Duke freshman Zion Williamson named AP men’s college player of the year
ASSOCIATED PRESS
In this March 15 photo, Duke’s Zion Williamson (1) reacts after a dunk against North Carolina during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, in Charlotte, N.C. Williamson was selected to The Associated Press All-America first team on Tuesday.
MINNEAPOLIS >> Duke freshman Zion Williamson is The Associated Press men’s college basketball player of the year.
The 6-foot-7, 285-pound Williamson was the runaway choice, claiming 59 of 64 votes from AP Top 25 voters in ballots submitted before the NCAA Tournament in results released today.
Freshman teammate RJ Barrett earned two votes as a fellow AP first-team All-American. Virginia’s De’Andre Hunter, Michigan State’s Cassius Winston and Murray State’s Ja Morant each earned one vote.
In a likely one-year college stop for a possible top overall NBA draft pick, the 18-year-old Williamson averaged 22.6 points and 8.9 rebounds.
Williamson’s Blue Devils lost to Michigan State in the Elite Eight, but he says he has no regrets and calls the season “the most fun I’ve ever had in my life.”
VOTING BREAKDOWN
Zion Williamson, Duke — 59
R.J. Barrett, Duke — 2
De’Andre Hunter, Virginia — 1
Ja Morant, Murray State — 1
Cassius Winston, Michigan State — 1
