All WAC selections

I'm going to list my All-WAC first team, second team and player, coach and newcomer of the year.

I'm going to follow that with what I think WILL happen when postseason awards are handed out in Vegas.

Then I have my honorable mention, All defense and all-newcomer team.

Each coach nominates his own players and then all the coaches receive a ballot with the nominations and vote on them. 

My Player of the Year — Wendell McKines, NMSU — McKines leads the league in overall scoring and rebounding (18.5 and 10.6) and he leads in both stats in WAC play only (18.5 and 10.3), which I believe weighs more heavily in postseason awards. McKines is one of 20 players in the country averaging a double-double.

Likely Player of the Year — Deonte Burton, Nevada — A fine choice, although he is 16-52 (31 percent) from the floor in the past five games. Burton doesn't lead the WAC in any significant category third in scoring at 17.1ppg, eighth in assists with 3.9 per game. But he is the best player on the league's best team, which seems to carry the most weight over time.

My Coach of the Year — David Carter, Nevada —Nevada was 13-19 and 8-8 with the same players last year. This year is 12-1 in league play and had a 16 game win streak with the same roster, getting players like Czyz and Story to buy in defensively. And he did it with zero bench production.

Likely  Coach of the Year —David Carter, Nevada

My Newcomer of the Year — Daniel Mullings, NMSU — Mullings is second in the league in steals with 1.77 per game. Burst onto the scene since replacing Christian Kabongo, including the school's first triple double since 1990.

Likely Newcomer of the Year — Daniel Mullings, NMSU

My WAC first team

Kyle Barone, Idaho — Best player on a Top 3 team. Fifth in rebounding with 7.8 per game to go with 12.8 ppg. 

Olek Czyz, Nevada —Could be the WAC's best player through the past two weeks or so. Scoring 20.5 ppg the past four WAC games. Also had 28 at Iona in a BracketBuster loss. Ranks 10th in scoring at 15.3 ppg and sixth in rebounding with 7.4 rpg.

Wendell McKines, NMSU —Refer to above

Malik Story, Nevada —Has also cooled off lately from a shooting and scoring standpoint, but we saw what he is capable of against NMSU on Thursday in the first half. Shooting 40 percent from 3 in WAC play, averaging 14.3 ppg, which is seventh overall in the WAC.

Deonte Burton, Nevada —Refer to above

Likely WAC first team

Vander Joaquim, Hawaii 

Wendell McKines, NMSU 

Malik Story, Nevada 

Preston Medlin, Utah State 

Deonte Burton, Nevada

My second team
Dario Hunt, Nevada —Could be the most important player to Nevada while Burton is the best player. Fourth in rebounding with 9.8 rpg and first in blocks with 2.77 bpg
Vander Joaquim, Hawaii —Despite Hawaii plummeting, Joaquim is fifth in scoring (16.5 ppg), tied with McKines atop the league in rebounding at 10.3 rpg and leads in field goal percentage at 64 percent and second in blocked shots with 2.46 per game

Deremy Geiger, Idaho —Geiger leads Idaho in points (12.9), free throw percentage (80 %), shoots 43 percent from 3.
Preston Medlin, Utah State —Tied with McKines for the lead in scoring in the WAC at 18.5 ppg. Also second in 3-point percentage at 47 percent and leads the WAC with 39 made 3s in WAC play.

Hernst Laroche, NMSU —Upped his scoring to 13.1 ppg in the WAC and leads the WAC with 2.31 steals per game.

Likely second team
Kyle Barone, Idaho
Dario Hunt, Nevada
Olek Czyz, Nevada
Zane Johnson, Hawaii
Brockeith Pane, Utah State 

My Honorable Mention
Hamidu Rahman, NMSU
Will Carter, San Jose State
Joston Thomas, Hawaii
Kevin Olekaibe, Fresno State
Brockeith Pane, Utah State

My All-Defense
Dario Hunt, Nevada
Vander Joaquim, Hawaii
Hernst Laroche, NMSU
Daniel Mullings, NMSU
Keith Shamburger, San Jose State

My All-Newcomer

Kevin  Foster, Fresno State

Kyisean Reed, Utah State
Daniel Mullings, NMSU
Raheem Appleby, Louisiana Tech
James Kinney, San Jose State