2012 College Basketball Picks and Predictions: Second Team All-Americans: While being named a First-Team All-American is one of the ultimate individual accomplishments a college basketball player can achieve, being named a Second-Team All-American isn’t a bad consolation prize. After all, only 10 of the thousands of college basketball players can claim to have been named to an All-American team each season. With the 2012-13 season right around the corner, here is a look at my preseason Second-Team All-American selections.
2012 College Basketball Predictions: Second Team All-Americans
Center: Nerlens Noel, Kentucky Wildcats
Harrison Barnes was proof that naming a freshman to a preseason All-American team can backfire, but Anthony Davis was proof that overlooking freshmen can be equally foolish. Noel is cut out of the same mold as Davis, and he has the height, athleticism and natural shot blocking ability to be a defensive force in the middle of the Kentucky defense. Granted, his offensive skill set is limited and raw, but if his ability to control the glass and protect the paint is anywhere close to what has been advertised, Noel will have an incredible impact on the game even if he doesn’t score a bunch.
Power Forward: Mike Moser, UNLV Rebels
After sitting out a year following his transfer from UCLA, Moser returned with a bang last year, averaging a double-double. He has range out beyond the arc, and while he can fall in love with his jump shot on the offensive end at times, he doesn’t back down on the boards. Moser also averaged a blocked shot and 1.9 steals per game last season, leaving little doubt about just how complete his skill set is. His second year with the Rebels should be even better.
Small Forward: Rodney Williams Jr., Minnesota Golden Gophers
His offensive game is limited to high-percentage shots in the paint, but after averaging 12.2 points on 56.4 percent shooting last year, Williams definitely makes the shots he is supposed to make. More importantly, he uses his superior athleticism to cause all kinds of havoc for opponents on the defensive end of the court. Last year, he averaged 1.4 blocks and 1.3 steals, and he has the size to guard forwards and the speed to guard perimeter players. Williams is never going to be a high-volume scorer, but he has an adequate offensive game to back up his excellent defense, and Williams can stuff the stat sheet.
Shooting Guard: B.J. Young, Arkansas Razorbacks
It is one thing for a shooting guard to get a bunch of points by taking a bunch of shots. It is another thing entirely for a shooting guard to score plenty of points while shooting a high percentage. As a freshman last year, Young displayed the ability to be one of those rare, efficient perimeter scorers. He averaged 15.3 points on 50.4 percent shooting and hit 1.6 3-pointers per game at a 41.3 percent clip. You just can’t teach a stroke like that, and Young is only going to get better as he learns how to score with more than just his jump shot.
Point Guard: Trey Burke, Michigan Wolverines
It didn’t take long for Burke to establish himself as one of the more dynamic point guards in the country, and he averaged 14.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists as a freshman last year. While his jump shot was inconsistent at times, his ability to hit clutch shots in big games was uncanny. Not to mention the fact that few defenders were able to stay in front of Burke, and his ability to penetrate the lane opens things up for all of his teammates. With his speed, ball handling and court vision, he just has to refine his shot selection a bit to become the total package at the point guard spot.
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