TSN's All-America basketball teams

Sporting News, The, March 16, 1998

Freshman of the Year Larry Hughes, St. Louis

The Billikens needed somebody to put them on his back and carry them, so it's a good thing Hughes opted to play for his hometown school.

Lithe and athletic, Hughes is a 6-5 phenom capable of playing any perimeter position. He has shown the ability to create his shot while also displaying a deft shooting touch. Better yet, Hughes has made his teammates better with a slick ability to deliver passes. This is largely the same St. Louis team that finished 11-18 last season. But with Hughes injected into the lineup, the Billikens surprised many by finishing the regular season with a 20-9 record. For his efforts, Hughes was the lone freshman selected first-team All-Conference USA.

Hughes' closest competitors for TSN's award were Georgia Tech's Dion Glover, Connecticut's Khalid El-Amin and Ohio State's Michael Redd.

Player of the Year Antawn Jamison, North Carolina

North Carolina fans wouldn't want to think of what life would have been like without Jamison. With Dean Smith having stepped down as coach, the Tar Heels needed all the star power they could muster. Jamison, who said no to the NBA, has provided it, which is a big reason North Carolina remains an elite team.

Jamison's performance was dominating in the eyes of the coaches who voted for TSN's award, as the junior easily out distanced Kansas center Raef LaFrentz. No one else received more than one vote.

As the cornerstone of a team that lacks depth, Jamison is dominant thanks to an incredible ability to catch the ball and shoot quickly. His swift release and array of low-post moves--which he can execute from many spots on the floor--also make him difficult to stop. As testament to his hard work, Jamison has spent hours refining his jump shot and honing his free-throw shooting. As a result, be has performed well in big games.

Coach of the Year Bill Guthridge, North Carolina

Some may think Guthridge rode the coattails of Dean Smith to a 27-3 regular-season record. After all, who couldn't coach while surrounded by talent like Antawn Jamison, Vince Carter and Ed Cota? But if the Tar Heels had struggled, you can bet the world would have questioned Guthridge's coaching skills.

There was no doubt about the voting for TSN's award. The professorial Guthridge was a runaway winner, as Utah's Rick Majerus and Michigan State's Tom Izzo finished far back.

But Guthridge doesn't yearn for attention. In fact he didn't want this job. He sat quietly by Smith's side for 30 years, content to step down when Smith retired. But when called upon to be a 60-year-old rookie coach last October, Guthridge obliged.

He has fine-tuned the Tar Heels to the point where they could repeat last year's run to the Final Four.

                         1st Team

Pos.    Name              School            Ht.    Yr.

G       Mike Bibby        Arizona           6-1    Soph.
G       Miles Simon       Arizona           6-5    Sr.
F       Paul Pierce       Kansas            6-7    Jr.
F       Antawn Jamison    North Carolina    6-9    Jr.
F       Raef LaFrentz     Kansas            6-11   Sr.

                         2nd Team

Pos.    Name                School            Ht.    Yr.

G       Trajan Langdon      Duke              6-3    Jr.
G/F     Vince Carter        North Carolina    6-6    Jr.
G/F     Richard Hamilton    Connecticut       6-6    Soph,
F       Pat Garrity         Notre Dame        6-9    Sr.
C       Kenny Thomas        New Mexico        6-8    Jr.