SAN DIEGO –San Diego State's Malachi Flynn was named United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) All-District IX earlier this month on and Monday the organization elevated the junior guard to All-America status with second-team designation. The announcement came from the organization's headquarters in Zionsville, Ind.
Flynn is the first Aztec to be honored as an All-America by the USBWA, which has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57 season.
The Tacoma, Wash., native, has been recognized as an All-America by eight organization since the conclusion of the 2019-20 season. He has been honored as a second-team performer by the Associated Press, The Sporting News, CBS Sports, NBC Sports and The Athletic. In addition, received first-team All-American designation from Sports Illustrated and STADIUM.
Of the four organizations who make up the "consensus" All-America teams, the Associated Press, The Sporting News, USBWA and National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), Flynn has received second-team honors from three (Associated Press, The Sporting News and USBWA). The fourth, the NABC, announces its All-America teams tomorrow.
Flynn, a 6-1, guard, finished the regular season ranked No. 14 in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.86:1), No. 43 in assists (163) and free throw percentage (85.7), No. 48 in steals (56), No. 50 in assists per game (5.1), No. 76 in total points (564), No. 79 in steals per game (1.8), No. 93 in points per game (17.6) and No. 95 in three-point field goals made (76) among others.
In addition to his points and assist averages, he pulled down 4.4 rebounds per game while shooting 44.7 percent from the floor, 37.2 percent from long range and 85.7 percent from the line. In Mountain West 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 and led the team the team in scoring and assists 21 times.
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. He was just the eighth player in college basketball this season to produce a stat line of 36 points, five rebounds and five assists and the only from a Mountain West Conference team. His 36 points are the second most by an Aztec player this century.
In addition to today's accolade, he was a Sporting News Midseason second-team All-American, and is 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. Flynn 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.
United States Basketball Writers Association
2020 Division I Men's Basketball All-America Teams
First Team
Udoka Azubuike, Kansas
Luka Garza, Iowa
Markus Howard, Marquette
Myles Powell, Seton Hall
Obi Tobbin, Dayton
Second Team
Vernon Carey Jr., Duke
Devon Dotson, Kansas
Malachi Flynn, San Diego State
Payton Pritchard, Oregon
Cassius Winston, Michigan State
Third Team
Jared Butler, Baylor
Tre Jones, Duke
Jordan Nwora, Louisville
Filip Petrusev, Gonzaga
Jalen Smith, Maryland
-SDSU-