Instant Success: Okafor & Russell Join List of Frosh 1st-Team All-Americans

Duke center Jahlil Okafor and Ohio State guard D'Angelo Russell achieved something luminaries Mark Aguirre, Carmelo Anthony, Patrick Ewing, Phil Ford, Tyler Hansbrough, Magic Johnson, Bernard King, Alonzo Mourning, Shaquille O'Neal, Derrick Rose and Ralph Sampson failed to do. Okafor and Russell each became a first-team All-American as a freshman.

After a 16-year frosh A-A drought from 1991 through 2006, 11 DI newcomers were named first-team selections in the last nine seasons. Following is a chronological list of yearlings in this rare-air category:

Freshman First-Team All-American Pos. College Year Freshman All-American Recognition
Arnie Ferrin F Utah 1944 C1
Tom Gola C-F La Salle 1952 C1
Keith Lee C Memphis State 1982 C1, AP2
Wayman Tisdale F-C Oklahoma 1983 AP1, C1, USBWA1, UPI2, NABC3
Chris Jackson G Louisiana State 1989 AP1, UPI1, USBWA1, NABC2
Kenny Anderson G Georgia Tech 1990 NABC1, AP3
Kevin Durant F Texas 2007 AP1, NABC1, USBWA1
Greg Oden C Ohio State 2007 AP1, NABC2, USBWA2
Michael Beasley F Kansas State 2008 AP1, NABC1, USBWA1
Kevin Love C UCLA 2008 AP1, USBWA1, NABC2
DeMarcus Cousins C Kentucky 2010 AP1, NABC2, USBWA2
John Wall G Kentucky 2010 AP1, NABC1, USBWA1
Jared Sullinger F-C Ohio State 2011 AP1, NABC1, USBWA1
Anthony Davis C Kentucky 2012 AP1, NABC1, USBWA1
Jabari Parker F Duke 2014 USBWA1
Jahlil Okafor C Duke 2015 AP1, NABC1, USBWA1
D'Angelo Russell G Ohio State 2015 AP1, NABC1, USBWA1

KEY: AP-Associated Press; C-Converse; NABC-National Association of Basketball Coaches; UPI-United Press International; USBWA-United States Basketball Writers Association.