I’ve long believed that All-America teams should consist of five players who could theoretically play together — meaning you need at least one leader and no more than two bigs. (Fill in the rest as you wish.) But the rights to name, image and likeness becoming a reality for student athletes at the same time that NBA franchises no longer value traditional bigs have created a scenario in which many great college centers serve as the sport’s best returning players (and millionaires ).
So don’t mind my previous rules.
For the top three players returning to college basketball this season are all bigs – namely Oscar Tshiebwe (Kentucky), Drew Timme (Gonzaga) and Armando Bacot (North Carolina). It would be foolish to vote either of them anything but a First Team All-American. And the ballots from our voters reflected as much, which is why the three frontcourt stars—from three preseason top-five teams—represent 60% of the CBS Sports All-America First Team. Marcus Sasser (Houston) and Jamie Jaquez (UCLA) rounded out the first team.
Our three All-America teams are comprised of 15 players from seven different leagues – AAC, ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC and WCC. Among power conferences, only the Big East lacks a representative. Timme is the only repeat first-team All-American before the season. Hunter Dickinson (Michigan) and Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana) – two other established bigs at the Division I level – are preseason Second Team All-Americans for the second straight year. — Gary Parrish
Note: The CBS Sports Preseason All-America Teams were voted on by college basketball writers at CBS Sports and 247Sports as well as CBS and CBS Sports Network broadcasters.
2022-23 CBS Sports Preseason All-America First Team
Drew Timme | Gonzaga | F | 6-10 | Sr.
For the second consecutive season, Timme is a unanimous preseason First Team All-America selection by CBS Sports. Now in his fourth season, Timme may be the most recognizable face of any player in college basketball. The Gonzaga big man is coming off a junior campaign in which he averaged 18.4 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists for the No. 1 overall pick in the NCAA Tournament. With Chet Holmgren headed to the NBA, Timme should see an increase in his production once again. He is building one of the greatest careers in recent college hoops history, and Gonzaga’s national championship hopes rest heavily on Timme’s creativity and dominance in the paint. — Matt Norlander
Oscar Tshiebwe | Kentucky | F | 6-9 | Sr.
The reigning National Player of the Year is the central force in Kentucky’s pursuit of its first national title in more than a decade. Tshiebwe was the first Kentucky player in program history to win every major NPOY award, and did so by becoming the first player in more than four decades to average more than 15.0 points and 15.0 rebounds. Tshiebwe’s line: 17.4 points, 15.1 rebounds, 1.6 blocks on 60.6% shooting. Winning a national player of the year award in back-to-back seasons is a rarity. If Tshiebwe can do that, he will be the first in men’s basketball since Virginia’s Ralph Sampson three-peated in the early 80s. — MN
Armando Bacot | North Carolina | F/C | 6-11 | Sr.
Another uncertainty in our first team. CBS Sports was one of only two major outlets to award Bacot as a season-ending All-American in 2021-21 when he made our third team. A significant reason for this was his high play in the NCAA Tournament. This may interest you : Fall Sports 2022: Cohasset boys soccer is working to replace 14 seniors. In leading UNC to the title game, Bacot made history by becoming the first player in tournament history to have a double-double in six tournament games. He averaged 16.3 points, 13.1 rebounds and 1.7 blocks. His 31 double-doubles were tied for the most in a season in NCAA history. Carolina will try to win a title with Bacot at the center. — MN
Marcus Sasser | Houston | G | 6-2 | Sr.
Houston not only enters the season with its highest preseason hopes ever, but may also have a legitimate claim to boasting the best guard in the sport. Sasser is a two-way threat. As a 6-foot-2 combo guard, he averaged 17. On the same subject : Sports company Metaverse received $200 million in funding.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.2 steals for a Cougars team that could be even better than the 32-6 group from last season. Sasser shot 43.7% from 3-point range … but he only played the first 12 games because of a broken foot. Now he is fully healthy and the expectation is that he will be the alpha on the most robust team in college basketball. — MN
Jaime Jaquez Jr. | UCLA | G/F | 6-7 | Sr.
Our vote for the final spot on our first team was close, but Jaquez won because of his projected value and statistical jump for a UCLA team that we have favored to win the Pac-12. Jaquez averaged 13.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists for the Bruins last season. He and Tyger Campbell are UCLA’s two returning starters, so expect Jaquez’s stats to wane as the Bruins try to maintain their reputation as a top 10-15 team in the country. See the article : Substitutes: Christy Hedgpeth. Jaquez is a Bruin through and through, and like Sasser, is now fully healthy after battling injury a season ago. Jaquez is listed as a guard/forward, but in reality he is the best option to play the 2, 3 or 4 in college hoops. — MN
2022-23 CBS Sports Preseason All-America Second Team
Trayce Jackson-Davis | Indiana | F | 6-9 | Sr.
Indiana finally made it to the Big Dance last season for the first time since 2016 behind a banner year from Jackson-Davis, who posted career highs in scoring, assists and blocks on a per-40-minute basis while shooting a career-high. 58.9% from the field. With four returning starters for an IU team with high expectations, Jackson-Davis, who flirted with the NBA before opting to give it another shot, should enter the season as the preseason favorite to win Big Ten Player of the Year. — Kyle Boone
Hunter Dickinson | Michigan | C | 7-1 | Jr.
While Michigan took a step back last season after a 23-5 campaign and barely squeezed into the NCAA Tournament field, Dickinson was quietly sensational as a sophomore, finishing in the top five in the Big Ten in scoring, rebounding and blocks. Now in his third season, the burly big man enters 2022-23 as the leading rebounder and rebounder in the Big Ten — a league loaded with frontcourt talent. — KB
Kendric Davis | Memphis | G | 6-0 | R-Sr.
Fresh off a career year at SMU when he was the AAC Player of the Year, Davis heads to conference foe Memphis where he gives the Tigers and coach Penny Hardaway their first superstar point guard in years. After ranking dead last in turnover percentage each of the past three seasons, he provides not only a stabilizing force at point guard, but difference-making talent as a scorer and creator. — KB
Caleb Love | North Carolina | G | 6-4 | Jr.
Love was a sophomore NCAA Tournament supernova for North Carolina all the way to the title game, scoring 30 in the Sweet 16 at UCLA and 28 in the Final Four vs. rival Duke. He remains the most microwaveable bucket catcher in the ACC entering his junior season and should continue to thrive for the Tar Heels playing in a more natural off-ball role alongside backcourt mate RJ Davis. — KB
Nick Smith | Arkansas | G | 6-5 | Fr.
Arkansas runs one of the most guard-friendly systems in the country with Eric Musselman, and Smith, the No. 1 recruit in the 2022 cycle, enters arguably the biggest opportunity of any rookie in the sport. The team lost 87% of the scoring and 78% of the assists from last season’s team that advanced to the Elite Eight. Smith should carry a significant load in both categories as he looks to push the Razorbacks to the top of the SEC. — KB
2022-23 CBS Sports Preseason All-America Third Team
Zach Edey | Purdue | C | 7-4 | Jr.
Purdue’s towering center averaged 14.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.2. block last season and should only improve on those numbers while playing more minutes following the departure of Trevion Williams. — David Cobb
Adam Flagler | Baylor | G | 6-3 | R-Sr.
Flagler played a key role off the bench for Baylor’s 2021 national title team and stepped into a starring role last season while averaging 13.8 points on 38.7% 3-point shooting. — DC
Keyonte George | Baylor | G | 6-4 | Fr.
Ranked No. 9 overall in the 2022 class, George should be one of the nation’s most productive freshmen as he enters a Baylor rotation that replaces James Akinjo, Kendall Brown, Jeremy Sochan and Matthew Mayer. — DC
Mike Miles Jr. | TCU | G | 6-2 | Jr.
Miles no longer flies under the national radar after helping TCU to its first NCAA Tournament win since 1987. He’s the Big 12’s leading rebounder and a big reason the Horned Frogs are ranked No. 14 in the AP Top 25 poll before the season. — DC
Dereck Lively II | Duke | C | 7-1 | Fr.
As the nation’s No. 2 ranked freshman enters a Duke streak that returns just one contributor, Lively will have an immediate chance to shine on the national stage amid the Blue Devils’ coaching transition from Mike Krzyzewski to Jon Scheyer. — DC
