ST. LOUIS – University of Connecticut senior guard Shabazz Napier (Roxbury, Mass.) has been named a First Team All-American by the United States Basketball Writers Association, as announced by the organization Wednesday.
Napier, who was named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year earlier today, led the Huskies in points (17.8), rebounds (6.0), assists (5.2) and steals (1.8) this season, becoming the only UConn player to ever lead in each of those categories throughout a regular season. His 19.3 points per game in American Athletic Conference play were the second-highest mark among all players, and he earned Conference Player of the Week Honors five times throughout UConn's 2013-14 campaign.
His efforts propelled Connecticut to a 24-7 regular season record, which included two wins over the nationally ranked Memphis Tigers, who the Huskies face in the quarterfinals of the American Athletic Conference Championship Thursday night. Napier poured in a career-high 34 points on 10-of-21 shooting in UConn’s 86-81 overtime victory over Memphis on Feb. 15.
Arizona guard Nick Johnson, Duke forward Jabari Parker, Louisville guard Russ Smith and Creighton forward Doug McDermott rounded out the remaining spots on USBWA’s All-America First Team. McDermott led the nation in scoring, averaging 26.5 points a game, while Smith was named to the All-Conference First Team along with Napier.
Napier has also been named as a finalist for the Naismith Trophy, Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award, Senior CLASS Award and the John Wooden Award. No. 21 Connecticut’s game against No. 19 Memphis is set for a 9 p.m. tipoff and it can be seen on ESPNU and heard on the UConn IMG Radio Network.
2013-14 USBWA Men's All-America Team
First Team
Nick Johnson, G, Arizona
Doug McDermott, F, Creighton
Shabazz Napier, G, UConn
Jabari Parker, F, Duke
Russ Smith, G, Louisville
Second Team
Cleanthony Early, F, Wichita State
Melvin Ejim, F, Iowa State
C.J. Fair, F, Syracuse
Sean Kilpatrick, G, Cincinnati
Andrew Wiggins, G, Kansas
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