LOS ANGELES – Gonzaga's
Brandon Clarke and
Rui Hachimura were both named to the John R. Wooden Award All-American Team. The Los Angeles Athletic Club announced the team Wednesday.
The Wooden Award All American Team is made up of 10 student-athletes who were the top vote-getters in the quest to earn college basketball's most prestigious honor. The ten-player team, alphabetically, consists of: Clarke, Hachimura, RJ Barrett (Duke), Carsen Edwards (Purdue), Markus Howard (Marquette), De'Andre Hunter (Virginia), Ja Morant (Murray State), Grant Williams (Tennessee), Zion Williamson (Duke), and Cassius Winston (Michigan State). The five players who are invited to Los Angeles for the Wooden Award presentation during the ESPN College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy's are: Barrett, Morant, Williams, Williamson, and Winston.
Hachimura was tabbed the 2019 West Coast Conference Player of the Year. He averaged 19.7 points per game this season, shooting 59.1 percent from the field. The junior added 6.5 rebounds per game and finished with 27 blocks this season. He made 63.5 percent of his shots from the field in conference play, which ranked fourth in the league.
Hachimura scored in double-digits in 35 of the Zags' 37 games this season, reaching 20 or more points 21 times. He had four double-doubles in 2018-19. The Toyama, Japan, native scored a career-high 33 points against Idaho State.
Clarke was named the West Coast Conference Defender and Newcomer of the Year. He was also tabbed First Team All-WCC and selected to the USBWA District IX Team. Clarke's 117 blocks are the most in the country, while his 3.16 blocks per game ranks third. He broke the conference single-season record, and now ranks sixth in program history for most blocks in a career, with all 117 blocks coming this season. The Phoenix, Ariz. native, finished second in league history with 52 blocks in conference action.
Clarke tops the nation shooting 68.7 percent from the field, which is also set a new WCC record. He led the conference, and is ninth in country, making 70.5 percent of his shots inside-the-arc. The redshirt junior averaged 16.9 points per game, which was seventh in the WCC, and 8.6 rebounds per outing, which is third in the league. He led the conference averaging 3.08 offensive rebounds per game.
Voting took place from March 18-25, allowing voters to take into consideration the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament. As insisted upon by Coach Wooden at the Award's creation 43 years ago, all players were certified by their universities as meeting or exceeding the criteria of the John R. Wooden Award.
The 43rd annual presentation of the John R. Wooden Award to the men's and women's most outstanding college basketball player will be the anchor presentation of the ESPN College Basketball Awards Presented by Wendy's on ESPN2 on April 12. The men's and women's John R. Wooden Award All American Teams will be honored during the ceremony, and the 2019 Wooden Award Legends of Coaching Trophy will be presented to Lon Kruger, Head Men's Basketball Coach at Oklahoma.
John R. Wooden Award Presented By Wendy's 2018-19 Men's All American Team
Name |
School |
Conference |
Height |
Class |
Position |
RJ Barrett |
Duke |
ACC |
6-7 |
Fr. |
F |
Brandon Clarke |
Gonzaga |
WCC |
6-8 |
Jr. |
F |
Carsen Edwards |
Purdue |
Big Ten |
6-1 |
Jr. |
G |
Rui Hachimura |
Gonzaga |
WCC |
6-8 |
Jr. |
F |
Markus Howard |
Marquette |
Big East |
5-11 |
Jr. |
G |
De'Andre Hunter |
Virginia |
ACC |
6-7 |
So. |
G |
Ja Morant |
Murray State |
Ohio Valley |
6-3 |
So. |
G |
Grant Williams |
Tennessee |
SEC |
6-7 |
Jr. |
F |
Zion Williamson |
Duke |
ACC |
6-7 |
Fr. |
F |
Cassius Winston |
Michigan State |
Big Ten |
6-1 |
Jr. |
G |