GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) - Louisville junior forward Jordan Nwora was named to the AP Preseason All-America Men's Basketball Team as announced by the Associated Press Tuesday.
The 2019 Preseason ACC Player of the Year, Nwora joined teammate Steven Enoch in opting to return to Louisville, helping the Cardinals earn a No. 5 preseason AP ranking.
A 6-8 junior forward, Nwora was a 2019 Third-Team All-ACC selection and also was named the 2019 ACC Most Improved Player. He was the third-most improved scorer in the nation last season with his 17.0 scoring average (sixth in the ACC). Nwora raised his scoring average 11.3 points from his freshman season to 17.0 per game last year while also leading Louisville in rebounding with 7.6 boards per game. He also paced the Cardinals with 77 3-pointers and made 37 percent from behind the arc as a sophomore.
Nwora scored in double figures in 31 of 34 games last season and racked up nine double-doubles.
The Associated Press' 2019-20 preseason All-America men's basketball team, with school, height, year and votes from a 65-member national media panel (key 2018-19 statistics in parentheses):
Cassius Winston, Michigan State, 6-1, 185, senior, 65 of 65 votes (18.8 ppg, 3 rpg, 5.2 apg, 84.0 ft pct, 1.0 steals)
Markus Howard, Marquette, 5-11, 180, senior, 57 (25.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.9 apg, 40.3 3-pt fg pct, 89.0 ft pct, 3.5 3-pt fg/game, 1.1 steals)
Jordan Nwora, Louisville, 6-8, 225, junior, 47 (17.0 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.3 apg)
Myles Powell, Seton Hall, 6-2, 195, senior, 47 (23.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.9 apg, 36.0 minutes, 84.0 ft pct, 2.0 steals)
James Wiseman, Memphis, 7-1, 240, freshman, 32 (Memphis East HS: 25.8 ppg, 14.8 rpg, 5.5 blocks, 1.3 steals)
Others receiving votes: Kerry Blackshear Jr., Florida, 23; Cole Anthony, North Carolina, 10; Udoka Azubuike, Kansas, 8; Jarron Cumberland, Cincinnati, 8; Tre Jones, Duke, 6; Sam Merrill, Utah State, 5; Devon Dotson, Kansas, 4; Charles Bassey, Western Kentucky, 3; Mamadi Diakite, Virginia, 3; Anthony Edwards, Georgia, 1; Tyrese Maxey, Kentucky, 1; Reggie Perry, Mississippi State, 1; Payton Pritchard, Oregon, 1; Lamar Stevens, Penn State, 1; Isaiah Stewart, Washington, 1; McKinley Wright IV, Colorado, 1.