SAN DIEGO – Monday the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) announced its All-District Teams and honored four Aztecs. Today it revealed its 2020 Coaches' Division I All-America Teams and Aztec junior guard Malachi Flynn received second-team recognition.
Of the four organizations which make up the consensus All-America teams, The Associated Press, USA Today, United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) and the NABC, Flynn has received second-team honors from each.
Flynn has been recognized nine times since the season ended as an All-American, including a pair of first-team nods and is the most decorated player in a single season, in Aztec men's basketball history.
The Tacoma, Wash., native, is the first Aztec in the Division I era, since the 1970-71 season, to be named an NABC All-American. He joins Al Skalecky who received Division II second-team and third-team NABC All-America honors in 1968 and 1967, respectively, as the only San Diego State players to receive the honor from the organization.
In addition to today's recognition, Flynn earned first-team All-American honors from Sports Illustrated and STADIUM and second-team recognition from the AP, The Sporting News, USBWA, CBS Sports and NBC Sports, and The Athletic.
A 6-1, guard, Flynn finished the regular season ranked No. 14 in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.86:1), No. 43 in assists (163) and free throw percentage (85.7), No. 48 in steals (56), No. 50 in assists per game (5.1), No. 76 in total points (564), No. 79 in steals per game (1.8), No. 93 in points per game (17.6) and No. 95 in three-point field goals made (76) among others.
In addition to his points and assist averages, he pulled down 4.4 rebounds per game while shooting 44.7 percent from the floor, 37.2 percent from long range and 85.7 percent from the line. In Mountain West games, he was even more impressive. His scoring average went up to 18.9 points on 45.3 percent shooting including 34.7 percent from distance and 91.7 percent from the charity stripe. Earning starting assignments in all 32 games this season, the junior scored in double figures 31 times and led the team the team in scoring and assists 21 times.
In the team's regular season finale, an 83-76 win at Nevada, Flynn poured in 36 points which are the most by an Aztec player since Brandon Heath tallied 37 against UNLV on Jan. 15, 2005. He was just the eighth player in college basketball this season to produce a stat line of 36 points, five rebounds and five assists and the only from a Mountain West Conference team. His 36 points are the second most by an Aztec player this century.
In addition to today's accolade and his other All-America honors, he was a Sporting News Midseason second-team All-American and is on the watch lists for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year, Lute Olson National Player of the Year and John R. Wooden Award. Flynn was named the tournament MVP of both the Continental Tires Las Vegas Invitational and the Basketball Hall of Fame Classic. In separate votes by the league's coaches and media members, Flynn was named the Mountain West Player of the Year. He was also named the conference Defensive Player of the Year (coaches), its Newcomer of the Year (media) and a first-team All-Mountain West performer by both bodies.
2020 National Association of Basketball Coaches' Division I All-America Teams
First Team
Udoka Azubuike, Kansas, 7-0, Senior, Center, Delta, Nigeria
Luka Garza, Iowa, 6-11, Junior, Center, Washington, D.C.
Markus Howard, Marquette, 5-11, Senior, Chandler, Ariz.
Payton Pritchard, Oregon, 6-2, Senior, Guard, West Linn, Ore.
Obi Toppin, Dayton, 6-9, R.-Sophomore, Forward, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Second Team
Devon Dotson, Kansas, 6-2, Sophomore, Guard, Charlotte, N.C.
Malachi Flynn, San Diego State, 6-1, Junior, Guard, Tacoma, Wash.
Filip Petrusev, Gonzaga, 6-11, Sophomore, Forward, Belgrade, Serbia
Myles Powell, Seton Hall, 6-2, Senior, Guard, Trenton, N.J.
Cassius Winston, Michigan State, 6-1, Senior, Guard, Detroit, Mich.
Third Team
Jared Butler, Baylor, 6-3, Sophomore, Guard, Reserve, La.
Vernon Carey Jr., Duke, 6-10, Freshman, Center, Southwest Ranches, Fla.
Tre Jones, Duke, 6-3, Sophomore, Guard, Apple Valley, Minn.
Jordan Nwora, Louisville, 6-7, Junior, Forward, Buffalo, N.Y.
Jalen Smith, Maryland, 6-10, Sophomore, Forward, Baltimore, Md.
-SDSU-