We take a shot at picking the All-Pac-12 basketball teams, player of the year, coach of the year, etc.
The Pac-12 will announce its conference all-stars early this week. I’m jumping the gun and making my choices today.
First-, second- and third-team picks are done with the idea that it’s a team you could actually put on the floor. In other words, no five-guard teams (even as heavy as the league is on guards).
First team
T. J. McConnell, Arizona. The engine that makes the ‘Cats go, and the biggest source of their competitive fire.
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Stanley Johnson, Arizona. Big matchup problem for Pac-12 defenses.
Joe Young, Oregon. Perfect embodiment of Oregon’s running, gunning style.
Gary Payton II, Oregon State. Nobody was more important to his team. League’s steals leader and somehow, its No. 3 rebounder.
Chasson Randle, Stanford. Second-leading scorer (19.1) took all the big shots for Cardinal.
Second team
Delon Wright, Utah. Hate to make him second-team, but he could have taken over more.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Arizona. Defensive stalwart can guard several positions.
Josh Hawkinson, WSU. Off the radar to a standout in one season; league’s only double-figures rebounder (10.8).
Anthony Brown, Stanford. No. 9 scorer (15.1), No. 5 rebounder (7.1).
Nigel Williams-Goss, Washington. Shouldn’t be penalized for team’s woes, and had some phenomenal games.
Third team
Askia Booker, Colorado. Pac-12’s No. 3 scorer (17.2) on an underachieving team.
Kevon Looney, UCLA. Could use another college year. Will he take it?
Brandon Taylor, Utah. Like how he emerged this year, and shot .427 from deep.
Tyrone Wallace, Cal. Didn’t shoot it great, but top-5 scorer and rebounder hard to ignore.
Bryce Alford, UCLA. Sometimes takes too many shots, but 5.06 assists a game worth something.
All-Freshman
Stanley Johnson, Arizona. Should get major consideration for league player of the year.
Kevon Looney, UCLA. Second to Hawkinson with 9.5 rebounds a game.
Jakob Poertl, Utah. Led everybody in FG percentage at .689.
Dillon Brooks, Oregon. Seemed to outshine fellow UO frosh Jordan Bell.
Jordan McLaughlin, USC. Was one spark for USC in a season mostly without them.
Player of the year: McConnell. Heart and soul of the Wildcats.
Coach of the year: Dana Altman, Oregon. There were several solid-to-spectacular jobs done this year — Wayne Tinkle of Oregon State; Larry Krystkowiak of Utah; Ernie Kent of Washington State, among others — but Altman’s work with a depleted roster stood out. Eight of his top 10 scorers from 2013-14 were off the roster this year, and somehow he has pieced together an NCAA-tournament-bound team. Can’t say that it’s an especially likable program, what with the revolving door of players and the ugliness that shadowed it last spring (Duck supporters pretty much agreed, stayed away in numbers this year), but there’s no denying Altman can coach.