By Dom Amore, Hartford Courant
MEMPHIS – UConn’s Shabazz Napier has been named the American Athletic Conference player of the year, it was announced on Wednesday at the league’s awards luncheon.
Napier, who arrived at the luncheon with his mother and the UConn coaches and staff, was one of three major candidates along with Cincinnati’s Sean Kilpatrick and Louisville’s Russ Smith.
But Napier led his team, and was among the league’s top 15 in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and minutes played, something no other candidate could say.
Napier received another honor earlier Wednesday. He was named to the U.S. Basketball Writers’ All-America first team. Smith was also a first team and Kilpatrick second team.