FoxSports names UK's Wall pre-season player of year

Herald-Leader Staff Report

FoxSports.com named University of Kentucky freshman John Wall its pre-season player of the year for the 2009-10 college basketball season on Wednesday.

Not freshman of the year.

Not point guard of the year.

Charles Bertram

John Wall shot a layup while waiting to have his photo taken.

Not merely first-team All-American.

Player of the year.

If UK fans' batteries weren't already sufficiently charged for the upcoming season, such high praise for a Kentucky player who has yet to set foot on the Rupp Arena floor must surely do the trick.

FoxSports.com senior college basketball writer Jeff Goodman held nothing back in his praise of Wall, saying, "Kevin Durant was the National Player of the Year three years ago, and Derrick Rose was the best player in the country two seasons ago. Don't be shocked if Wall, playing in the same system as Rose, is equally as dominant — especially the second half of the season. He's big, strong, quick and can run a team."

Goodman tossed more praise Kentucky's way when he named Patrick Patterson a pre-season second-team All-American.

"He's all about production," Goodman wrote. "Patterson will be a double-double machine this season, especially with the up-tempo style that will be employed in Lexington."

Joining Wall on Goodman's pre-season All-America first team were Duke small forward Kyle Singler, Notre Dame power forward Luke Harangody, Georgia Tech center Derrick Favors and Oklahoma shooting guard Willie Warren.

Joining Patterson on the second team were Wake Forest small forward Al-Farouq Aminu, Kansas center Cole Aldrich, Kansas point guard Sherron Collins and Michigan shooting guard Manny Harris.