The ALL-WAC pre-season picks and who should be chosen

Okay, each and every WAC men's basketball coach should be relieved of his duties ... or at least their individual ballots deserve to be carefully checked because the evidence to do so is overwhelming.

Said ballots have been hermetically sealed in a mayonnaise jar on Funk and Wagnalls' porch since noon of the day of the announcements (thank you Johnny, we still miss ye) and we're heading over there right now.

So what are we talking about?

This:

The coaches pre-season ALL-WAC selections
First Team

Player of the Year: Armon Johnson, Nevada

Jonathan Gibson, Jr., G, New Mexico St.
Kyle Gibson, Jr., G, Louisiana Tech
Armon Johnson, So., G, Nevada
C.J. Webster, Jr., C, San Jose State
Gary Wilkinson, Sr., F, Utah State

Ahem, it is our expert/half-witted/gas windbag opinion that, of the five players the coaches selected as first-teamers-to-be, only Gary Wilkinson will be honored (and also as the league's most valuable player).

Second Team

Luke Babbitt, Fr., F, Nevada
Brandon Fields, Jr., G, Nevada
Anthony Thomas, Jr., F, Boise State
Tai Wesley, So., F, Utah State
Jahmar Young, So., G, New Mexico St.

As for the next five choices, we see Luke Babbitt being there, along with Tai Wesley as a slim possibility but that's about it. Jahmar Young will receive first-team kudos.

Young is a first-teamer, no ifs, ands or buts and nestled right up there with Mac Hopson as Wilkinson's closest competition for the MVP choice.

With tongue planted firmly in cheek, BSU's Anthony Thomas may land Don Verlin's vote solely for Thomas' pronouncements after the initial Bronco loss to the Vandals.


Of course, the pixel-stained wretches of the media don't exactly have a lot to crow about either:

Preseason Player of the Year: Gary Wilkinson, Sr., F, Utah State

Newcomer of the Year: Luke Babbitt, Fr., F, Nevada

Preseason All-WAC Team

Jonathan Gibson, Jr., G, New Mexico State
Kyle Gibson, Jr., G, Louisiana Tech
Armon Johnson, So., G, Nevada
C.J. Webster, Jr., C, San Jose State
Gary Wilkinson, Sr., F, Utah State

Wilkinson will be the top player and Babbitt the best newcomer (but does redshirt Mac Hopson count as a newcomer?) but it appears the beat reporters are going to be 1 for 5 at the selection plate after the official first team announcements.


Next, here are our selections as were forecasted -- fair is fair -- followed by who we believe will actually land a spot on the teams. Okay, we've hung the coaches and the media out to dry so it's only appropriate that we do some self examination. But fear not, for this will thankfully only figuratively involve some disrobing. Here are the player predictions PTW made in the pre-season:

Player of the Year: Luke Babbitt

Isaiah 11:16 prophesied that "...and a little child shall lead them..." and, while the 6-8 Babbitt doesn't qualify as petite, he will be both the POY and the Freshman of the Year in the WAC. The only problem we see for him next season is staying out of foul trouble as his opponent as well as the others will be assigned to go right at Babbitt as much as possible.

Being named the Player of the Year is not going to happen -- at least not this season -- for Babbitt. But he should be selected as the top fresh or even the Best Newcomer, excluding those who were redshirting last season.

Our predicted WAC All Leaguers:

Gary Wilkinson - Utah State
Brandon Fields - Nevada
Jonathan Gibson - New Mexico State
Magnum Rolle - Louisiana Tech
Adrian Oliver - San Jose State.

Wilkinson needs to be consistent from the get go but this should be aided by the dearth of experienced 'bigs' he'll face. We selected Fields over Armon Johnson because he brings offense and defense to the Wolf Pack. We went with Gibson over Jarmar Young because Gibson offers better playmaking along with scoring. Rolle has a golden opportunity and his projected scoring and rebounding totals give him the nod, however slightly, over Kyle Gibson. Oliver will be the top scorer for the Spartans and is their best talent.

Note that but one senior (Wilkinson) is among our selections. Last season, it was five seniors being honored.

Wilkinson will be honored as the WAC Player of the Year and as a first team, all-leaguer. It's an easy 'no' for Fields and and a bit more difficult to eliminate Gibson. Rolle may land a spot on the second team especially because of his play once Kenneth Cooper was suspended. Oliver was on his way to a first team nod but injuries forced him to sit out some games and he has returned at less than full strength. Making the second team is a possibility but that would be more because of the defensive attention paid to him and not necessarily his actual production.

So we're more than likely going to 1 for 5, with Rolle landing a second team spot

Here are the other players we considered in November:

Other Contenders:

Kyle Gibson - Louisiana Tech
Roderick Flemings - Hawaii
Armon Johnson - Nevada
Sylvester Seay - Fresno State
Jahmar Young - New Mexico State
C.J. Webster - San Jose State

Gibson started strong, suffered a dip and is now back producing solid numbers. But he'll be a second-teamer at best. Flemings will probably land a first team nod if he can finish strong. Johnson is in the same situation -- he needs big time production in his remaining games to be a first teamer but otherwise will have to settle for being in the second five. Seay deserves a place on the first team based upon his scoring, rebounding and shotblocking. Young should finish second to Wilkinson in the most valuable player voting -- he has improved the most of any player in the league. Webster was hurt early and now is producing decent numbers but not enough for an all league pick.

Who we completely missed on is Mac Hopson, who is going to be a first teamer, no ifs, ands or buts.

To reiterate, the WAC First Team as of now should be:

Gary Wilkinson
Jahmar Young
Mac Hopson
Sylvester Seay
Luke Babbitt

The second team:

Roderick Flemings
Magnum Rolle
Wendell McKines
Armon Johnson
Paul George

With these two players pressing for inclusion:

Adrian Oliver
Jared Quayle