Cowboy Star Cunningham Earns First Team NABC All-America Honors
INDIANAPOLIS – The National Association of Basketball Coaches on Thursday announced that Oklahoma State star guard Cade Cunningham was named to the 2020-21 NABC All-America First Team.
Cunningham, who was also named a first-team All-American by the Associated Press, the United States Basketball Writers Association and the Sporting News, is just the fourth player in Big 12 history to sweep the Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year awards, joining Cowboy legend Marcus Smart (2012-13), Kansas State's Michael Beasley (2007-08) and Texas' Kevin Durant (2006-07).
He led the Big 12 in scoring at 20.2 points per game, and is on the national ballot for the John R. Wooden Award, a semifinalist for the Naismith Trophy and is a finalist for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award. Cunningham is a nine-time recipient of the Big 12 Player and/or Newcomer of the Week honor, which is the most by any player this year and the most in school history.
The Arlington, Texas native is the 22nd player to earn All-America honors for OSU, and the first since Jawun Evans in 2017.
Only two other power conference players over the last 20 seasons can match Cunningham’s all-around stat line of 20.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.8 blocks per game - and none of those players can match Cunningham's 3-point clip of 41.2 percent. Despite the COVID-19 shortened season, Cunningham is just the third OSU freshman to ever score 500 points in a season, and needs just 16 points to become the highest scoring freshman in program history.
Cunningham and the Cowboys earned a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament and will face No. 13 Liberty on Friday at Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis. Tipoff is slated for 5:25 p.m. CT on TBS and the Cowboy Radio Network.
2020-21 NABC Division I All-America First Team
Jared Butler, Baylor, Junior, Guard, Reserve, La
Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State, Freshman, Guard, Arlington, Texas
Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois, Junior, Guard, Chicago, Ill.
Luka Garza, Iowa, Senior, Center, Washington, D.C.
Corey Kispert, Gonzaga, Senior, Forward, Edmonds, Wash.
2020-21 NABC Division I All-America Second Team
Kofi Cockburn, Illinois, Sophomore, Center, Kingston, Jamaica
Hunter Dickinson, Michigan, Freshman, Center, Alexandria, Va.
Evan Mobley, USC, Freshman, Forward, Murrieta, Calif.
Jalen Suggs, Gonzaga, Freshman, Guard, West St. Paul, Minn.
Drew Timme, Gonzaga, Sophomore, Forward, Richardson, Texas
2020-21 NABC Division I All-America Third Team
Collin Gillespie, Villanova, Senior, Guard, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.
Quentin Grimes, Houston, Junior, Guard, The Woodlands, Texas
Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana, Sophomore, Forward, Greenwood, Ind.
Davion Mitchell, Baylor, Junior, Guard, Hinesville, Ga.
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Villanova, Sophomore, Forward, Kansas City, Kan.
