2012 College Basketball Picks and Predictions: First Team All-Americans: Being named a preseason All-American is an honor for any college basketball player, but is isn’t a guarantee of success for the regular season. Last year, Jordan Taylor, Jared Sullinger, Jeremy Lamb, Terrence Jones and Harrison Barnes were named preseason First-Team All-Americans. Only Sullinger was also named a First-Team All-American at the end of the year as players like Thomas Robinson, Anthony Davis, Doug McDermott and Draymond Green emerged as the top players in the country during the course of the year. Obviously, nothing is set in stone, but here is a look at the players worthy of being preseason First-Team All-Americans for the 2012-13 season.
2012 College Basketball Predictions: First Team All-Americans
Center: Cody Zeller, Indiana Hoosiers
After averaging 15.6 points per game on 62.3 percent shooting as a true freshman, Zeller’s sophomore campaign should be fun to watch. He has a true back-to-the-basket game, a soft touch from around 10 feet out and runs the floor as well as any big man in the country. Zeller’s offensive game is only going to expand with a year of collegiate experience under his belt, he is going to be a force in the paint for the top-ranked Hoosiers all season long.
Power Forward: Doug McDermott, Creighton Blue Jays
It is going to be tough to find a more versatile, efficient scorer than McDermott. Last season, he averaged 22.9 points on 60.1 percent shooting and averaged 1.5 3-pointers per game at 48.6 percent clip. He also shot 79.6 percent from the foul line and added 8.2 rebounds per game. With his 6’8” frame, McDermott has no problem creating his own shot, and he has can knock in shots from the post to the perimeter. It is no wonder that he is on the short list of players that could lead the country in scoring in 2012-13.
Small Forward: Deshaun Thomas, Ohio State Buckeyes
It became apparent last March that Thomas was the Buckeyes’ best offensive weapon. He averaged 15.9 points per game on the year on 52.0 percent shooting and bumped his average up above 23 points per game during the NCAA Tournament. Thomas is a versatile scorer with range out beyond the arc, along with a deadly mid-range game. Whether he is stretching defenses with his 3-point shooting or finding the soft spots in zones with his jumper, Thomas is a matchup nightmare for opponents. He will be Ohio State’s unquestioned No. 1 option on offense in 2012-13, and the junior will likely be considered a lottery pick by the end of the year.
Shooting Guard: C.J. McCollum, Lehigh Mountain Hawks
Lehigh’s top gunner has been scoring at a high level since his freshman season. He has averaged at least 19.8 points per game in all three years with the Mountain Hawks, including a career-high 21.9 last season. McCollum can score in multiple ways, hitting about two 3-pointers per game and making about seven trips to the foul line. He is also a thief on the defensive end, and he has averaged at least 2.5 steals in each of the past two seasons. McCollum has been knocking down shots and piling up points since he came to Lehigh, and the senior should end his collegiate career as one of the top scorers in the country in 2012-13.
Point Guard: Lorenzo Brown, North Carolina State Wolfpack
Consider Brown a Swiss Army knife at the point guard spot. Last year, he averaged 12.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.8 steals. Not to mention that his 6’5” frame makes him a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses and an equally difficult matchup for opposing guards trying to shoot over him. Plain and simple, the guy does it all on both ends of the court. Brown can score, dish the ball and play defense. What more do you want out of a point guard?
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