USBWA announces 2014-2015 All-America Team

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association announced its 2014-15 Men's All-America Team, featuring a true five-man lineup of first-teamers led by two seniors who pushed their teams to conference tournament championships: Wisconsin forward Frank Kaminsky and Notre Dame guard Jerian Grant.

Joining Kaminsky in the front court is junior forward Willie Cauley-Stein of unbeaten and top-ranked Kentucky, and Duke freshman center Jahlil Okafor. Grant's backcourt mate is another freshman, Ohio State's D'Angelo Russell.

Overall, the Atlantic Coast Conference leads all selections with three, including Virginia's Malcolm Brogdon, who was named to the second team. The Big Ten and SEC each boast two All-America selections.

Joining Brodgon on that second team are Bobby Portis from Arkansas, Seth Tuttle from Northern Iowa, Kyle Wiltjer from Gonzaga, and Delon Wright from Utah.

Each of the 10 All-America selections is among the Oscar Robertson Trophy finalists.

Cauley-Stein, a 7-0 junior from Olathe, Kan., contributes to Kentucky's potent and balanced attack with 9.3 points per game to go with 6.4 rebounds. He was a first-team All-SEC selection in leading the Wildcats to the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.  Still somewhat raw offensively, this year he has proven to be an active big on the glass and a good shot blocker as well.

Grant, a 6-5 senior from Bowie, Md., leads the Fighting Irish with 16.8 points per game and 6.6 assists while shooting 48.8 percent from the field. Grant was a first-team All-ACC selection and leads the conference in assists and assist-to-turnover ratio.

Kaminsky's 18.2 points per game leads the Badgers, champions of the Big Ten. The versatile and skilled 7-0 senior from Lisle, Ill., is shooting 39 percent from three-point range and pulls down 8.1 rebounds per game. The Big Ten Player of the Year leads his team in points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals.

Okafor, the ACC Player of the Year, leads the Blue Devils and ranks among the top five in the ACC in scoring (17.7), rebounds (9.0) and field goal percentage (.669). The 6-11 freshman from Chicago, Ill., is attempting to become the first freshman to lead Duke in all three categories.  A very skilled big man, Okafor has a nice collection of post moves and excellent footwork on the block.

Rick Pitino probably has had a few sleepless nights knowing that Russell, a 6-5 freshman from Louisville, Ky., elected to play his college ball away from his hometown.  Russell is the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and an All-Big Ten first-team selection. He is the leading freshman scorer in the country and second-leading scorer in the Big Ten (19.3) and also leads the Buckeyes with 5.6 rebounds per game and is second on the team with 5.1 assists per game.

Based on regular-season performance, the entire USBWA membership of nearly 1,000 selects the nation's top five players on each of two teams regardless of position.

Following is the complete 2014-15 USBWA All-America team:

2014-15 USBWA MEN'S ALL-AMERICA FIRST TEAM

F Willie Cauley-Stein, Kentucky (7-0, 240, Jr., Olathe, Kan.)
G Jerian Grant, Notre Dame (6-5, 204, Sr., Bowie, Md.)
F Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin (7-0, 242, Sr., Lisle, Ill.)
C Jahlil Okafor, Duke (6-11, 270, Fr., Chicago, Ill.)
G D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State (6-5, 180, Fr., Louisville, Ky.)

2014-15 USBWA MEN'S ALL-AMERICA SECOND TEAM

G Malcolm Brogdon, Virginia (6-5, 215, Jr., Atlanta, Ga.)
F Bobby Portis, Arkansas (6-11, 242, So., Little Rock, Ark.)
F Seth Tuttle, Northern Iowa (6-8, 240, Sr., Sheffield, Iowa)
F Kyle Wiltjer, Gonzaga (6-10, 240, Jr., Portland, Ore.)
G Delon Wright, Utah (6-5, 190, Sr., Los Angeles, Calif.)

By Staff of TheDailySportsHerald.com and news services