March 30, 2011
LOS ANGELES - San Diego State sophomore forward Kawhi Leonard was one of 10 players named to the John R. Wooden All-America team, the Los Angeles Athletic Club announced today.
The Riverside, Calif., native is joined on the All-America team by Jimmer Fredette (BYU), Ben Hansbrough (Notre Dame), JaJuan Johnson (Purdue), Marcus Morris (Kansas), Jacob Pullen (Kansas State), Nolan Smith (Duke), Jared Sullinger (Ohio State), Kemba Walker (Connecticut) and Derrick Williams (Arizona).
Leonard averaged 15.5 points and 10.6 rebounds, while adding 2.5 assists and 1.4 steals, in 36 games, all of which he earned the starting nod. The Mountain West Conference first-team selection registered 23 double-doubles, which matched Michael Cage's single-season school record and ranks him fourth in Division I. His 10.6 rebounding average, meanwhile, is the ninth-best clip in America.
Leonard is the first player from a Southern California school to be honored since UCLA's Kevin Love in 2008, and is the second Aztec ever chosen to a Wooden All American team; Michael Cage made the team in 1984.
The top five vote-getters are invited to Los Angeles for the April 8 announcement of the 2011 John R. Wooden Award winner as the college basketball player of the year. The presentation of the John R. Wooden Award Trophy will be made as part of the Wooden Award Gala at 6 p.m. PT that day.
Voters include nearly 1,000 members of the media who cover college basketball. Voters on the men's side selected and ranked 10 players on the 20-person ballot. All players have proven to their universities that they are making progress toward graduation and are maintaining at least a cumulative 2.0 GPA. Voters were asked to take into account performance during the regular season and postseason through Elite Eight, as well as a player's character and academic performance, essential components of an outstanding player.
The 35th John R. Wooden Award Presentation Gala will be held on April 8 at The Los Angeles Athletic Club, 431 W. Seventh Street in Los Angeles. In addition to honoring the Wooden All American teams, the "Legends of Coaching" Award will be presented to Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo, who led the Spartans to their 14th straight NCAA Tournament appearance this year. The final vote tally will be released that night as well. Tickets are $125 and may be obtained by calling The Los Angeles Athletic Club at (213) 630-5231; the event always sells out. For up to date information on all of the Wooden Award candidates, please go to www.woodenaward.com.
The winners will receive a contribution from The Los Angeles Athletic Club for their university's general scholarship fund.