Indiana forward Trayce Jackson-Davis was named to the preseason AP All-American first team on Monday.
The 6-foot-9 forward is joined by Illinois’ Kofi Cockburn, UCLA guard Johnny Juzang, Villanova guard Collin Gillespie, and Gonzaga forward Drew Timme.
The Greenwood, Ind. product was the only high major player to average at least 19 points and 9 rebounds last season. He was fourth in the Big Ten in scoring (19.1), second in rebounding (9.0), fifth in field goal percentage (51.7) and blocked shots (1.4) and third in minutes played (34.2).
Jackson-Davis was named a third team All-American following the 2020-21 season by Sporting News, NABC, and USBWA. He was Honorable Mention All-American according to the AP.
Intent on improving his game, Jackson-Davis chose to return for his junior season after a conversation with new head coach Mike Woodson in early April.
“We had a sit down for two hours with Coach Woodson and talked about my future where he believes and sees me in the offense, how he can help develop me into the player that I aspire to be, also winning basketball games here. He told us he came in, doesn’t want to rebuild, he wants to win right away. He said I’m a big piece to that,” Jackson-Davis said.
“After hearing that, after hearing an NBA coach tell you that, it just really was a simple decision to come back and play for him honestly.”
Jackson-Davis, the leading returning scorer in the Big Ten, has also been named first-team 2021-22 Preseason All-American by noted analyst Dick Vitale and ESPN.com, Preseason First Team All-American by Athlon’s and Second Team by the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook. The Center Grove standout was also selected to the Karl Malone Watch List.
Jackson-Davis is the first Hoosier to be voted first team preseason All-American by the AP since Cody Zeller prior to the 2012-13 campaign. He is the first returning first, second, or third team All- American for the Hoosiers since Calbert Cheaney in 1993.
See also: Eight ways Jackson-Davis can improve under Woodson beyond his jump shot and right hand
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