Skylar Mays named LSWA men’s Player of the Year

LSU senior guard Skylar Mays was named the 2020 Louisiana Sports Writers Association men’s basketball Player of the Year on Tuesday.

Mays was also selected to the organization’s All-Louisiana first-team. Tigers’ freshman forward Trendon Watford was named Freshman of the Year as well as a member of the All-Louisiana second team. Sophomore point guard Javonte Smart was picked All-Louisiana third-team.

Mays, a first-team SEC selection and CoSIDA national and SEC Academic Athlete of the Year, averaged a career-best 16.7 points as well as 5 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.8 steals.

He finished in the SEC top 10 in scoring, field goal percentage (.491), free throw percentage (.854) and steals. He had six games with 19 or more points in LSU’s last nine contests.

Wadford averaged 13.6 points and 7.2 rebounds. He posted five double-figure rebound games topped by his 15 boards against Alabama with four double-doubles, also scoring 17 points against Alabama.

Smart was sixth in the SEC in assists (4.2) and averaged 11 points.

Here’s the complete All-LSWA team and individual honors:

2020 ALL-LOUISIANA MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL TEAM

(selected by the state men’s basketball sports information directors and media panel)

FIRST TEAM

DaQuan Bracey, Louisiana Tech – G, Sr., Baltimore, Md., 12.9 ppg., 2.9 apg., 1.1 spg.

Cedric Harris, Centenary – G, Sr., Shreveport, La., 20.2 ppg., 8.7 rpg.

Sha’Markus Kennedy, McNeese – F, Sr., Tuscaloosa, Ala., 18.6 ppg., 10.9 rpg., 2.6 bpg.

Skylar Mays, LSU – G, Sr., Baton Rouge, La., 16.7 ppg., 5.0 rpg., 3.2 rpg.

Bryson Robinson, New Orleans – G, Sr., Mesquite, Texas, 17.9 ppg., 4.1 rpg., 2.6 apg.

SECOND TEAM

Malik Amos, Dillard – G, Jr., Missouri City, Texas, 19.1 ppg., 2.6 rpg.

Michael Ertel, ULM – G, Jr., Indianapolis, Ind., 16.2 ppg., 3.3 rpg., 2.8 apg.

Jalen Johnson, Louisiana – F, Jr., Baton Rouge, La., 15.5 ppg., 6.6 rpg.  

William Loyd, Xavier – F, Sr., Baton Rouge, La., 16.5 ppg, 7.6 rpg.

Trendon Watford, LSU – F, Fr., Birmingham, Ala., 13.6 ppg., 7.2 rpg., 1.7 apg.

THIRD TEAM

Kae’Ron Baker, Louisiana College – G, Jr., Navasota, Texas, 19.8 ppg., 5.3 rpg., 3.0 apg.

Chudier Bile, Northwestern State – F, Jr., Denver, Colo., 14.3 ppg., 7.6 rpg.

Myles Burns, Loyola – G/F, Soph., Houston, Texas, 14.1 ppg., 8.0 rpg.

Javonte Smart, LSU – G, Soph., Baton Rouge, La., 12.5 ppg., 3.5 rpg., 4.2 apg.

Christion Thompson, Tulane – G, Sr., Gonzales, La., 14.1 ppg., 6.3 rpg., 2.8 apg.

HONORABLE MENTION

Traquan Knight, LSU Shreveport; Ivy Smith, Jr., Grambling, Mylik Wilson, Louisiana

PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Skylar Mays, LSU

Newcomer of the Year – Jalen Johnson, Louisiana

Freshman of the Year – Trendon Watford, LSU

Coach of the Year – Eric Konkol, Louisiana Tech