March 17, 2010
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - San Diego State starting forwards Kawhi Leonard and Malcolm Thomas were selected to the National Association of Basketball Coaches All-District 17 team, the NABC announced Tuesday. Leonard was placed on the first team, while Thomas earned second-team honors.
Leonard adds to his laundry list of postseason awards by picking up an award that no other freshman in the Steve Fisher era has won. The lone freshman on the all-district team, Leonard leads SDSU in scoring (12.8) and rebounding (9.9) and finished the season atop the Mountain West Conference charts in rebounding and offensive rebounding. In the last week, the Riverside, Calif., native has collected a handful of awards including, Sporting News all-freshman second-team recognition, USBWA all-District IX honors, MWC freshman of the year accolades, all-MWC first-team honors, the MWC tournament MVP award and selection to the MWC all-tournament team.
Thomas, meanwhile, was voted to the second team a week after earning a spot on the all-Mountain West second team. The San Diego, Calif., native is in his first season on campus and has been a solid force inside playing in all 33 games and starting 32. The junior transfer ranks first on the team in blocked shots (50) and is second in points scored (362), rebounding (7.8),assists (73) and field-goal percentage (.548).
Leonard is joined on the first team by BYU's Jimmer Fredette, New Mexico's Dairese Gary and Darington Hobson, and UNLV's Tre'Von Willis. On the second team with Thomas is Jackson Emery (BYU), Roman Martinez (New Mexico), Andy Ogide (Colorado State) and Chace Stanback (UNLV).
This is the fifth consecutive season in which San Diego State has had at least one player voted to the all-district team and the second straight year the Aztecs have had two honored. In 2009, Kyle Spain and Lorrenzo Wade were first-team picks.