Kansas University sophomores Brandon Rush and Julian Wright, who were named the Big 12 Conference’s Preseason Co-Players of the Year, Sunday were honored as first team All-Big 12 performers. Texas freshman Kevin Durant, who scored 32 points in a 90-86 loss at KU Saturday, was named the league’s Player of the Year.

Rush’s 13.7 points per game are a team-best, while he is second on the team in rebounding, averaging 5.7 per contest. Wright is third on the team in scoring at 12 points per game. His 8.1 rebounds per game lead the Jayhawks, while he’s tied for the team lead with 46 blocked shots, and his 46 steals rank third on the roster.

Joining the Jayhawk duo on the first team are Durant, Texas A&M senior guard Acie Law, Texas Tech senior guard Jarrius Jackson and Oklahoma State senior forward Mario Boggan.

KU’s third sophomore, guard Mario Chalmers, took home third team honors. Chalmers is second on the team in scoring, putting away 12.1 points per game, leads the team with 79 steals and is second behind junior Russell Robinson with 100 assists. Chalmers shared the spotlight with Oklahoma State junior Marcus Dove as the Co-Defensive Player of the Year in the Big 12. Chalmers and Robinson also both landed on the league’s All-Defensive team.

The freshman combo of forward Darrell Arthur and Sherron Collins both earned honorable mention All-Big 12 credits, and both were on the league’s All-Rookie team.

Texas A&M’s Billy Gillespie, who beat KU 69-66 in Allen Fieldhouse on Feb. 3, was named the league’s Coach of the Year.

For more on this story, read tomorrow’s Journal-World.