Kansas center Hunter Dickinson (1) celebrates with Kansas guard Kevin McCullar Jr. (15) after a dunk by McCullar against Houston during the first half on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024 at Allen Fieldhouse. Photo by Nick Krug

Kansas center Hunter Dickinson and guard Kevin McCullar Jr. both earned first-team all-conference honors from the Big 12, the league announced Sunday night, as part of a diverse group of awards given to KU players.

Dickinson, who transferred from Michigan to Kansas in the offseason, was also honored with the title of Big 12 newcomer of the year and a spot on the all-newcomer team. He has established himself as the conference’s leading rebounder and currently averages 10.8 boards per game, three higher than the next closest player.

He is also the second-leading scorer at 18.0 points per game behind teammate McCullar’s 18.3. McCullar decided to return to KU after considering the NBA Draft in the offseason, and when healthy (he has been battling with a bone bruise to his knee) has been a dynamic shot creator and the engine of the Jayhawks’ offense while also averaging six rebounds per game.

Other honors for the Jayhawks, who finished the regular season in sixth place in the Big 12 with a 10-8 league record, included all-conference honorable mentions for KJ Adams, Johnny Furphy and Dajuan Harris Jr., the remaining three members of KU’s starting lineup.

Furphy, who entered the lineup in January, emerged as an important 3-point shooter and rebounder for a team often lacking in those areas. Despite fading in some recent games, he scored in double digits in 11 of KU’s 18 conference matchups and was also named to the league’s all-freshman team.

Harris, an all-defensive selection, averaged 1.5 steals per game while combining with McCullar to lock down many of the league’s best perimeter players. He also tallied 6.4 assists as the Jayhawks’ point guard.

Adams, who was last season’s most improved player in the league, has spent much of the year as the conference’s leader in field goal percentage, converting 60% of his shots while averaging more than 12 points per game.

The conference champion, Houston, racked up many of the league’s marquee honors voted on by its coaches, including player of the year and defensive player of the year selections for point guard Jamal Shead and a coach of the year nod for Kelvin Sampson.

Full list of honors

Player of the year: Jamal Shead, Houston

Defensive player of the year: Jamal Shead, Houston

Newcomer of the year: Hunter Dickinson, Kansas

Freshman of the year, Ja’Kobe Walter, Baylor

Sixth man award: Jaxson Robinson, BYU

Most improved player: Dylan Disu, Texas

Coach of the year: Kelvin Sampson, Houston

All-Big 12 first team

Jamal Shead, Houston

Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State

Hunter Dickinson, Kansas

Kevin McCullar Jr., Kansas

Dylan Disu, Texas

All-Big 12 second team

RayJ Dennis, Baylor

L.J. Cryer, Houston

Keshon Gilbert, Iowa State

Emanuel Miller, TCU

Max Abmas, Texas

All-Big 12 third team

Jalen Bridges, Baylor

Ja’Kobe Walter, Baylor

J’Wan Roberts, Houston

Pop Isaacs, Texas Tech

Darrion Williams, Texas Tech

All-Big 12 honorable mention

Langston Love (Baylor), Yves Missi (Baylor), Dallin Hall (BYU), Spencer Johnson (BYU), Jaxson Robinson (BYU), Fousseyni Traore (BYU), Ibrahima Diallo (UCF), Darius Johnson (UCF), Jaylin Sellers (UCF), Aziz Bandaogo (Cincinnati), Dan Skillings Jr. (Cincinnati), Ja’Vier Francis (Houston), Emanuel Sharp (Houston), KJ Adams Jr. (Kansas), Johnny Furphy (Kansas), Dajuan Harris Jr. (Kansas), Arthur Kaluma (K-State), Tylor Perry (K-State), Javian McCollum (Oklahoma), Jalon Moore (Oklahoma), Javon Small (Oklahoma State), Jameer Nelson Jr. (TCU), Micah Peavy (TCU), Joe Toussaint (Texas Tech)

All-defensive team

Yves Missi, Baylor

John Newman III, Cincinnati

Jamal Shead, Houston

Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State

Dajuan Harris Jr., Kansas

All-newcomer team

RayJ Dennis, Baylor

Keshon Gilbert, Iowa State

Hunter Dickinson, Kansas

Max Abmas, Texas

Darrion Williams, Texas Tech

All-freshman team

Yves Missi, Baylor

Ja’Kobe Walter, Baylor

Joseph Tugler, Houston

Milan Momcilovic, Iowa State

Johnny Furphy, Kansas