SALT LAKE CITY — Utah senior Delon Wright did it again. For the second consecutive season, the guard made the Pac-12’s all-conference first-team. Wright led the Utes to a 23-7 record (13-5 in the Pac-12) by averaging 14.7 points, 5.3 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game. He enters this week’s conference tournament in Las Vegas shooting 52.2 percent from the field.
Wright’s backcourt mate, Brandon Taylor, was a second-team selection. The junior averaged 10.4 points, 3.4 assists and 2.5 rebounds.
Both players also earned all-defensive team recognition. Wright made the squad, while Taylor was on the honorable mention list.
Utah center Jakob Poeltl (8.6 points, 6.9 rebounds) was on the Pac-12’s all-freshmen team.
“All those guys are deserving of any of the awards they’ve gotten and have obviously been a huge part of the success that we’ve had,” said Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak. “We’re going to need them going forward. They need to take all those awards and bump it up a level as we close the season out.”
Oregon guard Joseph Young was named Pac-12 Player of the Year and Dana Altman of the Ducks earned John R. Wooden Coach of the Year honors. Other individual accolades were netted by Arizona’s Stanley Johnson (Freshman of the Year), Oregon State’s Gary Payton II (Defensive Player of the Year) and Washington State’s Josh Hawkinson (Most Improved Player of the Year).
Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott announced the all-conference awards after a vote by all 12 of the conference’s coaches.
FIRST TEAM: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (Arizona), Stanley Johnson (Arizona), DaVonte Lacy (Washington State), T.J. McConnell (Arizona), Gary Payton II (Oregon State), Norman Powell (UCLA), Chasson Randle (Stanford), Tyron Wallace (California), Delon Wright (Utah), Joseph Young (Oregon).
SECOND TEAM: Askia Booker (Colorado), Elgin Cook (Oregon), Kevon Looney (UCLA), Brandon Taylor (Utah), Nigel Williams-Goss (Washington).
HONORABLE MENTION (receiving at least three votes): Bryce Alford (UCLA), Brandon Ashley (Arizona), Anthony Brown (Stanford), Josh Hawkinson (Washington State), Shaquielle McKissic (Arizona State), Stefan Nastic (Stanford).
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM: Jordan Bell (Oregon), Dillon Brooks (Oregon), Tra Holder (Arizona State), Stanley Johnson (Arizona), Kevon Looney (UCLA), Jordan McLaughlin (USC), Jakob Poeltl (Utah).
ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM: Jordan Bell (Oregon), Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (Arizona), T.J. McConnell (Arizona), Gary Payton II (Oregon State), Delon Wright (Utah).
HONORABLE MENTION (receiving at least three votes): Shaquielle McKissic (Arizona State), Norman Powell (UCLA), Brandon Taylor (Utah).
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