Remy Martin, Ochai Agbaji and David McCormack Named Preseason All-Big 12
Kansas senior Remy Martin has been named the 2021-22 Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year as voted on by the league coaches, the conference announced Wednesday. Joining Martin on the six-member preseason all-league team are KU seniors Ochai Agbaji and David McCormack. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes and there was a tie in this year’s vote.
“I’m happy our players are getting preseason recognition but they understand the success of the team will translate to postseason honors,” KU head coach Bill Self said. “I’m glad they are on people’s radars heading into the season.”
Martin will play his final season at KU after transferring from Arizona State. The Burbank, California, guard was a three-time All-Pac-12 selection, earning second-team honors as a sophomore and first-team his junior and senior seasons. In 2020-21, Martin led the Pac-12 with 19.1 points per game, including 21.5 ppg in conference play. Martin brings career totals of 1,754 points, 466 assists, 151 steals, and 176 three-point field goals made to Kansas. Historically, Martin is the 10th Jayhawk to be named the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year and the eighth under head coach Bill Self.
Agbaji led Kansas in scoring in 2020-21 at 14.1 points per game and he earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors for the second-straight season. The Kansas City, Missouri, guard led KU with 78 three-pointers in 2020-21. For his career, Agbaji, a two-time Academic All-Big 12 selection, has started 77 consecutive games and is 80 points from 1,000 for his career. He enters 2021-22 at No. 18 on the KU three-point field goals made list with 147 and No. 16 in three-point field goals attempted with 418.
McCormack averaged 13.4 points and 6.1 rebounds per game in 2020-21 and was named the first recipient of the Big 12 Most Improved Player Award. The Norfolk, Virginia, forward was also an all-league second-team selection last season. McCormack is a two-time Academic All-Big 12 First Team honoree who graduated from KU with a bachelor’s degree in communications studies in May 2021 and is studying journalism in graduate school. He has twice been nominated for CoSIDA Academic All-America.
Joining Martin, Agbaji, and McCormack on the six-member Preseason All-Big 12 Team were Matthew Mayer (Baylor), Marcus Carr (Texas), and Terrence Shannon, Jr. (Texas Tech).
2021-22 Big 12 Preseason Honors
Preseason Player of the Year
REMY MARTIN, KANSAS (G, 6-0, 175, Sr., Burbank, Calif.)
Preseason Newcomer of the Year
Marcus Carr, Texas (G, 6-2, 195, Sr., Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Preseason Freshman of the Year
Kendall Brown, Baylor (G/F, 6-8, 205, Cottage Grove, Minn.)
Preseason All-Big 12 Team (listed alphabetically by school; a tie resulted in an extra position on the team.)
Matthew Mayer, Baylor (G/F, 6-9, 225, Sr., Austin, Texas/Westlake)
OCHAI AGBAJI, KANSAS (G, 6-5, 215, Sr., Kansas City, Mo./Oak Park)
REMY MARTIN, KANSAS (G, 6-0, 175, Sr., Burbank, Calif /Sierra Canyon/Arizona State)
DAVID MCCORMACK, KANSAS (F, 6-10, 250, Sr., Norfolk, Va./Oak Hill Academy)
Marcus Carr, Texas (G, 6-2, 195, Sr., Toronto, Ontario, Canada/Montverde Acad./Pittsburgh/Minnesota)
Terrence Shannon, Jr., Texas Tech (G, 6-6, 215, Jr., Chicago, Ill./Lincoln Park)
Honorable Mention (listed alphabetically by school):
James Akinjo (Baylor)
Avery Anderson (Oklahoma State)
Moussa Cisse (Oklahoma State)
Mike Miles (TCU)
Andrew Jones (Texas)
Tre Mitchell (Texas)
Taz Sherman (West Virginia).
Kansas Preseason Big 12 Players of the Year
2021-22 – Remy Martin
2019-20 – Udoka Azubuike
2017-18 – Devonte’ Graham
2009-10 – Cole Aldrich and Sherron Collins
2006-07 – Brandon Rush and Julian Wright
2004-05 – Wayne Simien
1997-98 – Raef LaFrentz
1996-97 – Jacque Vaughn