This is the fourth and final entry in this series, in which I am recreating the All-American teams as they would have been if all (US-based) players went to college for 4 years. Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 focused on the 1970s/1980s, 1990s, and 2000s respectively. In Part 4, we’ll focus on the 2010s.
As in previous posts, NBA players are in red and National Players of the Year (Naismith) are in bold.
2009-10
First Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Sherron Collins | Kevin Durant |
| Wesley Johnson | Kevin Love |
| Scottie Reynolds | Derrick Rose |
| Evan Turner | Brook Lopez |
| John Wall | Stephen Curry |
Second Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Cole Aldrich | Russell Westbrook |
| James Anderson | Michael Beasley |
| DeMarcus Cousins | James Harden |
| Luke Harangody | Dejuan Blair |
| Jon Scheyer | DJ Augustin |
| Greivis Vasquez | Evan Turner |
It was not a difficult call to push all the First Teamers down in favor of this five. Keep in mind too, Blake Griffin was injured, so I left him off. Player of the Year was a very tough call between “senior” Kevin Durant and “senior” Steph Curry, but I went with Durant. The only Actual player who remains on the team at all is Player of the Year Evan Turner.
2010-11
First Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Jimmer Fredette | Russell Westbrook |
| JaJuan Johnson | Kevin Love |
| Nolan Smith | Derrick Rose |
| Jared Sullinger | Blake Griffin |
| Kemba Walker | James Harden |
Second Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Kenneth Faried | Evan Turner |
| Jordan Hamilton | Dejuan Blair |
| Ben Hansbrough | Michael Beasley |
| Kawhi Leonard | Jimmer Fredette |
| Marcus Morris | John Wall |
| Jordan Taylor | DeMarcus Cousins |
| Derrick Williams | Jeff Teague |
Again, not a difficult call here to push down all five First Teamers. Jimmer Fredette was National POY, and I love Jimmer, but are you keeping him over one of the five I have listed? I know a lot of these teams are great, but this has to be one of the best, with 4 “seniors” (Westbrook, Love, Rose, and Harden) and “junior” Griffin. I went with Harden as National POY, but all of the five have a case. I hated to leave Michael Beasley off First Team, but there just isn’t a spot. Jeff Teague sneaks onto Second Team in his “senior” year. Couldn’t find a spot for DeAndre Jordan or Eric Gordon.
2011-12
First Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Anthony Davis | Anthony Davis |
| Draymond Green | John Wall |
| Doug McDermott | Blake Griffin |
| Thomas Robinson | Thomas Robinson |
| Jared Sullinger | DeMarcus Cousins |
Second Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Isaiah Canaan | Paul George |
| Marcus Denmon | Kyrie Irving |
| Kevin Jones | Greg Monroe |
| Michael Kidd-Gilchrist | Draymond Green |
| Tyler Zeller | Kemba Walker |
I didn’t retain many freshman First Teamers, but Davis is an exception. Thomas Robinson wasn’t much of an NBA player, but in 2012 he was right there with Davis. Griffin is an easy choice as player of the year. “Juniors” John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins round out the First Team. Second Team is not bad either with George, Irving, Monroe, and Kemba. Couldn’t find a spot for DeMar Derozan.
2012-13
First Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Trey Burke | Kyrie Irving |
| Doug McDermott | Anthony Davis |
| Victor Oladipo | Kawhi Leonard |
| Kelly Olynyk | John Wall |
| Otto Porter | DeMarcus Cousins |
Second Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Ben McLemore | Jared Sullinger |
| Mason Plumlee | Trey Burke |
| Marcus Smart | Thomas Robinson |
| Jeff Withey | Otto Porter |
| Cody Zeller | Victor Oladipo |
This was a tough call. Burke, Oladipo, and Porter were outstanding, and possibly good enough to stay on First Team. But ultimately I can’t justify putting them ahead of the guys I listed. Davis would have been a sophomore; Kyrie would have been a junior; Leonard, Wall, and Cousins seniors. No idea whom to select as Player of the Year; I’m going with Cousins more or less at random.
2013-14
First Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Nick Johnson | Anthony Davis |
| Doug McDermott | Doug McDermott |
| Shabazz Napier | Kyrie Irving |
| Jabari Parker | Andre Drummond |
| Russ Smith | Trey Burke |
Second Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Cleanthony Early | Victor Oladipo |
| C. J. Fair | Bradley Beal |
| Sean Kilpatrick | Jared Sullinger |
| Nik Stauskas | Otto Porter |
| T. J. Warren | Tristan Thompson |
| Andrew Wiggins | Jabari Parker |
As often happens, the guys who got bumped last year (Burke, McDermott, Oladipo) reappear this year, and this time Burke and McDermott get that First Team spot. They are joined by Davis, Irving, and Andre Drummond. Bradley Beal and Tristan Thompson get a spot on Second Team. Player of the Year was between “junior” Davis and “senior” Irving; tough call but I’m going with AD.
2014-15
First Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Willie Cauley-Stein | Andre Drummond |
| Jerian Grant | Anthony Davis |
| Frank Kaminsky | Frank Kaminsky |
| Jahlil Okafor | Trey Burke |
| D’Angelo Russell | Bradley Beal |
Second Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Malcolm Brogdon | Otto Porter |
| Bobby Portis | Michael Kidd-Gilchrist |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | Cody Zeller |
| Seth Tuttle | Jabari Parker |
| Kyle Wiltjer | Jahlil Okafor |
| Delon Wright | Andrew Wiggins |
Davis becomes a two-time National Player of the Year. Drummond and Burke make First Team for the second time, and they are joined by Bradley Beal. Frank Kaminsky deservedly hangs onto a First Team spot. A few guys who made Actual Second Team in previous years (Kidd-Gilchrist, Zeller, Wiggins) get a spot on the hypothetical Second Team this year.
2015-16
First Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Malcolm Brogdon | Willie Cauley-Stein |
| Buddy Hield | Buddy Hield |
| Brice Johnson | Andrew Wiggins |
| Ben Simmons | Karl-Anthony Towns |
| Tyler Ulis | Jabari Parker |
| Denzel Valentine | D’Angelo Russell |
Second Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Kris Dunn | Denzel Valentine |
| Perry Ellis | Jahlil Okafor |
| Georges Niang | T. J. Warren |
| Jakob Pöltl | Malcolm Brogdon |
| Jarrod Uthoff | Marcus Smart |
Once again, no idea who would have won Player of the Year from this group. I’m going to give it to Towns, because he was the best of these players in the NBA in 2015-16. But maybe Buddy Hield would have held on. TJ Warren, Denzel Valentine, and Marcus Smart get Second Team spots in their “senior” years.
2016-17
First Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Lonzo Ball | Andrew Wiggins |
| Josh Hart | Karl-Anthony Towns |
| Justin Jackson | Jabari Parker |
| Frank Mason III | Frank Mason III |
| Caleb Swanigan | D’Angelo Russell |
Second Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Dillon Brooks | Josh Hart |
| Luke Kennard | Aaron Gordon |
| Malik Monk | Devin Booker |
| Johnathan Motley | Zach LaVine |
| Nigel Williams-Goss | Myles Turner |
I went with Towns as POY last year, so I have to stick with him. Wiggins, Parker, and Russell are also repeats from last year. Frank Mason hangs onto a First Team spot. Second Team features a bunch of good young NBA players, led by Devin Booker and Myles Turner. Also note that Ben Simmons was injured this year, so I left him out.
Speaking of injuries, I’m not sure what to do with Joel Embiid. He was a freshman in 2013-14; missed 2015 and 2016 with injuries; played 31 games in 2017 and was a stud. Call him an honorable mention.
2017-18
First Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Deandre Ayton | D’Angelo Russell |
| Marvin Bagley III | Karl-Anthony Towns |
| Jalen Brunson | Ben Simmons |
| Devonte’ Graham | Lonzo Ball |
| Trae Young | Myles Turner |
Second Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Keita Bates-Diop | Jayson Tatum |
| Trevon Bluiett | Devin Booker |
| Miles Bridges | Jalen Brunson |
| Jevon Carter | Trae Young |
| Keenan Evans | Jakob Pöltl |
| Jock Landale | Donovan Mitchell |
Karl-Anthony Towns becomes the fourth player to be National Player of the Year three times, along with Bill Walton, David Thompson, and hypothetical LeBron James. Ben Simmons leaps onto First Team. Brunson and Trae Young hang onto Second Team spots.
2018-19
First Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| RJ Barrett | Ben Simmons |
| Rui Hachimura | Lonzo Ball |
| Ja Morant | Jayson Tatum |
| Grant Williams | Trae Young |
| Zion Williamson | Zion Williamson |
Second Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Jarrett Culver | Grant Williams |
| Carsen Edwards | Donovan Mitchell |
| Ethan Happ | Jalen Brunson |
| Markus Howard | Bam Adebayo |
| Cassius Winston | Jamal Murray |
This is a really interesting team. You have to keep Zion on there. Simmons, Ball, Tatum, and Trae Young round out the First Team. Who is the Player of the Year? Could one of those three have topped Zion? I’m going with Simmons.
I started working on this because I hoped it would shed some light on how to compare college basketball players from different eras. In particular, how should I regard a modern player who makes First Team All-American, compared to a player from the ’60s or ’70s? Are those equivalent accomplishments? I think the clear answer is, they are not. Many, perhaps most, modern All-Americans would not have made the team if they were playing against the best players in their age group.