Backing into a back-to-back; unprecedented parity has leaked into our team of top collegians, led by repeat player of the year Jason Williams - 2002 College All-American Team

Basketball Digest, May, 2002 by Tom Kertes

Without question, this 6'3", 202-pound package of will and muscle has got the talent. "His 27 points against [Conference USA champ] Cincinnati and its incredible defense. while surviving in a spectacular shootout with [All-American Bearcat senior guard] Steve Logan, was his finest achievement so far," Calipari says. "I told him, `For the first time, you competed at 100% intensity on every possession on both ends of the floor. Your played defense, your shot selection was impeccable. I'm really, really proud of you.'"

Those words meant the world to the surprisingly low-maintenance Wagner who, hurt by being too good for his opposition in high school, never had to do anything but score at his previous stops. This funkadelic scoring machine totally lacks in offcourt arrogance and, instead of "knowing everything better" like so many of his less-gifted peers, hangs on the coach's every word like it's manna from hoop-heaven. "I came to Memphis to learn from coach," Wagner says. "The moment I met him t knew he was The Guy. The one who could make me a winner, turn me into a better ballplayer. and best prepare me for the next level."

"Dajuan is the most coachable kid I've ever been around," coach Cal says, "With his moves. his uncanny strength, and that unstoppable ability to get to the hoop, he could have scored 35, 40 points per game this year. But he knew that would have fractured the team. So he did it all within the system. I'll be forever grateful to him for that--but he also got to be a better player in the process."

Wagner has still averaged 21.7 ppg, good enough for second in the powerful C-USA (behind the NBA-bound Logan) and 18th in the country, "To be able to find that balance, that's the true testament to this kid's genius," Calipari says. "You know what he's doing right now, even as we speak? He's out his with his dad [Tigers' assistant coach Mitt] practicing his catch-and-shoot game. To do it all quickly, in one motion; that was Milt's specialty--but it's Dajuan's weakness. He knows once he adapts that, hell be pretty much unstoppable."