Pitt Panthers power forward DeJuan Blair has been named first team All-American this afternoon by the United States Basketball Writers Association.
Blair Co-Big East Player of the Year, averaged 15.6 points per game and 12.2 rebounds per game for the 28-4 Pitt Panthers who earned their first #1 seed in school history.
No Pitt player had made the first team since Billy Knight in 1974.
North Carolina forward Tyler Hansbrough, Davidson’s Stephen Curry, Oklahoma’s Blake Griffin and Arizona States James Harden were also named first team All-American’s by the United States Basketball Writers association.
Hansbrough, a first-team All-ACC performer, has led North Carolina to a 28-4 season and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament’s South Regional with 21.4 points per game and 8.2 rebounds.
Davidson’s Stephen Curry earned his way on the first team as the Southern Conference Player of the Year. His 28.6 points per game led the nation. He shot 38.2 percent from 3-point range and also added 5.2 assists per game. Curry is the fourth Davidson player to earn USBWA All-America honors, but the first since Mike Maloy in 1969.
Blake Griffin, the Big 12 Player of the Year, led the nation in rebounding (14.3 per game) to go with 21.9 points per game in leading Oklahoma to a No. 2 seed in the NCAA field. He is the first Sooner since Hollis Price in 2003 to make the USBWA All-America squad. Griffin’s season was highlighted by the only 40/20 game in Big 12 history when he scored 40 points and grabbed 23 rebounds vs. Texas Tech on Feb. 14.
Pac-10 Player of the Year James Harden is the first player from Arizona State to appear on a USBWA All-America first team.
