Wall, Cousins Yahoo Sports All-Americans

Yahoo! Sports All-American Team
By Jason King

Before he ever played a game for Kentucky, John Wall had been labeled as the top talent in college basketball, the future No. 1 pick in the NBA draft and the player who would lead the Wildcats back to national prominence.

Pretty lofty expectations for an 18-year-old freshman.

“It got to me after awhile,” Wall said by phone Sunday. “I started worrying about living up to what everyone predicted from me instead of just playing basketball and having a good time.

“Once I put all that stuff behind me and started having fun, I started showing what I’m capable of.”

Indeed, Wall didn’t just live up to the expectations set forth for him in 2009-10.

He surpassed them.

Despite facing defenses geared to stop him, Wall led Kentucky to a 29-2 regular-season record and an SEC title by averaging team-highs in both points (16.8 ) and assists (6.2). For his efforts, Wall has been named Yahoo! Sports National Player of the Year.

Wall edged out Ohio State’s Evan Turner, who joins him on the first-team All-American squad along with Oklahoma State’s James Anderson, Kentucky’s DeMarcus Cousins and Villanova’s Scottie Reynolds.

Wall and Turner are considered the frontrunners for the Wooden Award, which is given annually to the nation’s top player.

“As long as my teammates love me and we’re winning games, I’m happy,” said Wall, who is expected to enter the draft after this season. “I’m sure Evan Turner feels the same way. He’s done some great things this year. He’s a great player and I’ve got a lot of respect for him.”

Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim is the Yahoo! Sports National Coach of the Year. Boeheim guided the Orange to their first outright Big East title since 1991 despite being picked to finish sixth in the league in the preseason coaches poll. Like Kentucky, Syracuse is expected to earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

Here are the Yahoo! Sports All-American teams and our other 2009-10 awards.

Yahoo Sports All-Americans