In the world of men’s college basketball, two forwards have captured significant attention, each in their own unique way. One is a seasoned fifth-year senior who launched his career at a smaller program, while the other is a highly-touted first-year player drawing interest from top college teams across the country. Johni Broome of Auburn and Cooper Flagg of Duke shine brightly for their respective teams and have been unanimously selected as first-team picks on the recently announced men’s college basketball All-America teams.
Joining them are Alabama’s standout Mark Sears, Purdue’s reliable Braden Smith, and Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr. in the elite group of first-team selections. Broome, who earned third-team honors last year, and Flagg are the only ones to appear unanimously on ballots from all 61 national media members contributing to the weekly polls. Broome becomes Auburn’s fourth All-American and their first to make the first team, while Flagg is the 19th player from Duke to obtain first-team status.
Duke’s coach, Jon Scheyer, highly praises Flagg, expressing admiration for his focus on more than just personal stats. He’s seen as someone who could become easily distracted by numbers yet instead prioritizes team success, a sentiment echoed in Broome’s approach. Despite their differing career stages, both players share the goal of clinching a national championship, with each of their teams ranked as the No. 1 seeds in their regional NCAA Tournament slots.
During a reflective moment, Broome shared: “I’ve achieved numerous personal goals throughout my career. However, winning a team championship eclipses everything.” These sentiments reflect his journey from Morehead State to Auburn over the past three years, emphasizing the importance of team success paving the way for individual recognition.
Mark Sears had a significant impact during the previous season, steering Alabama to its inaugural Final Four appearance. Initially, he flirted with joining the NBA but opted to continue his collegiate path, aiming for another shot at a national championship. Meanwhile, Purdue’s Braden Smith, previously an honorable mention, stepped up to replace the void left by Zach Edey, aiming to bring his team back to the championship game after a recent narrow miss.
Florida celebrates its first-ever first-team All-American with Walter Clayton Jr., who significantly boosted the Gators’ status this season, aspiring to reproduce the national success they enjoyed in 2007. Embodying a versatile play style, Clayton exudes confidence in his squad’s March Madness potential, stating, “It’s my crew against the world.”
On the second team, JT Toppin, transferring from New Mexico to Texas Tech, found a new rhythm, along with John Tonje, who moved from Missouri to Wisconsin, and PJ Haggerty’s transition from Tulsa to Memphis. Their revamped play earned them second-team recognition, joined by Kam Jones of Marquette and RJ Luis Jr. of St. John’s.
The third-team lineup features Kansas’ Hunter Dickinson and Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner, both extending their streaks of All-America appearances to three years, alongside Tennessee’s Zakai Zeigler, Villanova’s Eric Dixon, and Houston’s standout LJ Cryer, last season’s Big 12 player of the year.
Additional players received honorable mentions, such as Chaz Lanier from Tennessee and Purdue’s Trey Kaufman-Renn among a group of emerging talents like Donovan Dent of New Mexico, Drake’s Bennett Stirtz, and Louisville’s Chucky Hepburn, recognized for their noteworthy performances.
