KANSAS CITY – UConn senior Shabazz Napier (Roxbury, Mass.), who will lead the Huskies into the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 this weekend at Madison Square Garden, has been named a Division I first team All-American by the National Association of Basketball Coaches.
Napier, who also was named a first team All-American by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, has led the Huskies to a 28-8 record this season, including two victories in the NCAA tourney. UConn faces Iowa State in the Sweet 16 game Friday night at 7:27 p.m.
Napier — who was joined on the first team by Creighton senior forward Doug McDermott, Arizona junior guard Nick Johnson, Michigan sophomore guard Nik Stauskas, and Duke freshman forward Jabari Parker — leads UConn in scoring (17.8), rebounding (5.9), assists (4.9), steals (1.8), minutes played (34.8), and numerous other categories. He is about to tie the record for most games ever played in a UConn uniform (140).
The 6-1 guard was named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year and was a unanimous choice on the all-conference first team. He is on the final watch lists for the John Wooden Award, the Oscar Robertson Trophy, the Senior CLASS Award, and the Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year award.
The NABC All-American teams are selected by a vote of member coaches of the NABC, which includes more than 5,000 coaches, and represent the finest college basketball players across the country.
2014 NABC COACHES’ DIVISION I ALL-AMERICA FIRST TEAM
Nick Johnson, Arizona, 6-3, 200, Junior, Guard, Gilbert, Ariz.
Doug McDermott, Creighton, 6-8, 225, Senior, Forward, Ames, Iowa
Shabazz Napier, Connecticut, 6-1, 180, Senior, Guard, Roxbury, Mass.
Jabari Parker, Duke, 6-8, 235, Freshman, Forward, Chicago, Ill.
Nik Stauskas, Michigan, 6-6, 205, Sophomore, Guard, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
2014 NABC COACHES’ DIVISION I ALL-AMERICA SECOND TEAM
Cleanthony Early, Wichita State, 6-8, 219, Senior, Forward, Middletown, N.Y.
C.J. Fair, Syracuse, 6-8, 215, Senior, Forward, Baltimore, Md.
Sean Kilpatrick, Cincinnati, 6-4, 210, Senior, Guard, Yonkers, N.Y.
Russ Smith, Louisville, 6-0, 165, Senior, Guard, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Andrew Wiggins, Kansas, 6-8, 200, Freshman, Guard, Vaughan, Ontario, Canada
2014 NABC COACHES’ DIVISION I ALL-AMERICA THIRD TEAM
Julius Randle, Kentucky, 6-9, 250, Freshman, Forward, Dallas, Texas
Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State, 6-4, 220, Sophomore, Guard, Flower Mound, Texas
Fred VanVleet, Wichita State, 5-11, 194, Sophomore, Guard, Rockford, Ill.
T.J. Warren, North Carolina State, 6-8, 215, Sophomore, Forward, Durham, N.C.
Scottie Wilbekin, Florida, 6-2, 176, Senior, Guard, Winter Haven, Fla.
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