IRVING, Texas – Kansas guards Frank Mason III,Devonte' Graham and Josh Jackson each garnered recognition on the 2016-17 All-Big 12 Preseason Team as voted on by the league's men's basketball coaches, the conference office announced Thursday.
Mason and Graham were on the five-member All-Big 12 Preseason Team, while Jackson is an honorable mention selection as the recipient of at least one vote by the league's coaches who could not vote for their own student-athletes. Jackson was also voted as KU's fourth-straight Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year.
Joining Mason and Graham on the All-Big 12 Preseason Team are Baylor junior Jonathan Motley, Iowa State senior Monte' Morris and Oklahoma State sophomore Jawun Evans. Morris was the coaches' preseason player of the year selection, while Baylor junior Manu Lecomte is the preseason newcomer of the year.
Mason and Graham were each named to the 2015-16 All-Big 12 Team last year with Mason earning second-team honors for the second-straight season. Graham was the Most Outstanding Player of the 2016 Big 12 Championship and was an honorable mention all-conference selection. Both Mason and Graham were on the Big 12 All-Defensive Team last season.
Mason, from Petersburg, Virginia, is Kansas' leading returning scorer at 12.9 points per game, which ranked 12th in the Big 12 and is the second-highest returning scorer in the league for 2016-17. He led KU in assists at 4.6, which was fourth in the conference. Graham, from Raleigh, North Carolina, averaged 11.3 points per game and was the team leader in steals with 1.4 per contest.
Jackson is the third overall No. 1 recruit to play at Kansas since 2010-11, joining Josh Selby (2010-11) and Andrew Wiggins (2013-14). A native of Detroit, Jackson was a McDonald's All-American and also participated on numerous USA Basketball national teams.
Jackson is the fourth-straight Jayhawk to be named preseason freshman of the year joiningCheick Diallo last season, Cliff Alexander in 2014-15 and Andrew Wiggins in 2013-14. KU has had eight Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year selections starting with Nick Collison in 1999-2000.
2016-17 Big 12 Preseason Honors
Preseason Player of the Year - Monté Morris, Iowa State
Preseason Newcomer of the Year - Manu Lecomte, Baylor
Preseason Freshman of the Year – JOSH JACKSON, KANSAS
Preseason All-Big 12 Team
Johnathan Motley, Baylor
Monté Morris, Iowa State
DEVONTE' GRAHAM, KANSAS
FRANK MASON III, KANSAS
Jawun Evans, Oklahoma State
Preseason All-Big 12 Honorable Mention
JOSH JACKSON, KANSAS; Jordan Woodard, Oklahoma; Jarrett Allen, Texas; Jevon Carter and Daxter Miles Jr., West Virginia
The All-Big 12 Preseason Team is selected by the conference coaches, who could not vote for their own student-athletes.
Mason and Graham were on the five-member All-Big 12 Preseason Team, while Jackson is an honorable mention selection as the recipient of at least one vote by the league's coaches who could not vote for their own student-athletes. Jackson was also voted as KU's fourth-straight Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year.
Joining Mason and Graham on the All-Big 12 Preseason Team are Baylor junior Jonathan Motley, Iowa State senior Monte' Morris and Oklahoma State sophomore Jawun Evans. Morris was the coaches' preseason player of the year selection, while Baylor junior Manu Lecomte is the preseason newcomer of the year.
Mason and Graham were each named to the 2015-16 All-Big 12 Team last year with Mason earning second-team honors for the second-straight season. Graham was the Most Outstanding Player of the 2016 Big 12 Championship and was an honorable mention all-conference selection. Both Mason and Graham were on the Big 12 All-Defensive Team last season.
Mason, from Petersburg, Virginia, is Kansas' leading returning scorer at 12.9 points per game, which ranked 12th in the Big 12 and is the second-highest returning scorer in the league for 2016-17. He led KU in assists at 4.6, which was fourth in the conference. Graham, from Raleigh, North Carolina, averaged 11.3 points per game and was the team leader in steals with 1.4 per contest.
Jackson is the third overall No. 1 recruit to play at Kansas since 2010-11, joining Josh Selby (2010-11) and Andrew Wiggins (2013-14). A native of Detroit, Jackson was a McDonald's All-American and also participated on numerous USA Basketball national teams.
Jackson is the fourth-straight Jayhawk to be named preseason freshman of the year joiningCheick Diallo last season, Cliff Alexander in 2014-15 and Andrew Wiggins in 2013-14. KU has had eight Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year selections starting with Nick Collison in 1999-2000.
2016-17 Big 12 Preseason Honors
Preseason Player of the Year - Monté Morris, Iowa State
Preseason Newcomer of the Year - Manu Lecomte, Baylor
Preseason Freshman of the Year – JOSH JACKSON, KANSAS
Preseason All-Big 12 Team
Johnathan Motley, Baylor
Monté Morris, Iowa State
DEVONTE' GRAHAM, KANSAS
FRANK MASON III, KANSAS
Jawun Evans, Oklahoma State
Preseason All-Big 12 Honorable Mention
JOSH JACKSON, KANSAS; Jordan Woodard, Oklahoma; Jarrett Allen, Texas; Jevon Carter and Daxter Miles Jr., West Virginia
The All-Big 12 Preseason Team is selected by the conference coaches, who could not vote for their own student-athletes.
