Is there a bigger kiss of death in the college sporting world — well, besides being put on the cover of SI — than being named preseason first team All-American before you’ve really accomplished anything? Harrison Barnes may deny it, but it seems pretty obvious now that there was probably nothing that more thoroughly messed with his head than that honor.
Now here we go again with James Michael McAdoo. The Sporting News has put the sophomore on their first team, along with Cody Zeller. McAdoo averaged just 6 points during his freshman year. At best, his inclusion seems like an inconsequential pat on the back. At worst, it’s wildly optimistic. We’ll know in about a month.