🏀 Jalen Wilson and Kevin McCullar Named Preseason All-Big 12
IRVING, Texas – Kansas redshirt-junior Jalen Wilson and redshirt-senior Kevin McCullar have been named to the 2022-23 Preseason All-Big 12 Team as voted on by the league coaches, the conference announced Wednesday. Wilson was a unanimous selection, while McCullar is an honorable mention honoree.
A starter on the Jayhawks 2022 NCAA National Championship team, Wilson is KU’s leading returning scorer and rebounder from last season, when he averaged 11.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. The Denton, Texas, forward has been listed on many preseason All-America teams in 2022-23, and was an All-Big 12 Third Team selection last season. Wilson is a two-time Academic All-Big 12 honoree and was on the Julius Erving Award Watch List last season, when he posted seven double-doubles and led KU in rebounding 16 times and in scoring in seven contests.
McCullar, a transfer from Texas Tech, was a national semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year in 2021-22. The guard from San Antonio, Texas, averaged 10.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and a team-leading 3.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game last season. A three-time Academic All-Big 12 honoree, McCullar was a two-year starter at Texas Tech and an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection last year.
Historically, Kansas has had at least one player on the Preseason All-Big 12 first team in all but two of the 27 seasons the conference has existed, since 1996-97. Wilson marks the 38th Jayhawk to be listed on the preseason all-league first team.
Kansas is coming off a 34-6 season in which it won its sixth national title and fourth in the NCAA history. KU tied Baylor for first place in the Big 12 regular season with a 14-4 record. It was KU’s NCAA-record 63rd conference regular-season title and 20th in the 26-year history of the Big 12. The Jayhawks then won the Big 12 Tournament, advanced to its NCAA-record 32nd-consecutive NCAA Tournament, a streak that started in 1990, and its 16th Final Four. The Jayhawks won their last 11 games of the season en route to the NCAA title.
2022-23 Big 12 Preseason Honors
Preseason Player of the Year – Mike Miles Jr., TCU, G, Jr.
Preseason Newcomer of the Year – Grant Sherfield, Oklahoma, G, Sr.
Preseason Freshman of the Year – Keyonte George, Baylor, G
Preseason All-Big 12 Team (*unanimous selection; listed alphabetically by school)
Name, School, Pos., Class
*Adam Flagler, Baylor, G, R-Sr.
*JALEN WILSON, KANSAS, F, R-JR.
Avery Anderson III, Oklahoma State, G, Sr.
*Mike Miles Jr., TCU, G, Jr.
Timmy Allen, Texas, F, Sr.
Marcus Carr, Texas, G, Gr.
A tie resulted in an extra position on the team.
Honorable Mention (listed alphabetically by school): LJ Cryer (Baylor), Keyonte George (Baylor), KEVIN MCCULLAR (KANSAS), Tanner Groves (Oklahoma), Moussa Cisse (Oklahoma State), Emanuel Miller (TCU), Tyrese Hunter (Texas), Fardaws Aimaq (Texas Tech), Kevin Obanor (Texas Tech).
Coaches not permitted to vote for their own student-athletes.
