Kansas’ Remy Martin voted Big 12 men’s basketball preseason player of the year
Kansas newcomer Remy Martin has been voted Big 12 preseason men’s basketball player of the year by the league’s coaches.
Martin, a 6-foot, 175-pound point guard who played at Arizona State the past four seasons then elected to transfer to KU, was joined on the preseason All-Big 12 team Wednesday by KU teammates David McCormack and Ochai Agbaji, as well as Baylor’s Matthew Mayer, Texas’ Marcus Carr and Texas Tech’s Terrence Shannon. A tie resulted in an extra position on the all-league team.
Honorable mention picks were: James Akinjo (Baylor), Avery Anderson (Oklahoma State), Moussa Cisse (Oklahoma State), Mike Miles (TCU), Andrew Jones (Texas), Tre Mitchell (Texas) and Taz Sherman (West Virginia).
Carr was chosen preseason newcomer of the year and Baylor’s Kendall Brown freshman of the year. Coaches were not allowed to vote for players on their own teams.
“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 Wednesday. “I’m glad they are on people’s radars heading into the season.”
In 2020-21, Burbank, California native Martin averaged 19.1 points per game for ASU to lead all scorers in the Pac-12. He averaged 21.5 points per game in conference play. He posted a conference-best four, 30-point outings. His 12 games of 20 or more points for the season were also a Pac-12 best. Martin also averaged 2.04 three-point field goals made, 3.7 assists and 1.2 steals per game in 2020-21.
Martin is a three-time All-Pac-12 selection. He earned second-team honors as a sophomore and first team his junior and senior seasons.
So far Martin has impressed his KU teammates.
“He’s been a great facilitator. He’s playing like a true point guard, just getting everybody shots, playing downhill. Very quick first step. Great passer,” noted KU senior forward Cam Martin.
“He kind of reminds me a little bit of Devon (Dotson), the way he can switch speeds, get downhill from different spots on the floor,” noted Agbaji. “His quickness I think matches Devon’s.”
Noted senior Chris Teahan: “Remy is super, super fast. I don’t know how to describe him. He’s such a unique style of player. He has tons of energy and never runs out of it.”
Preseason all-league pick Agbaji led Kansas in scoring in 2020-21 at 14.1 points per game. The Kansas City, Missouri, guard led KU with 78 three-pointers in 2020-21. For his career, Agbaji 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 the 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.
Big 12 men’s basketball 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
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
A tie resulted in an extra position on the team.
Honorable Mention
James Akinjo (Baylor), Avery Anderson (Oklahoma State), Moussa Cisse (Oklahoma State), Mike Miles (TCU), Andrew Jones (Texas), Tre Mitchell (Texas), Taz Sherman (West Virginia).
Coaches not permitted to vote for their own players
This story was originally published October 13, 2021 at 2:28 PM with the headline "Kansas’ Remy Martin voted Big 12 men’s basketball preseason player of the year."
