For the first time in two seasons, K-State has a men’s basketball player on the five-member preseason all-Big 12 team. Rodney McGruder averaged 15.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per contest for the Wildcats, and shot 46 percent from the field, 39 percent from three point range, and 80 percent from the free throw line. Jacob Pullen was named Big 12 preseason player of the year, and Curtis Kelly joined him on the all-Big 12 preseason team before the 2010-11 season. McGruder received honorable mention in the preseason last year.
Joining McGruder on the all-Big 12 squad is preseason player of the year Pierre Jackson of Baylor, Jeff Withey of Kansas, Le’Bryan Nash of Oklahoma State, and Myck Kabongo of Texas. Wyoming transfer Amath M’Baye of Oklahoma is the league’s preseason newcomer of the year, while Oklahoma State’s Marcus Smart is the freshman of the year.
