Iowa State’s Monte Morris, Villanova’s Josh Hart on preseason AP All-America basketball team
Josh Hart is off to a stellar start as a member of the defending national champions.
The 6-foot-5 swingman from Villanova will begin his senior season on The Associated Press’ preseason All-America team.
Hart, the Big East’s preseason player of the year, received 53 votes from the same 65-member national media panel that selects the weekly Top 25.
Grayson Allen of Duke was the top vote-getter with 61, four more than Ivan Rabb of California. Dillon Brooks of Oregon had 30 votes and Monte Morris of Iowa State had 24.
Kansas’ Josh Jackson and two other players, sophomore Thomas Bryant of Indiana and freshman Markelle Fultz of Washington, led other players receiving votes with 18.
Morris is the second Cyclone in two years to make the team. He joins Georges Niang, who was on it last season. The 6-3 Morris averaged 13.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 6.9 assists as a junior and Iowa State reached as high as No. 4 in the poll last season.
AP preseason All-America team
The Associated Press’ 2016-17 preseason All-America team, with school, height, year and votes from a 65-member national media panel (key 2015-16 statistics in parentheses):
▪ Grayson Allen, Duke, 6-5, junior, 61 votes (21.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 3.5 apg, 41.7 3-pt fg pct, 36.6 minutes)
▪ Ivan Rabb, California, 6-11, sophomore, 55 (12.5 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 61.5 fg pct, 1.2 blocks)
▪ Josh Hart, Villanova, 6-5 1/2, senior, 53 (15.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 51.3 fg pct)
▪ Dillon Brooks, Oregon, 6-7, junior, 30 (16.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.1 apg)
▪ Monte Morris, Iowa State, 6-3, senior, 24 (13.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 6.9 apg, 48.7 fg pct, 1.8 steals, 38.0 minutes)
Others receiving votes: Thomas Bryant, Indiana, 18; Markelle Fultz, Washington, 18; Josh Jackson, Kansas, 18; Melo Trimble, Maryland, 13; Nigel Hayes, Wisconsin, 12; Jaron Blossomgame, Clemson, 4; Tyler Lydon, Syracuse, 3; Harry Giles, Duke, 2; Kris Jenkins, Villanova, 2; Austin Nichols, Virginia, 2; Alec Peters, Valparaiso, 2; Nigel Williams-Goss, Gonzaga, 2; Lonzo Ball, UCLA, 1; Devonté Graham, Kansas, 1; Justin Jackson, North Carolina, 1; Moses Kingsley, Arkansas, 1; Bronson Koenig, Wisconsin, 1; London Perrantes, Virginia, 1.
Tod Palmer’s ballot: Harry Giles, Duke; Josh Hart, Villanova; Grayson Allen, Duke; Monte Morris, Iowa State; Melo Trimble, Maryland
This story was originally published November 2, 2016 at 3:42 PM with the headline "Iowa State’s Monte Morris, Villanova’s Josh Hart on preseason AP All-America basketball team."