INDIANAPOLIS – Auburn's Jabari Smith and Walker Kessler were selected to the 2021-22 U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) Men's All-America Team as announced on Thursday.
Both were honored on the 15-man team comprised of the best players in the nation. The USBWA has named a men's All-America Team since its inaugural season of 1956-57. The All-America Team is selected by the USBWA board after voting from the entire membership and the honor is based on performance during the regular season and conference tournaments.
Smith, a second-teamer, was named the SEC's Freshman of the Year and his teammate Kessler, a third-teamer, earned SEC Defensive Player of the Year.
The 7-foot-1 sophomore center enters the NCAA Tournament as the No. 2 shot-blocker in the country averaging 4.5 blocks per game and the only NCAA Division I player with two triple-doubles, while the 6-foot-10 freshman forward is a projected lottery pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
The Tigers' pair are the first Auburn players to earn USBWA All-America nods since Chris Porter in 1999.
2021-22 USBWA MEN'S ALL-AMERICA TEAM
First Team
G Ochai Agbaji, Kansas (6-5, 215, Sr., Kansas City, Mo.)
C Kofi Cockburn, Illinois (7-0, 285, Jr., Kingston, Jamaica)
G/F Johnny Davis, Wisconsin (6-5, 194, So., LaCrosse, Wis.)
F Keegan Murray, Iowa (6-8, 225, So., Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
F Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky (6-9, 255, Jr., Lubumbashi, Congo)
Second Team
F Paolo Banchero, Duke (6-10, 250, Fr., Seattle, Wash.)
G Jaden Ivey, Purdue (6-4, 195, So., South Bend, Ind.)
G Bennedict Mathurin, Arizona (6-6, 210, So., Montreal, Quebec)
F Jabari Smith, Auburn (6-10, 220, Fr., Fayetteville, Ga.)
F Drew Timme, Gonzaga (6-10, 235, Jr., Richardson, Texas)
Third Team
G James Akinjo, Baylor (6-1, 190, Sr., Oakland, Calif.)
G Collin Gillespie, Villanova (6-3, 195, Gr., Huntingdon Valley, Pa.)
F Chet Holmgren, Gonzaga (7-0, 195, Fr., Minneapolis, Minn.)
F/C Walker Kessler, Auburn (7-1, 245, So., Newnan, Ga.)
F E.J. Liddell, Ohio State (6-7, 240, Jr., Belleville, Ill.)
Honorable Mention: Armando Bacot, North Carolina; Johnny Juzang, UCLA; JD Notae, Arkansas; David Roddy, Colorado State; Alondes Williams, Wake Forest.
