Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe and Gonzaga’s Drew Timme were unanimous selections in The Associated Press’ men’s college basketball preseason All-America team released Monday.
The two big men were joined by North Carolina forward Armando Bacot, Houston guard Marcus Sasser and Indiana forward Trayce Jackson-Davis on the team selected by a 59-person medial panel.
Tshiebwe is the first reigning AP National Player of the Year to return for another season since Tyler Hansbrough of North Carolina in 2008-09.
He averaged 17.4 points, 15.2 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.6 blocks and shot 60.6 percent from the field in 34 starts for the Wildcats in 2021-22.
Timme is a two-time second team All-American. He averaged 18.4 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 32 games last season for the Zags.
Bacot averaged 16.3 points and 13.1 rebounds in 39 games for the Tar Heels, who lost to Kansas in the national championship game.
Sasser is returning from a broken bone in his left foot. He averaged 17.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.2 steals in 12 games before the injury.
Jackson-Davis posted 18.3 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game in 35 starts for the Hoosiers last season.
North Carolina is No. 1 in the preseason poll, followed by Gonzaga, Houston and Kentucky in the top four. Indiana is No. 13.
–Field Level Media