The 2021-22 Rush The Court pre-season All-American selections feature five Big Ten bigs featured across the three teams, the nation’s leading scorer from a season ago, a pair of dynamic duos, the son of a legend, and much more. Thirty-two different players received at least one vote, and not one of those player were from Kentucky or North Carolina.

RTC Preseason Player of the Year: Drew Timme, Gonzaga

RTC Preseason Coach of the Year: Chris Beard, Texas

First Team All-America

• Collin Gillespie, Villanova – (14.0 PPG, 4.6 APG, 3.3 RPG, 37.6% 3PT) Collin Gillespie returns for a fifth year at Villanova. His season was cut short last season after suffering a torn MCL in the team’s regular-season finale. Gillespie shot above 37 percent from beyond the arc despite struggling down the stretch, making just 12-of-44 (27%) over his final nine games. Now healthy, the experience Gillespie brings to Villanova’s backcourt puts the Wildcats in a strong position heading into the season.
• Johnny Juzang, UCLA – (16.0 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 35.3% 3PT) After an up-and-down season prior to March, Johnny Juzang exploded on the national scene during the NCAA Tournament. Juzang averaged 22.8 points per game during UCLA’s run to the Final Four, including a 29-point, 12-of-18 shooting night against Gonzaga. Juzang enters the season healthy, something that he was challenged with last year. His decision to return to UCLA solidified the Bruins position near the top of the polls heading into the season.
• Paolo Banchero, Freshman, Duke – Listed at 6’10”, 250 lbs., Paolo Banchero was a consensus five-star recruit who has NBA scouts frothing at the mouth for a chance to land him. In Duke’s exhibition win over Winston-Salem State, Banchero led Duke in scoring with 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting and in rebounding with nine, in 20 minutes of action.
• Kofi Cockburn, Illinois – (17.7 PPG, 9.5 RPG ,1.3 BPG) Kofi Cockburn returns to Illinois but will miss the first three games of the season due to an NCAA ruling. Cockburn returning to Illinois means Brad Underwood brings back the only player in the nation from a season ago who averaged at least 15 PPG, 9 RPG, and shot at least 60 percent from the field. Kofi could approach the 20 PPG mark if he can raise his free-throw percentage from 55 percent (120-of-217) closer to his freshman year mark of 68 percent (111-of-164).
• Drew Timme, Gonzaga – (19.0 PPG, 7 RPG, 65.5% FG%) The RTC Preseason Player of the Year, Drew Timme is the only unanimous first-team selection. Timme exploded out of the gate last season beginning the year with 25 points against Kansas, 28 against Auburn, and 17 vs. West Virginia. On the season, Timme had 16 games with 20 or more points. During the NCAA Tournament, Timme averaged 20.3 PPG on 65 percent shooting.

Second Team All-America

• Buddy Boeheim, Syracuse – (17.8 PPG, 2.6 APG, 38.3% 3PT) Buddy Boeheim averaged 23 PPG over Syracuse’s final 10 games, shooting 46 percent from the beyond the arc during that stretch. Syracuse will look to fare better on road in ACC action (2-6) where Boeheim shot just 33 percent in those games. An explosive scorer when locked in, Buddy had 11 games in which he scored 20 or more points.
• Remy Martin, Kansas – (19.1 PPG, 3.7 APG) – Arizona State transfer Remy Martin now takes control of the Kansas offense. A talented scorer, Martin was terrific for much of the season before struggling down the stretch. A fresh start in Kansas, the only question marks surrounding Martin come on the defensive end of the floor. In 12 games spanning January and February of last season, Martin averaged 23.8 points per game.
• Hunter Dickinson, Michigan – (14.1 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 59.8% FG) – As a freshman last season, Dickinson led Michigan in both points and rebounds. He was a member of the AP, NABC, Sporting News, and USA Today All-American second teams. Turnovers were an issue at times, but Dickinson’s soft, left-handed touch, along with a toughness on the glass make him an elite college big man heading into the season.
• Trevion Williams, Purdue – (15.5 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 52.5% FG) The list of quality Big Ten big men is long, but any list this season will also include Trevion Williams. He was one of six players nationally to average at least 15 points, nine rebounds and two assists per game, and did so in just 25 minutes per contest. Williams finished the season grabbing 17 offensive rebounds over his final two games, and had nine games on the year in which he had five or more.
• Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana – (19.1 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 51.7% FG) Trayce Jackson-Davis became the first Hoosier to average 19/9 since Alan Henderson did so in 1994-95. An AP Honorable Mention All-American last year, Jackson-Davis scored a season-high 34 points against Michigan State. With Mike Woodson now in charge, the new coach will likely rely on Jackson-Davis when Indiana needs a late basket.

Third Team All-America

• Max Abmas, Oral Roberts – (24.5 PPG, 3.8 APG, 42.9% 3PT) Max Abmas was the Summit League’s Player of the Year and the nation’s leading scorer last season. He took things up a notch in February and March where in 13 games he upped his scoring average to 27.8 points per game. Playing power conference opponents did not slow him down. With Kevin Obanor having transferred to Texas Tech, Abmas’ workload might even increase this season.
• Ochai Agbaji, Kansas – (14.1 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 37.7% 3PT) Ochai Agbaji returns to Kansas after testing the NBA Draft waters. He led the conference in three-pointers made per game (2.6) and finished the year strong, scoring 19 or more points in three of the Jayhawks final four games. While Agbaji averaged just 3.7 RPG on the season, he had 12 games with five or more. This is a player who does a bit of everything for Bill Self.
• Scotty Pippen Jr., Vanderbilt – (20.8 PPG, 4.9 APG, 2.9 RPG) A first-team All-SEC performer last season, Pippen begins this season as the conference’s preseason Player of the Year. A player that gets to the free-throw line at a superb rate (7.6 FTA/G), Pippen has room for growth if he can improve his consistency beyond the arc (32% 3FG in SEC games) and cut down his turnovers (3.8/G).
• E.J. Lidell, Ohio State – (16.2 PPG, 6.7 RPG) As last season was coming to a close, Ohio State’s E.J. Lidell was playing his best basketball, averaging 18.2 PPG and 6.6 RPG over the team’s final 10 games. With range that extends to the three-point line, the 6’7″, 240-pound junior is a problem for any opponent. He finished last season being selected to the Big Ten’s First Team All-Big Ten by the coaches.
• Chet Holmgren, Gonzaga – The nation’s top recruit, Chet Holmgren is the great unknown. The 7’0 freshman brings versatility, endless potential, and a relentless motor to both ends of the floor. While there might be questions about his rail-thin figure, there are no questions about his ability. In Gonzaga’s two exhibition wins, Holmgren averaged 14.5 PPG in under 20 MPG of action. He shot 9-of-12 from the field, grabbed 15 rebounds, and blocked five shots.

Matthew Eisenberg (143 Posts)

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 11th, 2021 at 11:51 am by Matthew Eisenberg and is filed under 2021-22 preview, feature. Tagged: RTC All-Americans. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.