SUPER BOWL 2012

Kemba Walker was named a first team All-American by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). This makes him a consensus All-American, as he also earned the honors from USBWA, Sporting News, AP and the Los Angeles Athletic Club.

Here are the NABC All-America teams:

G Kemba Walker – Connecticut
G Nolan Smith – Duke
G Jimmer Fredette – BYU
F/C Jajuan Johnson – Purdue
C Jared Sullinger – Ohio State

Second Team All-Americans
G Ben Hansbrough – Notre Dame
F Kyle Singler – Duke
F Marcus Morris – Kansas
F Derrick Williams – Arizona
F Jordan Hamilton – Texas

Derrick Williams second team? East Coast media bias!

Imagine having the two national collegiate player of the year frontrunners playing in the same backcourt?

Well, it wasn't imaginary this summer, when Kemba Walker and Jimmer Fredette trained together on a USA Select Team that played for a week against the national team that went on to win the FIBA world championship.

Walker and Fredette got to know each other a little bit while out in Las Vegas, but it's not like they struck up a fast friendship. I asked Walker after Monday's Villanova game if he stays in contact with Fredette during the season as the two are in a race not only for POY honors but for the nation's scoring lead (Fredette recently pulled ahead of Walker), and he said that he doesn't even have Fredette's number.

He's keeping tabs on him, though.

“Of course. He’s on ESPN all the time," Walker said, with a smile. "I get a chance to see him. I’ll think he’ll be the one that keeps it up with the scoring title.”

Fredette recently told ESPN college basketball blogger Diamond Leung that he is paying attention to what Walker is doing, as well. He said he's thinking too much about the national POY chase, but ...

"You know it's out there," Fredette said. "It's something you can't really worry about. We're in conference play, and I'm sure he's worried about trying to get victories and win games."

Here are the 20 finalists for the 2011 Bob Cousy Award, presented annually to the nation's top point guard. Kemba's gotta be the favorite still, but Jimmer is closing the gap pretty fast.


Kevin Anderson Richmond
Norris Cole Cleveland State
Malcolm Delaney Virginia Tech
Corey Fisher Villanova
Jimmer Fredette Brigham Young
DJ Gay San Diego State
Tu Holloway Xavier
Scoop Jardine Syracuse
Brandon Knight Kentucky
Kalin Lucas Michigan State
Demetri McCamey Illinois
Mickey McConnell St. Mary’s College
Jacob Pullen Kansas State
Nolan Smith Duke
Isaiah Thomas Washington
Jordan Taylor Wisconsin
Tyshawn Taylor Kansas
Kemba Walker Connecticut
Casper Ware Long Beach State
Chris Wright Georgetown