Fierce rivals, Duke and North Carolina are all tied up to start the preseason.
Duke’s Kyle Singler was the leading vote-getter and only repeat selection for the Associated Press preseason men’s basketball All-America team, while North Carolina’s Harrison Barnes became the first freshman to make the list since voting began before the 1986-87 season.
The team, chosen by the 65-member national media panel that selects the AP Top 25 men’s basketball poll, was announced Monday.
Singler, the leader of the Blue Devils’ run to a fourth national championship last season, was listed on 62 of 65 ballots. Barnes received the lowest vote total of the starters with 17.
Joining Singler and Barnes on the team were Jacob Pullen of Kansas State with 53 votes, Jimmer Fredette of BYU, who received 49 votes, and JaJuan Johnson of Purdue, who got 46.
“This is indicative of the great respect that Harrison has nationally, and it’s an unbelievable accomplishment for a freshman,” said UNC coach Roy Williams, coming off his first non-NCAA Tournament season at North Carolina.
Kansas University’s Marcus Morris was among the those receiving votes.
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