WKU Men’s Basketball: Bassey named preseason First-Team All-American by Lindy’s, Street and Smith’s

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — WKU Hilltopper Basketball sophomore Charles Bassey is picking up right where he left off after a memorable freshman season.

The 6-foot-11, 235-pound center has been named a Preseason First-Team All-American by both Lindy’s Sports Magazine and Street & Smith’s Basketball Yearbook.

Bassey and Michigan State senior guard Cassius Winston are the only players in the country to be named First-Team All-Americans by both outlets.

Lindy’s ranks Bassey No. 3 on its list of the best college basketball players in America and also named him to its national All-Defense Team and All-Glass Cleaning Team.

The Lagos, Nigeria, averaged 14.6 points, 10 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks in his first season for the Hilltoppers in 2018-19 while shooting 62.7 percent from the field.

Bassey led Conference USA in double-doubles (17) and ranked in the top 30 nationally in double-doubles, field-goal percentage, blocks per game, total blocks, rebounds per game, defensive rebounds per game and total rebounds while competing as one of the top-10 youngest players in the country.

He became just the second freshmen in the country since 1992 – along with current NBA star Anthony Davis – to average at least 14 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks while shooting at least 60 percent overall.

Bassey was named a Freshman All-American and was 1 of 5 national finalists – including the only freshman – for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award.

He became the second player in Conference USA history to win both C-USA Freshman of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season, and he was also named to the All-C-USA First Team, All-Freshman Team and All-Defensive Team.

Bassey declared for the NBA Draft in the spring without signing with an agent, before withdrawing and opting to return to Bowling Green for his sophomore season.