2005 college basketball award

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Dee Brown G. ILLINOIS

Some things must be seen to be believed, and some must be seen to be understood. There might be no better way to measure Brown's excellence this season than simpy to watch him play.

Brown hasn't been statistically dominant the way some past winners of this award--Jameer Nelson, Shane Battier and Kenyon Martin, for example--have been. Brown, a junior, averaged 13.4 points, hardly extraordinary for a shooting guard and not even the best average on his team. But there are some small bits of support for Brown on the stat sheet: his 50.8 percent field-goal shooting, his 4.5 assists per game, his 1.8 steals.

All that is nice, but to truly appreciate Brown's value to college basketball's best regular-season team, you have to see him punish opponents with speed that instantly turns turnovers into baskets. He overwhelms overmatched guards with his strength, as when he had steals on three straight possessions against Michigan, the key factor in keeping his team unbeaten at the time.

Brown could not have accomplished what he has without the assistance of backcourt partners Deron Williams and Luther Head. Williams runs Illinois' attack brilliantly. Head makes shots and most often is assigned to defend the opponent's best ballhandler. But Brown's uncommon fusion of speed, strength, dexterity and audacity provides the Illini with the ingredient that elevates them well above other teams with terrific three-man backcourts, such as Washington, Duke and Georgia Tech.

"I watched Dee Brown all the way from the 10th grade. He didn't look then like the player he is now, but he looked like he was going to be the player he is now," says Illinois-Chicago coach Jimmy Collins. "I figure he'll be an even better player next year."

COACH OF THE YEAR

Bruce Weber ILLINOIS

Weber wouldn't have encountered more skepticism if he'd gone from head coach at Southern Illinois to governor of the state of Illinois.

He became head coach at the University of Illinois in spring 2003, apparently as no one's first choice. Fans wanted former Illini assistant Rob Judson. The media assumed Marquette's Tom Crean would get the job. Athletic director Ron Guenther had a long conversation with Creighton's Dana Altman. The players just wanted Bill Self back.

Weber, 48, hasn't done a perfect job since being hired to replace Self. But close enough. This year's team won its second straight Big Ten regular-season championship and the Big Ten Tournament. The Illini held an undefeated regular season in their hands until 5 seconds remained in the final game.

Weber insisted the team learn his motion offense, and it turned out to be ideally suited to the players assembled. He pushed skills development, insisting that all his players address weaknesses in their games and attempt to become fundamentally sound. Practices often begin with extensive attention devoted to the game's lost art: shooting. Players not only work to make shots in drill lines, they shoot around and over obstacles positioned to simulate game situations.

Weber also has been an exceptional defensive coach, deftly disguising his team's lack of size with schemes that emphasize the Illini's speed.

The result was a season that ranks with the best work done in this decade by any coach--a season that more than justified the decision to bring him to Illinois.

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR

Rudy Gay F, CONNECTICUT

There were so many freshman year similarities between Connecticut's Gay and North Carolina's Marvin Williams, starting with their enormous talent and the need for each to integrate into established teams. The difference: Gay's team needed him more.

It was not easy for Gay, a 6-9 small forward, to find his role. With sophomores Josh Boone and Charlie Villanueva eager to establish themselves as high-level frontcourt players and junior shooting guard Rashad Anderson resuming his role as UConn's top perimeter shooter, Gay patiently waited for small opportunities. When Anderson went down with a leg problem late in the season, Gay got his big chance.

He scored 11.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per game in the regular season but averaged 16.4 points in UConn's final five games.

Gay's best should shine through next season, when UConn is better able to showcase his talents--and is more likely to be dependent upon them. He is talented enough to join Rip Hamilton and Ray Allen on the list of coach Jim Calhoun's greatest perimeter players.

TSN All-Americans

FIRST TEAM

Pos. Player, School                  Ht.-/Wt.    Yr.

G Dee Brown, Illinois                6-0/185     Jr.
G Chris Paul, Wake Forest            6-0/175     So.
G J.J. Redick, Duke                  6-4/190     Jr.
F Wayne Simien, Kansas               6-9/255     Sr.
C Andrew Bogut, Utah                 7-0/240     So.

SECOND TEAM

G Deron Williams, Illinois           6-3/210     Jr.
G Salim Stoudamire, Arizona          6-1/177     Sr.
F Sean May, North Carolina           6-9/266     Jr.
F Hakim Warrick, Syracuse            6-8/209     Sr.
F Ike Diogu, Arizona State           6-8/250     Jr.

All-freshmen team

Pos. Player, School                  Ht./Wt.

G Jordan Farmar, UCLA                6-2/180
G Daniel Gibson, Texas               6-2/190
G Darius Washington, Memphis         6-1/185
F Rudy Gay, Connecticut              6-9/215
F Marvin Williams, North Carolina    6-9/230

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