The San Diego State men’s basketball team (29-2 overall; 14-2 Mountain West Conference) got some individual accolades to go along with its shiny new MWC Championship trophy and national recognition.
Steve Fisher earned MWC Co-Coach of the Year with BYU’s Dave Rose, D.J. Gay and Kawhi Leonard were named to the All-MWC First Team, Malcolm Thomas made Second Team All-MWC and Billy White was an Honorable Mention All-MWC. Thomas and Leonard also made the All-Defensive team.
“I don’t know who does the voting and (who decides) the players, but it tells me we’ve got some better, more astute people that are voting when they can look at value added for a guy like D.J. Gay.,” Fisher said about Gay’s selection to the First Team-All MWC. “I have said it repeatedly from day one, he’s our most important player. Thirty points against New Mexico, game-winning field goals, no turnovers for seven and a half games, I think that merits First-Team All-Conference
consideration and selection. I think he might have been a little bit surprised to be honest with you, but he earned that honor without question.”
While Fisher downplayed his first-ever conference Coach of the Year Award, his players were excited for him.
“He definitely deserves it,” Gay said. “He’s changed this program and had the ability to make us better
year after year. We wouldn’t have the record that we have this year, we wouldn’t have done it without Coach and the coaching staff. I don’t know how much it means to Coach, he’s not a man who shows much emotion when he gets an accolade. As a team, we’re excited. We probably smile about it more than he does himself. He’s a very humble man, but I’m sure deep down inside he’s jumping for joy.”
First-Team All-Mountain West
Jimmer Fredette, BYU Sr. G 6-2 195 Glens Falls, N.Y.
Andy Ogide, Colorado State Sr. F 6-9 245 Marietta, Ga.
Dairese Gary, New Mexico Sr. G 6-1 205 Elkhart, Ind.
D.J. Gay, San Diego State Sr. G 6-0 170 Sun Valley, Calif.
Kawhi Leonard, San Diego State So. F 6-7 225 Riverside, Calif.
Second-Team All-Mountain West
Jackson Emery, BYU Sr. G 6-3 190 Alpine, Utah
Drew Gordon, New Mexico Jr. F/C 6-9 245 San Jose, Calif.
Malcolm Thomas, San Diego State Sr. F 6-9 220 San Diego, Calif.
Tre’Von Willis, UNLV Sr. G 6-4 195 Fresno, Calif.
Will Clyburn, Utah Jr. F 6-7 200 Detroit, Mich.
Third-Team All-Mountain West
Michael Lyons, Air Force So. G 6-6 195 Newport News, Va.
Brandon Davies, BYU So. F 6-9 235 Provo, Utah
Hank Thorns, TCU Jr. G 5-10 170 Las Vegas, Nev.
Oscar Bellfield, UNLV Jr. G 6-2 185 Los Angeles, Calif.
Chase Stanback, UNLV Jr. G/F 6-8 210 Los Angeles, Calif.
All-Defensive Team
Jackson Emery, BYU Sr. G 6-3 185 Alpine, Utah
Dairese Gary, New Mexico Sr. G 6-1 205 Elkhart, Ind.
Kawhi Leonard, San Diego State So. F 6-7 225 Riverside, Calif.
Malcolm Thomas, San Diego State Sr. F 6-9 220 San Diego, Calif.
David Foster, Utah Jr. C 7-3 255 Lake Forest, Calif.
Honorable Mention All-Mountain West
Tom Fow, Sr., F, 6-6, 205, Air Force
Evan Washington, Sr., G, 6-4, 195, Air Force
Noah Hartsock, Jr., F, 6-8, 230, BYU
Travis Franklin, Sr., F, 6-7, 215, Colorado State
Kendall Williams, Fr., G, 6-3, 170, New Mexico
Billy White, Sr., F, 6-8, 235, San Diego State
Josh Watkins, Jr., G, 6-0, 200, Utah
Desmar Jackson, So., G, 6-5, 175, Wyoming
Amath M’Baye, So., F, 6-9, 210, Wyoming
Player of the Year: Jimmer Fredette, Sr., G, BYU
Defensive Player of the Year: Jackson Emery, Sr., G, BYU
Newcomer of the Year: Drew Gordon, Jr., F/C, New Mexico
Freshman of the Year: Kendall Williams, Fr., G, New Mexico
Sixth Man of the Year: Pierce Hornung, So., F, Colorado State
Co-Coaches of the Year: Dave Rose, BYU and Steve Fisher, San Diego State
