NCAA basketball: AP releases preseason All-American team

The Associated Press’s 63-person media panel released the results of the 2021 preseason hoops All-American poll on Monday.

Gonzaga forward Drew Timme was the only unanimous selection for the AP preseason All-American list. Joining him are Illinois big Kofi Cockburn, UCLA guard Johnny Juzang, Villanova point guard Collin Gillespie and Indiana forward Trayce Jackson-Davis.

Drew Timme is a 6-10, 235-pound forward. Last year, Timme averaged 19 points and seven rebounds for the Bulldogs while shooting 65.5% from the field. After deciding to return to school and withdrawing from the draft,

Timme comes back with the hopes of not only leading Gonzaga to another Final Four appearance but boosting his draft stock as one of the better big men in the field.

Kofi Cockburn is a 7-foot, 291-pound junior at Illinois. Cockburn averaged 17 points and nine rebounds per game for the Fighting Illini during his sophomore campaign.

After slipping out of his preferred spot on the draft boards, Cockburn returned for his junior season. He hopes to show how his height, strength and speed will put him in the category with NBA-ready centers.

Johnny Juzang is a 6-foot-7, 210-pound shooting guard who went from averaging 4.4 points off Kentucky’s bench to averaging 16 points at UCLA. Last year, he lead his Bruins to the Final Four.

In the 2021 NCAA tournament, Juzang hit every clutch shot that his team needed. Juzang is the dream shooting guard every coach wants. Last year he shot 38% from the 3-point line in the conference. The Bruins will need his shooting to make another deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

Colin Gillespie is a 6-3 190-pound point guard who averaged 14.0 points and 3.6 assists. Gillespie is a hard-nosed and battle-tested guard. Gillespie has a knack for making the right play and rarely turns the ball over. His leadership on the court is as good as any guard in the country. Gillespie is also a very reliable shooter who shoots 37.6% from the 3-point arc.

Last year his senior season was cut short due to an MCL injury. But this year will be a story of a comeback, as Gillespie attempts to take the Wildcats to the national championship.

Indiana forward Trayce Jackson-Davis also made the bold move to return to school instead of entering the 2021 NBA Draft. Jackson-Davis posted recorded 10 double-doubles on his way to a second-team All-Big Ten selection and an honorable mention for the All-American team by the Associated Press. He led the Hoosiers in scoring with 19 points and nine rebounds per game.