Kansas' Robinson the first unanimous All-American since Griffin

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Kansas’ Thomas Robinson leads AP All-America team

BY Associated Press
Monday, March 26, 2012


Kansas forward Thomas Robinson has even more in common with Blake Griffin now. Not everything, though.

Robinson, who played through personal tragedy as a sophomore reserve, capped his junior season by being a unanimous selection to The Associated Press’ All-America team Monday, a day after leading the Jayhawks to the Final Four.

The 6-foot-10 Robinson averaged 17.9 points and 11.8 rebounds this season and he was a first-team pick by all 65 members of the national media panel that selects the weekly Top 25.

The last unanimous pick was Griffin in 2009.

“It’s a blessing to be named even in the same category as Blake Griffin,” Robinson said. “For that to happen, I’m glad all the hard work is paying off.”

Robinson did find some similarities between them besides being Big 12 Player of the Year.

“That man jumps out the gym. He looks like a superhero when he takes off,” Robinson said. “But we both try to be aggressive. He knows what he does well. I feel the same way. I know what I do well.”

Joining Robinson on the first team were Jared Sullinger of Ohio State, the first repeat All-America in three years, freshman Anthony Davis of Kentucky, Draymond Green of Michigan State and Doug McDermott of Creighton.

Davis received 63 first-team votes while Green, the lone senior on the team, got 53. Sullinger had 30, one more than McDermott. The voting was done before the NCAA tournament.

Robinson received nationwide support as a sophomore when he lost his mother, grandmother and grandfather in a three-week period. He not only became a starter this season, he became a star.

“It’s an unbelievable honor for a kid that came as a semi-highly recruited guy, played seven minutes as a freshman, 10 minutes as a sophomore, endured the tragedies he’s had and then somehow made so many sacrifices, not only for the betterment of himself but the betterment of all of us.,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “To be unanimous, it’s just something that blows me away.”

Robinson is Kansas’ first All-America since Wayne Simien in 2005.

The 6-9 Sullinger, who was selected East Regional as he led the Buckeyes to the Final Four, is the first repeat All-America since North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough in 2009.

“It means a lot when your name is with Tyler Hansbrough, Psycho T. He was a great basketball player,” Sullinger said with a big smile as he used Hansbrough’s nickname.

“It means a lot. I think it’s a credit to my teammates.”

Sullinger, the first player to repeat as a freshman and sophomore since Chris Jackson of LSU in 1989 and 1990, averaged 17.6 points and 9.3 rebounds while shooting 53.9 percent from the field. He is the fourth Ohio State player to repeat joining Jerry Lucas, Robin Freeman and Garry Bradds. Buckeyes coach Thad Matta said it’s no surprise Sullinger has already sealed a place in the history of the program.



2011-12 AP All-America Teams First Team
Thomas Robinson, Kansas, 6-10, 237, junior, Washington, 17.9 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 1.9 apg, 53.1 fg pct. (65 first-place votes, 325 points)

Anthony Davis, Kentucky, 6-10, 220, freshman, Chicago, 14.3 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 64.2 fg pct., 4.6 blocks (63, 321)

Draymond Green, Michigan State, 6-7, 230, senior, Saginaw, Mich., 16.1 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.5 steals (53, 301)

Jared Sullinger, Ohio State, 6-9, 280, sophomore, Columbus, Ohio, 17.6 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 53.9 fg pct. (30, 246)

Doug McDermott, Creighton, 6-7, 220, sophomore, Ames, Iowa, 23.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 61.0 fg pct., 49.5 3-pt fg pct. (29, 237)



Second Team
Isaiah Canaan, Murray State, 6-0, 195, junior, Biloxi, Miss., 19.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.7 apg, 47.3 3-pt fg pct., 84.0 ft pct, 1.4 steals (30, 232)

Marcus Denmon, Missouri, 6-3, 185, senior, Kansas City, Mo., 17.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.1 apg, 40.9 3-pt fg pct., 89.8 ft pct., 1.6 steals (22, 220)

Tyler Zeller, North Carolina, 7-0, 250, senior, Washington, Ind., 16.5 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 55.5 fg pct., 80.9 ft pct., 1.3 blocks (7, 185)

Jae Crowder, Marquette, 6-6, 235, senior, Villa Rica, Ga., 17.4 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 2.1 apg, 50.5 fg pct., 2.4 steals (6, 140)

Kevin Jones, West Virginia, 6-8, 260, senior, Mount Vernon, N.Y., 20.1 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 38.3 minutes, 51.3 fg pct. (2, 112)



Third Team
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky, 6-7, 232, freshman, Somerdale, N.J., 11.8 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 2.0 apg (0, 89)

Tyshawn Taylor, Kansas, 6-3, 185, senior, Hoboken, N.J., 17.3 ppg, 4.8 apg, 49.2 fg pct, 43.5 3-pt fg pct. (2, 83)

John Jenkins, Vanderbilt, 6-4, 220, junior, Hendersonville, Tenn., 19.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 44.8 3-pt fg pct., 84.3 ft pct. (2, 73)

Kendall Marshall, North Carolina, 6-4, 195, sophomore, Dumfries, Va., 7.8 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 9.7 apg, 1.2 steals (5, 49)

Damian Lillard, Weber State, 6-3, 195, junior, Oakland, Calif., 24.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 4.1 apg, 42.1 3-pt fg pct., 88.1 ft pct., 1.5 steals (3, 45)



Honorable Mention
Harrison Barnes, North Carolina; Will Barton, Memphis; Julian Boyd, LIU Brooklyn; Ryan Broekhoff, Valparaiso; De’Mon Brooks, Davidson.

Trey Burke, Michigan; Deonte Burton, Nevada; Torrey Craig, S.C.-Upstate; Paul Crosby, Mississippi Valley State; Matthew Dellavedova, Saint Mary’s.

LaRon Dendy, Middle Tennessee; Matt Dickey, UNC Asheville; Jamaal Franklin, San Diego State; Jorge Gutierrez, California; John Henson, North Carolina.

Robbie Hummel, Purdue; Pierre Jackson, Baylor; Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette; Perry Jones III, Baylor; Kris Joseph, Syracuse.

Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut; Scott Machado, Iona; C.J. McCollum, Lehigh; Dominique Morrison, Oral Roberts; Mike Moser, UNLV.

Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure; Kyle O’Quinn, Norfolk State; Darryl Partin, Boston University; Ryan Pearson, George Mason; Mason Plumlee, Duke.

Patrick Richard, McNeese State; Austin Rivers, Duke; Zack Rosen, Pennsylvania; Mike Scott, Virginia; John Shurna, Northwestern.

Jordan Taylor, Wisconsin; Dion Waiters, Syracuse; Casper Ware, Long Beach State; Mitchell Watt, Buffalo; Royce White, Iowa State; Isaiah Wilkerson, NJIT; Nate Wolters, South Dakota State; Cody Zeller, Indiana.
 
That he does. Robinson has been consistently good the entire season.

Anyone know if he's coming out early?
 
That he does. Robinson has been consistently good the entire season.

Anyone know if he's coming out early?

I have no inside information, but would be shocked if he came back.

Unanimous First Team All American, Big XII regular season champions, Final Four, primary caretaker for immediate family = going pro.
 
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I have no inside information, but would be shocked if he came back.

NPOY, Big XII regular season champions, Final Four, primary caretaker for immediate family = going pro.

He shouldn't come back. It will only hurt him because he played so well this year.
 
That he does. Robinson has been consistently good the entire season.

Anyone know if he's coming out early?

Didn't he get a special recognition from Self during the senior speeches on KU senior night? I would say if Self is all but saying he's gone he's likely gone. Anybody who is a lock top 10 pick would be dumb to stay.
 
I have no inside information, but would be shocked if he came back.

Unanimous First Team All American, Big XII regular season champions, Final Four, primary caretaker for immediate family = going pro.

No one I've heard associated with the school talks about next year and mentions his name.
 
Who in their right mind didn't vote Davis on the 1st team, as well?

Not trying to take anything away from Robinson — he clearly deserves this based on his play — but I'm surprised anyone with a vote wouldn't vote Davis 1st team (or that it would take this long to have a unanimous selection).

Of course, unanimous selections (see: All Big 12 first team) often don't make sense.

There's no way Robinson comes back. He's a top 5 pick. Short of developing a three point shot or actually playing defense, there's not much else he can accomplish in college individually.
 
Also props to KC's Denmon. As much as I dislike MU I liked him.

And always good to see a Jerry Lucas mention.
 
Who in their right mind didn't vote Davis on the 1st team, as well?

Not trying to take anything away from Robinson — he clearly deserves this based on his play — but I'm surprised anyone with a vote wouldn't vote Davis 1st team (or that it would take this long to have a unanimous selection).

Of course, unanimous selections (see: All Big 12 first team) often don't make

Voter from Montana and Southern California.
 
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