Mar 18, 2025, 12:21 PM ET
One is a fifth-year senior who started his occupation at a mid-major, the opposite a first-year wunderkind recruited by way of everybody. The primary is now main a program on the upward push, whilst the opposite is the unmistakable celebrity for a standard energy.
Johni Broome of Auburn and Cooper Flagg of Duke do have one thing in commonplace, although: The forwards have been unanimous first-team selections for The Related Press males’s school basketball All-The united states groups launched Tuesday.
They have been joined at the first workforce by way of Alabama celebrity Mark Sears, Purdue’s Braden Smith and Walter Clayton Jr. of Florida.
Editor’s Selections
2 Comparable
Simplest Broome, a third-team select a yr in the past, and Flagg have been some of the first 5 at the ballots of all 61 nationwide media individuals who vote for the weekly AP Best 25. Broome turns into the Tigers’ fourth All-American and primary to make the primary workforce, whilst Flagg is the nineteenth other Blue Devils participant to earn first-team popularity.
“He is doing issues no person in point of fact has ever achieved earlier than,” Duke trainer Jon Scheyer stated. “And he is not about numbers. I am telling you, when this dude is going house, anyone says to him, ‘Guy, you had 42, six and 7,’ he will say, ‘OK, cool.’ That isn’t what he is about, which to me makes it even higher as a result of you’ll be able to get stuck up with that, particularly as a tender participant.”
Possibly this is one thing else that Broome and Flagg have in commonplace: Each are eyeing a countrywide championship. Auburn spent 8 weeks at No. 1 this yr, whilst Duke ascended to the highest spot when the Tigers stumbled down the stretch.
Now, the 2 techniques head to the NCAA match because the No. 1 seeds of their respective areas.
“I have proved so much in my view via my occupation, however my primary purpose is a workforce purpose, which is to win the nationwide championship,” stated Broome, who performed two seasons at Morehead State earlier than spending the previous 3 with the Tigers. “When the workforce shines, everybody shines in my view. Coming from the place I got here from, it approach so much to me.”
Sears was once a second-team select remaining season, when he helped lead the Pink Tide to their first Ultimate 4. He first of all declared for the NBA draft however withdrew in past due Would possibly, opting for as an alternative to go back to Alabama for some other run at a countrywide name.
He is the Pink Tide’s moment first-team All-American. Brandon Miller was once the primary two years in the past.
Smith was once an honorable point out select remaining yr, when Purdue teammate Zach Edey was once a unanimous first-team select for the second one directly season. With Edey off to the NBA, Smith become the go-to participant for a number of Boilermakers who will probably be attempting to go back to the nationwide championship sport after dropping to UConn there a yr in the past.
Florida had by no means had a first-team All-American earlier than Clayton, who helped the Gators climb as prime as No. 2 within the Best 25 this season. He is additionally their first All-American since 2007, when second-teamer Joakim Noah and third-team selection Al Horford led the Gators to their moment consecutive nationwide championship.
Possibly the flexible Clayton will be capable of lead Florida again to the highest in March Insanity.
“No matter trail, I love my guys,” he stated. “Me and my guys in opposition to whoever.”
2d workforce
JT Toppin transferred from New Mexico to Texas Tech, John Tonje from Missouri to Wisconsin and PJ Haggerty from Tulsa to Memphis, and all took benefit of a transformation in surroundings to have breakout seasons and earn second-team All-The united states honors.
The trio was once joined on the second one workforce by way of Kam Jones of Marquette and RJ Luis Jr. of St. John’s.
3rd workforce
Hunter Dickinson of Kansas and fellow giant guy Ryan Kalkbrenner of Creighton have been third-team selections, marking 3 directly years that every seemed on an All-The united states workforce. Each have been honorable mentions two years in the past, whilst Dickinson was once a second-team select and Kalkbrenner an honorable point out once more remaining season.
They have been joined at the 0.33 workforce by way of Zakai Zeigler of Tennessee, Eric Dixon of Villanova and Houston’s L.J. Cryer, who was once the Large 12 participant of the yr and an honorable point out All-The united states select remaining season.
Honorable point out
Chaz Lanier of Tennessee and Trey Kaufman-Renn of Purdue have been some of the subsequent 10 (together with ties) in balloting who earned honorable point out popularity. Different honorable mentions incorporated Donovan Dent of New Mexico, Drake’s Bennett Stirtz and Chucky Hepburn of Louisville.
