Yeah, it's cliche...so what?
Player of the Year
G Marcus Smart - Oklahoma State
Also Considered: G Ben McLemore - Kansas, C Jeff Withey - Kansas, G Rodney McGruder - Kansas State
Coach of the Year
Bruce Weber - Kansas State
Also Considered: Lon Kruger - Oklahoma, Travis Ford - Oklahoma State, Fred Hoiberg - Iowa State
Freshman of the Year
G Marcus Smart - Oklahoma State
Also Considered: G Ben McLemore - Kansas, F Isaiah Austin - Baylor, F Georges Niang - Iowa State
Newcomer of the Year (non-freshman)
F Will Clyburn - Iowa State
Also Considered: F Amath M'Baye - Oklahoma, G Korie Lucious - Iowa State
6th Man of the Year
Nobody else was even remotely considered
First Team All-Conference
G Marcus Smart - Oklahoma State
G Ben McLemore - Kansas
G Rodney McGruder - Kansas State
F Romero Osby - Oklahoma
C Jeff Withey - Kansas
Second Team All-Conference
G Pierre Jackson - Baylor
G Tyrus McGee - Iowa State
G Markel Brown - Oklahoma State
F Melvin Ejim - Iowa State
F Will Clyburn - Iowa State
F Isaiah Austin - Baylor
(6 guys...deal with it)
Best NBA Prospects
1. G Marcus Smart - Oklahoma State - Love his game. Reminds me of a young Dwyane Wade.
2. G Ben McLemore - Kansas - Absolutely pure stroke. Ray Allen comes to mind.
3. F Isaiah Austin - Baylor - Gets a mention on potential only.
4. C Jeff Withey - Kansas - Limited offensively, but he'll find a roster spot.
5. F Romero Osby - Oklahoma - I like him and I think he's skilled enough to make it.
6. G Pierre Jackson - Baylor - I can see him in a scorer off the bench, back up point guard role.
If I Were An NBA GM, I Wouldn't Draft Him
1. F Le'Bryan Nash - Oklahoma State - Not good when going into games you have to ask, "I wonder if Nash is going to give a shit tonight?"
2. G Myck Kabongo - Texas - Very good, but I think he needs another year.
3. F Isaiah Austin - Baylor - Soft, rail-thin and needs a lot of skill development. Would benefit from another year in school.
4. F Will Clyburn - Iowa State - Sadly, it's true. Just too inconsistent.
NBA Sleepers
1. G Markel Brown - Oklahoma State - Explosive athlete who's become a reliable outside shooter. He should stay in school though, but I think he'll have a nice chance.
2. G Rodney McGruder - Kansas State - Moves better without the ball than anyone in the conference. Decent size and a very good shooter.
3. G Tyrus McGee - Iowa State - Can absolutely fill it up and already has NBA range. Probably a stretch.
4. F Aaric Murray - West Virginia - Really needs to come back but his length and ability makes him an intriguing prospect.
Game of the Year
Kansas 108 - Iowa State 96 OT, at Iowa State.
-AND-
Kansas 68 - Oklahoma State 67 2OT, at Oklahoma State.
The atmosphere in Ames was the best in the Big 12 without question this year, and in a national spotlight game on ESPN's Big Monday, both teams delivered...for 40 minutes at least. The game in Stillwater also had a good atmosphere and was a physical, heavy weight fight.
Best Win
Oklahoma State 85 - Kansas 80, in Allen Fieldhouse.
Worst Loss
TCU 62 - Kansas 55, at TCU.