More from Vitale — All-conference teams and year-end awards
March 14, 2005
It's that time of the year – with Championship Week here and Selection Sunday just around the corner, it's time to unveil my All-Rolls Royce (All-America) teams, Player of the Year, Coach of the Year and Diaper Dandy of the Year. There are plenty of talented players in college basketball this season, so picking each team wasn't easy ...
All-Rolls Royce FIRST TEAM
G – Chris Paul | Wake Forest
G – J.J. Redick | Duke
C – Andrew Bogut | Utah
F – Hakim Warrick | Syracuse
F – Wayne Simien | Kansas
Comment – I would love to coach this team, baby! Redick has enjoyed a super season. Warrick has been the best player in the Big East, and his inside play makes the Orange dangerous. Bogut has carried the Utes to the Mountain West title. Paul is the catalyst on this squad! Simien has done it all despite earlier injury problems.
All-Rolls Royce SECOND TEAM
G – Raymond Felton | North Carolina
G – Deron Williams | Illinois
C – Sean May | North Carolina
F – Ike Diogu | Arizona State
F – Shelden Williams | Duke
Comment – It was a tough call putting May on the second team, because he has had a super season. Deron Williams is a steady force on the No. 1 team in America. "Everybody Loves" Raymond Felton for his leadership and quickness. Diogu doesn't get enough television time for fans to know how great he is. Shelden Williams has been the inside factor for coach Mike Krzyzewski.
All-Rolls Royce THIRD TEAM
G – Salim Stoudamire | Arizona
G – John Lucas | Oklahoma State
C – Channing Frye | Arizona
F – Francisco Garcia | Louisville
F – Joey Graham | Oklahoma State
Comment – A pair of Wildcats and Cowboys grace this unit. Stoudamire has really matured and it shows in his performance. Graham deserves more publicity as well. Garcia is a tremendous all-around talent.
All-Rolls Royce FOURTH TEAM
G – Dee Brown | Illinois
G – Jarrett Jack | Georgia Tech
C – Lawrence Roberts | Mississippi State
F – Craig Smith | Boston College
F – Ronny Turiaf | Gonzaga
Comment – Utilizing his quickness, Brown has been a sparkplug for the Illini. Smith has been an unsung hero for the surprising Eagles. Roberts has battled back from injuries.
All-Rolls Royce FIFTH TEAM
G – Rashad McCants | North Carolina
G – Anthony Roberson | Florida
C – Eric Williams | Wake Forest
F – Kennedy Winston | Alabama
F – Danny Granger | New Mexico
Comment – Williams has been a big-time force inside for the Demon Deacons, and he has had several big games against outstanding competition. Roberson has been the key to success for coach Billy Donovan's club, especially when Matt Walsh was sidelined. McCants has missed time recently due to illness.
NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR – J.J. Redick | Duke
This is a tough choice, since Andrew Bogut has been so important for Utah. Redick has taken his game to a different level by adding a component – taking the ball to the basket aggressively. When he draws fouls, he is Mr. Automatic on the foul line (his 93.7 percent is the best in NCAA history). When he misses, there should be an investigation! He has come through in big games – just ask Wake Forest coach Skip Prosser about that!
NATIONAL DIAPER DANDY OF THE YEAR (best freshman) – Daniel Gibson | Texas
There have been a number of impact freshmen across America, but where would the Longhorns be without Gibson, their rookie point guard? He has been the team's top scorer since sophomore forward P.J. Tucker was declared academically ineligible and freshman forward LaMarcus Aldridge was injured.
NATIONAL CO-COACHES OF THE YEAR
Bruce Weber | Illinois
Weber's team has handled the pressure of attempting an unbeaten season – and has actually enjoyed it. Along the way, the Illini have simply taken their cues from Weber. Illinois fell just short of a perfect regular season (29-1, 15-1 Big Ten), and 25 of those 29 regular-season wins were by double figures. Weber has done an outstanding job as Illinois has been dominant.
Al Skinner | Boston College
Boston College was one of the nation's biggest and most pleasant surprises this season. The Eagles won their first 20 games en route to a 24-3 regular season (13-3 Big East) and the top seed in the Big East tournament. Skinner did a great job leading his team to a highly successful season.
There you have it – there's a lot of talent on these lists, baby!
Dick Vitale coached the Pistons and the University of Detroit before broadcasting ESPN's first college basketball game in 1979. Send a question to Vitale for possible use on ESPNEWS.
