Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cade Earns Big 12 Player, Freshman of the Year Awards, Likekele HM All-Conference
March 08, 2021 | Cowboy Basketball
STILLWATER – Oklahoma State star guard Cade Cunningham became just the fourth player in Big 12 history to sweep the Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year awards, the league announced on Monday.
Cunningham joins Cowboy legend Marcus Smart (2012-13), Kansas State's Michael Beasley (2007-08) and Texas' Kevin Durant (2006-07) as the only players in league history to win Big 12 Player and Freshman of the Year in the same season.
The Arlington, Texas native joins a list with six other Oklahoma State greats to win conference player of the year honors; Smart (2013), James Anderson (2010), John Lucas III (2004), Tony Allen (2004), Bryant Reeves (1993, 1995) and Byron Houston (1991).
Cunningham joins Jawun Evans (2016), Smart (2013) and Le'Bryan Nash (2012) as Cowboys to win the Big 12 Freshman of the Year award.
Cunningham, a nine-time Big 12 weekly award winner, finished the regular season as the league's top scorer in both overall (19.7) and conference (20.1) games and is on the national ballot for the John R. Wooden Award. He is also a finalist for the Bob Cousy Point Guard Award, a Naismith Trophy semifinalist and was the Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week after his 40-point, 11-rebound performance in an overtime win at then-No. 7 Oklahoma.
According to Stats Perform, only four other power conference players over the last 20 seasons can match Cunningham's all-around stat line of 19.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.0 blocks per game.
On top of the superlative honors, Cunningham was also a unanimous selection to the All-Big 12 First Team, the All-Freshman team and the All-Newcomer Team.
Cowboy junior Isaac Likekele also earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors for a second straight year. The OSU captain ranks fifth in Big 12 in minutes, fourth in rebounds and 10th in assists per game. He leads the squad with a plus/minus of +100, and his 324 career assists are the 13th most in program history.
Oklahoma State begins postseason play on Thursday at the Big 12 Championship in Kansas City, Missouri. Tipoff from the T-Mobile Center is slated for 10:30 a.m. on ESPN or ESPN2.
2020-21 Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Men's Basketball Awards
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State, G, Fr.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Davion Mitchell, Baylor, G, Jr.
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Mac McClung, Texas Tech, G, Jr.**
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State, G**
SIXTH MAN AWARD
Kai Jones, Texas, F, So.
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
David McCormack, Kansas, F, Jr.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Scott Drew, Baylor (18th season at BU)
All-Big 12 First Team
Jared Butler, Baylor**
Davion Mitchell, Baylor
Austin Reaves, Oklahoma
Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State**
Derek Culver, West Virginia
All-Big 12 Second Team
Marcus Garrett, Kansas
David McCormack, Kansas
Andrew Jones, Texas
Mac McClung, Texas Tech
Miles McBride, West Virginia
All-Big 12 Third Team
MaCio Teague, Baylor
Rasir Bolton, Iowa State
RJ Nembhard, TCU
Matt Coleman III, Texas
Courtney Ramey, Texas
Terrence Shannon, Jr., Texas Tech
All-Big 12 Honorable Mention (Listed alphabetically by school)
Mark Vital (Baylor), Jalen Coleman-Lands (Iowa State), Ochai Agbaji (Kansas), Christian Braun (Kansas), Mike McGuirl (Kansas State), De'Vion Harmon (Oklahoma), Isaac Likekele (Oklahoma State), Mike Miles (TCU), Greg Brown (Texas), Kai Jones (Texas), Jericho Sims (Texas), Kevin McCullar (Texas Tech), Sean McNeil (West Virginia), Taz Sherman (West Virginia)
Big 12 All-Defensive Team
Jared Butler, Baylor
Davion Mitchell, Baylor**
Mark Vital, Baylor**
Marcus Garrett, Kansas**
Gabe Osabuohien, West Virginia
Big 12 All-Newcomer Team
Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua, Baylor
Jalen Wilson, Kansas
Greg Brown, Texas
Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State**
Mac McClung, Texas Tech**
Big 12 All-Freshman Team
Jalen Wilson, Kansas**
Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State**
Mike Miles, TCU
Greg Brown, Texas**
Jalen Bridges, West Virginia
** - Unanimous Selection
A tie resulted in an additional place on the third team.
Cunningham joins Cowboy legend Marcus Smart (2012-13), Kansas State's Michael Beasley (2007-08) and Texas' Kevin Durant (2006-07) as the only players in league history to win Big 12 Player and Freshman of the Year in the same season.
The Arlington, Texas native joins a list with six other Oklahoma State greats to win conference player of the year honors; Smart (2013), James Anderson (2010), John Lucas III (2004), Tony Allen (2004), Bryant Reeves (1993, 1995) and Byron Houston (1991).
Cunningham joins Jawun Evans (2016), Smart (2013) and Le'Bryan Nash (2012) as Cowboys to win the Big 12 Freshman of the Year award.
Cunningham, a nine-time Big 12 weekly award winner, finished the regular season as the league's top scorer in both overall (19.7) and conference (20.1) games and is on the national ballot for the John R. Wooden Award. He is also a finalist for the Bob Cousy Point Guard Award, a Naismith Trophy semifinalist and was the Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week after his 40-point, 11-rebound performance in an overtime win at then-No. 7 Oklahoma.
According to Stats Perform, only four other power conference players over the last 20 seasons can match Cunningham's all-around stat line of 19.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.0 blocks per game.
On top of the superlative honors, Cunningham was also a unanimous selection to the All-Big 12 First Team, the All-Freshman team and the All-Newcomer Team.
Cowboy junior Isaac Likekele also earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors for a second straight year. The OSU captain ranks fifth in Big 12 in minutes, fourth in rebounds and 10th in assists per game. He leads the squad with a plus/minus of +100, and his 324 career assists are the 13th most in program history.
Oklahoma State begins postseason play on Thursday at the Big 12 Championship in Kansas City, Missouri. Tipoff from the T-Mobile Center is slated for 10:30 a.m. on ESPN or ESPN2.
2020-21 Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Men's Basketball Awards
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State, G, Fr.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Davion Mitchell, Baylor, G, Jr.
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Mac McClung, Texas Tech, G, Jr.**
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State, G**
SIXTH MAN AWARD
Kai Jones, Texas, F, So.
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
David McCormack, Kansas, F, Jr.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Scott Drew, Baylor (18th season at BU)
All-Big 12 First Team
Jared Butler, Baylor**
Davion Mitchell, Baylor
Austin Reaves, Oklahoma
Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State**
Derek Culver, West Virginia
All-Big 12 Second Team
Marcus Garrett, Kansas
David McCormack, Kansas
Andrew Jones, Texas
Mac McClung, Texas Tech
Miles McBride, West Virginia
All-Big 12 Third Team
MaCio Teague, Baylor
Rasir Bolton, Iowa State
RJ Nembhard, TCU
Matt Coleman III, Texas
Courtney Ramey, Texas
Terrence Shannon, Jr., Texas Tech
All-Big 12 Honorable Mention (Listed alphabetically by school)
Mark Vital (Baylor), Jalen Coleman-Lands (Iowa State), Ochai Agbaji (Kansas), Christian Braun (Kansas), Mike McGuirl (Kansas State), De'Vion Harmon (Oklahoma), Isaac Likekele (Oklahoma State), Mike Miles (TCU), Greg Brown (Texas), Kai Jones (Texas), Jericho Sims (Texas), Kevin McCullar (Texas Tech), Sean McNeil (West Virginia), Taz Sherman (West Virginia)
Big 12 All-Defensive Team
Jared Butler, Baylor
Davion Mitchell, Baylor**
Mark Vital, Baylor**
Marcus Garrett, Kansas**
Gabe Osabuohien, West Virginia
Big 12 All-Newcomer Team
Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua, Baylor
Jalen Wilson, Kansas
Greg Brown, Texas
Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State**
Mac McClung, Texas Tech**
Big 12 All-Freshman Team
Jalen Wilson, Kansas**
Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State**
Mike Miles, TCU
Greg Brown, Texas**
Jalen Bridges, West Virginia
** - Unanimous Selection
A tie resulted in an additional place on the third team.
Players Mentioned
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