Conventional huge males can nonetheless dominate faculty basketball — however, lately, it is grow to be tougher than ever for them to solidify themselves as fascinating NBA prospects due to the way in which the sport is performed on the highest stage of the game. The byproduct of that’s that they largely get pushed again to varsity. And the byproduct of that’s that the checklist of CBS Sports activities preseason All-Individuals is full of frontcourt gamers for the second straight October.
Purdue‘s Zach Edey, North Carolina‘s Armando Bacot, Kansas‘ Hunter Dickinson and Duke‘s Kyle Filipowski had been all voted CBS Sports activities Preseason First Crew All-Individuals, which implies 80% of our First Crew stands 6-foot-11 or taller. That is clearly uncommon and probably unprecedented however actually only a signal of the instances.
Edey was a unanimous alternative.
The 7-4 heart is the reigning CBS Sports activities Nationwide Participant of the Yr after averaging 22.3 factors, 12.9 rebounds and a couple of.1 blocks per sport final season whereas main Purdue to the Massive Ten common season title and Massive Ten Match title. The Canadian is the favourite to repeat because the Picket Award winner and if he does it, would be the first back-to-back Picket Award winner since Ralph Simpson in 1982 and 1983.
The one guard on the First Crew?
That is Marquette‘s Tyler Kolek, the reigning Massive East Participant of the Yr who averaged 12.9 factors, 7.5 assists and 4.1 rebounds final season whereas main the Golden Eagles to the Massive East regular-season title and Massive East Match title. His return to Milwaukee is among the many causes Marquette is ranked fifth within the Related Press High 25 preseason ballot.
Our three All-America groups encompass 15 gamers from six completely different leagues — the Massive East, ACC, Massive Ten, Massive 12, Pac-12 and SEC. Edey, Bacot and Dickinson are the one repeat preseason All-Individuals. The lone participant who was a preseason All-American final season, returned to highschool, however didn’t make any of our three preseason All-America groups this season is Caleb Love, the previous North Carolina guard who’s now enrolled at Arizona. — Gary Parrish
Observe: The CBS Sports activities Preseason All-America Groups had been voted on by faculty basketball writers at CBS Sports activities and 247Sports in addition to broadcasters from CBS and CBS Sports activities Community.
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2023-24 CBS Sports activities Preseason All-America First Crew
Zach Edey | Purdue | C | 7-4 | Sr.
Our solely unanimous All-America First Crew choose, and it will’ve been legal if any voter shrugged Edey off to Second Crew standing. The Canadian Colossus is coming off a dynamite season. He swept each participant of the yr award he was up for by averaging 22.3 factors (sixth nationally), 12.9 rebounds (second), 2.1 blocks (18th) and 1.5 assists on 60.7% capturing. All of it provides as much as one of the statistically dominant seasons from any participant in trendy historical past. Edey’s 40.21 participant effectivity ranking was second-best within the sport courting again to 2002, which is when Sports activities Reference started monitoring. (Solely Zion Williamson’s was higher.)
He led faculty basketball with 27 double-doubles and, in accordance with Purdue, Edey’s the one participant within the NCAA official stats database to finish a season ranked within the prime 25 in factors, rebounds, blocks and subject purpose share. Till Edey, no participant logged greater than 750 factors, 400 rebounds, 70 blocks and 50 assists in a season. (Blocks grew to become an official stat within the early Eighties.) His dominance was simple. After enjoying with the Canadian Nationwide Crew over the summer season, we count on Edey to solely get higher. A scary factor for the remainder of the game. — Matt Norlander
Tyler Kolek | Marquette | G | 6-3 | Sr.
The one guard on our All-America First Crew is the reigning Massive East Participant of the Yr. Kolek emerged as a top-tier flooring normal after he commanded Marquette to a sweep of Massive East titles final season, averaging 12.9 factors, 7.5 assists and 4.1 rebounds on 40% 3-point capturing. Kolek performs with ever-lasting power and has thrived off opponents underestimating his wits and physicality.
He is a near-perfect participant for Shaka Good. It is attainable one other guard or two emerges as a extra impactful participant, however no guard getting into this season is coming off a greater 2022-23 than Kolek. The Golden Eagles are favored to win the Massive East and preserve their crown. Kolek is one actually good season away from taking place as probably the greatest backcourt gamers within the historical past of that proud program. — MN
Armando Bacot | North Carolina | F/C | 6-11 | Gr.
This stays my favourite tweet of the offseason:
Bacot channeling nine-year faculty legend Perry Ellis and sustaining a humorousness and self-deprecation after being part of one of many greatest letdowns in faculty hoops historical past is an encouraging signal. The fifth-year huge man was unlikely to be drafted, and provided that he had a wholesome assortment of NIL offers on the desk and he was clearly needed again by the teaching employees and the fan base, it was a no brainer.
Bacot (profession averages: 13.7 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 55.6 fg%) goes to be the center of a North Carolina squad that’s decided to atone for final season’s embarrassing whiff on making the NCAAs after being preseason No. 1. Bacot is UNC’s chief in all-time rebounds (1,335) and double-doubles (68). Better of all, Bacot is an fascinating and dependable quote at a time in faculty sports activities the place that isn’t the simplest factor to search out. — MN
Hunter Dickinson | Kansas | C | 7-2 | Sr.
Probably the most sought-after switch on a busy switch market, Dickinson determined to depart Michigan and be part of Invoice Self’s Jayhawks, who’re No. 1 staff in each the preseason AP High 25 and the CBS Sports activities High 25 And 1. Dickinson has profession averages of 17.2 factors, 8.4 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and has made 57% of his subject purpose makes an attempt. The Jayhawks will want him to be one of many 5 finest gamers within the nation to be able to be in place to win the nationwide title.
A change of surroundings might nicely present him the runway to have the most effective season of his profession. Self has coached some terrific facilities over time (Cole Alrdich, Jeff Withey, Joel Embiid, Udoka Azubuike), however none of his finest bigs entered a season with extra expectation on their shoulders than Dickinson this yr. — MN
Kyle Filipowski | Duke | C | 7-0 | Soph.
As our preseason First Crew proves, faculty hoops remains to be very a lot a giant man’s world. However whereas the opposite 4 honorees are grizzled vets, Filipowski is merely a sophomore. It speaks to how good he was final season and the way a lot is anticipated of him that he broke by for our prime 5. A possible first spherical choose this previous June, the man they name “Flip” determined as a substitute to return to Durham and spherical out a preseason top-three roster for Jon Scheyer’s Blue Devils.
Filipowski will attempt to enhance upon his averages (15.1 factors, 8.9 rebounds, 44.1% capturing) and go head-to-head with Bacot to be the most effective huge within the ACC. We’re together with Filipowski as our ultimate First Crew choose as a result of we count on his 3-point capturing to take a soar; he made simply 28.2% of his 124 makes an attempt final season behind the arc. — MN
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2023-24 CBS Sports activities Preseason All-America Second Crew
Ryan Kalkbrenner | Creighton | C | 7-1 | Sr.
No participant in faculty basketball had a better true capturing share final season than did Kalkbrenner, who blended an environment friendly scoring strategy on offense with one of the potent inside defensive presences within the sport. The 2-time Massive East Defensive Participant of the Yr is coming off a profession season for Creighton after averaging 15.9 factors per sport and figures to be a focus for a Bluejays staff that simply earned its highest-ever rating within the preseason AP High 25 ballot at No. 8. — Kyle Boone
Terrence Shannon Jr. | Illinois | G | 6-6 | Fifth
Shannon was one of the impactful transfers in faculty hoops final season for Illinois, the place he broke out in a giant means after three seasons at Texas Tech, averaging a career-high 17.2 factors, 4.6 rebounds and a couple of.8 assists per sport for the Illini. His first season in Champaign, Illinois, netted him First Crew All-Massive Ten honors, and his resolution to return to varsity after testing the NBA Draft waters immediately propelled Illinois again into the combo as a contender in a loaded Massive Ten. He and Coleman Hawkins each put promising NBA futures on maintain to breathe life into an Illinois program that most of our CBS team believes will be top-three in the conference. — KB
Wade Taylor IV | Texas A&M | G | 6-0 | Jr.
Considered one of solely two returning First Crew All-SEC performers from final season, Taylor practically doubled up his profession averages as a sophomore the place he averaged 16.3 factors and three.9 assists per sport for Texas A&M. He is the main returning scorer and help man for an Aggies staff that has as a lot continuity as any in faculty hoops, because it returns eight of its prime 9 scorers from a squad that gained 25 video games and got here only one convention win shy of tying for an SEC convention common season championship. — KB
Boogie Ellis | USC | G | 6-3 | Fifth
Ellis surprisingly opted to return for a fifth season after main USC in scoring in 2022-23, giving USC a foundational piece on which to plant its incoming No. 3-ranked recruiting class. Teaming up with No. 2 general recruit Isaiah Collier ought to free him as much as focus much more on his scoring prowess, and there needs to be extra alternatives accessible on that entrance with star Drew Peterson off to the NBA. — KB
Isaiah Collier | USC | G | 6-5 | Fr.
The crown jewel of USC’s third-ranked recruiting class, Collier was ranked because the No. 2 general participant within the 2023 class and has already established himself a power for the Trojans. He is an electrical dual-threat guard who will thrive as a distributor and scorer to offer the Trojans probably the greatest backcourt duos not simply within the Pac-12, however in faculty hoops, subsequent to Boogie Ellis. — KB
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2023-24 CBS Sports activities Preseason All-America Third Crew
Donovan Clingan | UConn | C | 7-2 | Soph.
The towering heart was a key reserve on UConn’s nationwide championship staff and he averaged 6.9 factors and 5.6 rebounds in solely 13.1 minutes per sport. With Adama Sanogo off to the NBA, Clingan’s numbers are anticipated to take an enormous leap. — Cameron Salerno
Tyrese Proctor | Duke | G | 6-5 | Soph.
Proctor elected to bypass final June’s NBA Draft and return to highschool for an additional season after averaging 9.4 factors and three.3 assists as a freshman. The Australian guard ought to take over lead guard duties for the Blue Devils this season the place he will likely be snug facilitating the offense. — CS
Bryce Hopkins | Providence | F/G | 6-7 | Jr.
The previous Kentucky WIldcat averaged 15.8 factors and eight.5 rebounds in his first season with Windfall final season and the do-it-all ahead is again for an additional run. Hopkins is a participant new coach Kim English can belief on each ends of the ground. — CS
Max Abmas | Texas | G | 6-0 | Gr.
Probably the most prolific scorers in faculty basketball has a brand new house this season after spending the final 4 years at Oral Roberts. Abmas ranked because the No. 8 general participant accessible within the switch portal rankings and may present Rodney Terry with a dependable scorer subsequent to Tyrese Hunter within the backcourt. — CS
Trey Alexander | Creighton | G | 6-4 | Jr.
Alexander performed a key function on Creighton’s Elite Eight staff final season. He averaged 13.6 factors and 4.2 rebounds on 44.7% capturing and is a significant motive why the Blue Jays are ranked No. 8 within the preseason AP High 25 ballot. — CS
