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2008-09 All-American Projection: Post-Decision Update

June 19th, 2008

A few days after the 2008 NCAA Championship game, I made an early projection of the 08-09 All-Americans to go along with Top 50 and All-Freshman projections. Now that players have officially entered or withdrawn from the Draft, we have a much better sense of how next year's landscape will look:
First Team
G - Brandon Jennings - Arizona
G - Stephen Curry - Davidson
F - Kyle Singler - Duke**
F - Luke Harangody - Notre Dame
F - Tyler Hansbrough - North Carolina
** Originally, I had slated DJ Augustin into the All-American team. He's been replaced by Singler, who could be a major breakout candidate despite Duke's balanced attack.
Second Team
G - James Harden - Arizona State
G - Darren Collison - UCLA**
G - Tyrese Rice - Boston College
F - Chase Budinger - Arizona**
F - Jon Brockman - Washington
** I thought Collison would go pro, but he returns to form a solid backcourt with Jrue Holiday (though perhaps Holiday will end up stealing Collison's thunder..). Budinger always seems to disappoint, but now that he's back in school, its hard to imagine he wont score 20 ppg next year.
Third Team
G - AJ Price - UCONN
G - Nick Calathes - Florida**
G - Demar Derozan - USC**
F - Blake Griffin - Oklahoma
F - Patrick Patterson - Kentucky
** Trent Plaisted was an original Third Team member, but is now hoping to be a 2nd round pick in next week's Draft. Tyreke Evans was originally in Derozan's place, but the return of Antonio Anderson, Robert Dozier, etc to the Tigers make Evans less likely to put up huge numbers.
Fourth Team
G - Ty Lawson - UNC**
G - Eric Maynor - VCU
F - Tyler Smith - Tennessee**
F - Terrence Williams - Louisville**
C - AJ Ogilvy - Vanderbilt
** Williams was originally on the 2nd Team, but the return of Collison and Lawson knock him down a peg. Smith's return was huge for Tennessee, and he could end up as high as the First Team. Lawson's return was somewhat of a surprise, and he gets slotted into the Third team.
Next in Line:
Jrue Holiday - UCLA
Dominic James - Marquette
Hasheem Thabeet - UCONN
BJ Mullens - Ohio State
Tyreke Evans - Memphis
Samardo Samuels - Louisville
Looks like a lot of big men get squeezed into the "Next in Line" group. All-American voters are swayed by numbers, and forwards like Brockman and Patterson have a chance to light up the scoreboard in ways that a Thabeet never could.

Comments

What About Earl Clark At U of L? Everyone thought he would go in the 1st round of the NBA draft if he chose that direction but you don't feel he is a All American? Get Serious. I bet you will think he is one before the season is over.

Clark's definitely a first round pick next year and I agree he's an All-American contender.. but don't forget he didn't even manage to make first or 2nd team big east last year (which is 22 guys deep)..

Note that Brandon Jennings is now playing in Italy..