Okafor, Duke C Fr. 24.1 ppg, 11.3 rpg*

Zzzzzzzz. Odds on none of these players showing up on the actual All-America Team?

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...kafor-montrezl-harrell-head-ap-preseason-team

 

[UConn17]

I hate seeing Okafor on there....even if he is good enough, I just do not think a freshman deserves to make first team. The rest I do not have a problem with, although personally I think Paige is a tad overrated

 

[CallMeBruce]

I hate seeing Okafor on there....even if he is good enough, I just do not think a freshman deserves to make first team. The rest I do not have a problem with, although personally I think Paige is a tad overrated

They're making a list of the players they think will be the best in the country. Deserve's got nothin' to do with it.

 

[minidarren]

I know one player that is likely to play for a team that gets a post season ban.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

Seth Tuttle could win MVC POY over VanVleet. Will be close. Maybe Baker?

 

[Yankees32123]

VanVleet, Kaminsky, and Harrell will probably show up on the list at the end of the year. The three of them are studs. Paige is definitely a little overrated but could definitely be in the conversation, and no freshman should be on this list when they haven't played a single minute yet. But overall, it's a good list.

 

[BleedHuskyBlu]

I'm sure of 1 player being on that list and that's Harrell baring any injuries. Paige is ovverated and Okafor is just an overhyped frosh we saw what happened when Harrison Barnes received those honors freshman year

 

[BoatShow]

Montrezzelzell

 

[mauconnfan]

Okafor? Funny........can they play first?

If he went to UConn he wouldn't be on that team. Sorry but true!

 

[The Smart One]

Where is Mr. Boatright? After kemba won us a title and shabazz won us one they both became all americans

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

VanVleet, Kaminsky, and Harrell will probably show up on the list at the end of the year. The three of them are studs. Paige is definitely a little overrated but could definitely be in the conversation, and no freshman should be on this list when they haven't played a single minute yet. But overall, it's a good list.

VanVleet vs. Boat...career stats (per game).

Points- Boat 12.7 vs. VanVleet 7.8
Assists- Boat 3.9 vs. VanVleet 3.8
Steals- Boat 1.6 vs. VanVleet 1.4

VanVleet shot a better % from the field and at the line. I haven't checked strength of schedule to put a # behind both schools yet. After watching Boat at the end of last year would you consider VanVleet a better defender? Boatright is the stud comparatively speaking not VanVleet although I really like VanVleet's game.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

I'm sure of 1 player being on that list and that's Harrell baring any injuries. Paige is ovverated and Okafor is just an overhyped frosh we saw what happened when Harrison Barnes received those honors freshman year

Delon Wright should be on there. VanVleet had a great year last year but I would give Wright the edge over Paige and VanVleet.

 

[mauconnfan]

I like Paige and I also like Van Fleet although 1st team seems a bit much for the latter.

 

[dogfan96]

I don't see anything overrated about Paige.. he's got the goods.. when they need a play, he usually makes a play. Van Vleet is a very good player but I don't see him as being 1st Team All-America good. Harrell and Kaminsky are pretty legit picks and Okafor is just a joke.

 

[CallMeBruce]

I don't see how Okafor is a joke. A preseason All-American team is a prediction of who the best players will be this year. If they think Okafor is going to be one of the very best players in the country, it would be foolish to not include him. There's been at least one freshman AA each of the last 5 seasons, and in four of those seasons, there have been two, so it's not like this is somehow unprecedented.

 

[Scot-e]

A player who has only played HS ball really should not be on the list IMHO. It is the Dook hype machine at work and does take the honor away from other players who have already proved they belong in that company. I realize they are guessing but how about not guessing and picking the players that deserve it via their play and level of projected improvement from last year?

 

[nomar]

There's nothing wrong with the inclusion of any of these guys. They all "deserve" to be on the list because they'll all be good. It's just funny to me that none of them makes you go, "Wow, of course this guy is going to be a 1st Team All-American!" In past years there were more obvious choices.

 

[tykurez]

I'm still having nightmares about Montrezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[HuskyBballFan]

The preseason lists are the voters' best guesses as to who will be on the postseason lists. Therefore, if any particular voter believes that Okafor is on the level of Jabari Parker, Anthony Davis, Jared Sullinger, John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, and Blake Griffin (all of which made recent postseason 1st-team All-American teams as freshman), then it would be silly not to include him.

I'm sure a few of you will claim that Okafor is clearly not on the same level as those other guys and maybe you'll end up being right. But take the preseason buzz around Brimah and multiply it by about 50, and you still won't come close to the preseason buzz around Okafor. It's even beyond the Wiggins/Parker/Randle hype from last year.

 

[Jerry1714]

I don't see how Okafor is a joke. A preseason All-American team is a prediction of who the best players will be this year. If they think Okafor is going to be one of the very best players in the country, it would be foolish to not include him. There's been at least one freshman AA each of the last 5 seasons, and in four of those seasons, there have been two, so it's not like this is somehow unprecedented.

I agree, I do not think people understand what this team is........

 

[imno1]

Based on the coverage over the past few months I assumed Kentucky's starting 5 would all be first team.