SAN DIEGO – Honors continue to roll in for San Diego State's Malachi Flynn, who was recognized as an All-American by the Associate Press with second team designation today. This latest All-American honor is the seventh the native of Tacoma, Wash., has received in the last nine days.
Flynn's All-American selection by the AP is his fifth second-team honor and he is quickly becoming one of the most decorated players, for a single-season, in Aztec basketball history.
The Tacoma, Wash., native joins Michael Cage (1984) and Kawhi Leonard (2011) as the only San Diego State men's basketball players to be recognized with second-team All-American distinction from the Associated Press.
In addition to today's honor, Flynn earned first-team All-American honors from Sports Illustrated and STADIUM and second-team recognition from The Sporting News, CBS Sports and NBC Sports. The Athletic has also designated Flynn as a second-team All-American.
The 6-1, guard finished the regular season averaging 17.6 points, 5.1 assists and 4.4 rebounds while shooting 44.7 percent from the floor, 37.2 percent from long range and 85.7 percent from the line. In league games, he was even more impressive. His scoring average went up to 18.9 points on 45.3 percent shooting including 34.7 percent from distance and 91.7 percent from the charity stripe. Earning starting assignments in all 32 games this season, the junior scored in double figures 31 times, led the team the team in scoring and assists 21 times.
On a national basis, Flynn finished the year ranked No. 14 in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.86:1), No. 43 in assists (163) and free throw percentage, No. 48 in steals (56), No. 50 in assists per game, No. 76 in total points (564), No. 79 in steals per game, No. 93 in points per game and No. 95 in three-point field goals made (76) among others.
In the team's regular season finale, an 83-76 win at Nevada, Flynn poured in 36 points which are the most by an Aztec player since Brandon Heath tallied 37 against UNLV on Jan. 15, 2005 and he is just the eighth player in college basketball this season to produce a stat line of 36 points, five rebounds and five assists and the first from a Mountain West Conference team. His 36 points are the second most by an Aztec player this century. He earned two Mountain West Player of the Week honor this season.
In addition, he is a USBWA All-District IX performer and a Sporting News Midseason second-team All-American, as well as on the watch lists for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year, Lute Olson National Player of the Year and John R. Wooden Award. He was named the tournament MVP of both the Continental Tires Las Vegas Invitational and the Basketball Hall of Fame Classic. In separate votes by the league's coaches and media members, Flynn was named the Mountain West Player of the Year. He was also named the conference Defensive Player of the Year (coaches), its Newcomer of the Year (media) and a first-team All-Mountain West performer by both bodies.
2020 Associated Press All-American Teams
First Team
Obi Toppin, Dayton
Luka Garza, Iowa
Markus Howard, Marquette
Myles Powell, Seton Hall
Payton Pritchard, Oregon
Second Team
Devon Dotson, Kansas
Udoka Azubhike, Kansas
Malachi Flynn, San Diego State
Cassius Winston, Michigan State
Vernon Carey, Jr., Duke
Third Team
Filip Petrusev, Gonzaga
Jordan Nwora, Louisville
Jared Butler, Baylor
Tre Jones, Duke
Jalen Smith, Maryland
Honorable Mention
Daniel Oturu, Minnesota
Immanuel Quickly Kentucky
Marcus Zegarowski, Creighton
Saddiq Bey, Villanova
Mason Jones, Arkansas
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