Mason and Jackson named Associated Press All-America

Link AP.org
Link 2017 Postseason Awards

NEW YORK – Kansas senior Frank Mason III and freshman Josh Jackson have been named to 2017 Associated Press All-America Team, the AP announced Tuesday.

Mason was the only unanimous AP first-team selection, while Jackson is a third-team honoree. Mason received 65 first-team votes from the national media panel that selects the weekly Associated Press poll. Like most All-America teams released this season, Kansas is the only school with two representatives among the first three teams named.

Mason led the Big 12 in scoring with a 20.9 average in 2016-17 and his 21.0 points per game in league play were also tops in the conference. A two-time national and three-time conference player of the week from Petersburg, Virginia, Mason averaged 5.2 assists in 2016-17 and became the only player in KU and Big 12 history to average more than 20 points and five assists in the same season. Mason posted 23 games of 20 or more points in 2016-17, including his final seven contests and 10 of KU’s last 11 outings.

Showing a knack for taking over games which directed Kansas to a 31-5 record and its 13th consecutive Big 12 regular-season title with a 16-2 league mark, Mason led Kansas in scoring in 26 games and also led the league in 3-point field goal percentage at 47.1 percent. Also in the Big 12, Mason finished fourth in assists (5.2), fifth in 3-pointers made per game (2.3), fifth in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.2), seventh in free throw percentage (79.4), ninth in field goal percentage (49.0) and 14th in steals (1.3). Mason went 103-for-119 (86.6 percent) from the free throw line in his final 15 games, making 6.9 charity shots per contest in that span. Additionally, he made 50.0 percent (43-for-86) from 3-point range and 2.4 treys per game in Big 12 play.

The 2017 Big 12 Player of the Year and three-time all-conference selection, Mason concluded his career No. 6 on the Kansas scoring list (1,885 points), No. 6 in assists (576), No. 8 in 3-point field goals (185), No. 13 in steals (165) and tied for third in consecutive starts (110). No Jayhawk in KU history ranked sixth or higher in both points and assists.

Mason has been named to seven All-America first teams in 2016-17 and the national player of the year by four entities. His All-America teams include Sporting News, USA TODAY, USBWA, Basketball Times and NBC Sports with Sporting News, USA TODAY, Bleacher Report and NBC Sports naming Mason their national player of the year.

Also listed on numerous All-America teams and the 2017 Big 12 Freshman of the Year, Jackson joined Mason on the All-Big 12 First Team. A seven-time Big 12 Newcomer of the Week in 2016-17, Jackson finished second on the team in scoring at 16.3 points per game. A two-time Big 12 Player of the Week, Jackson broke or tied four Kansas freshman records including double-doubles (12), rebounds (tied Danny Manning’s 258 set in 1985), field goals made (220) and field goals attempted (429).

Jackson’s 16.3 scoring average was sixth in the Big 12 and his 7.4 rebounds per game were fifth. The Detroit native led Kansas with 59 steals and 37 blocked shots his freshman campaign.

2017 ASSOCIATED PRESS ALL-AMERICA

FIRST TEAM
FRANK MASON III, KANSAS
Josh Hart, Villanova
Caleb Swanigan, Purdue
Lonzo Ball, UCLA
Justin Jackson, North Carolina

SECOND TEAM
Nigel Williams-Goss, Gonzaga
Luke Kennard, Duke
Malik Monk, Kentucky
Dillon Brooks, Oregon
Johnathan Motley, Baylor

THIRD TEAM
JOSH JACKSON, KANSAS
Markelle Fultz, Washington
Bonzie Colson, Notre Dame
Ethan Happ, Wisconsin
Lauri Markkanen, Arizona

FOLLOW
Twitter @KUHoops
Instagram @kuhoops
Facebook /KansasBasketball

KUAthletics.com: The official online source for Kansas Athletics, Williams Education Fund contributions, tickets, merchandise, multimedia, photos and much, much more.