Taj Gray Named First-Team All-Big 12

NORMAN, Okla. -- Junior forward Taj Gray was among three University of Oklahoma men's basketball players who received All-Big 12 honors on Monday, as voted on by the league's head coaches. Gray was a First-Team All-Big 12 selection and was also named the conference's newcomer of the year.

The 6-9, 235-pound Gray is averaging 14.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.0 blocked shots, 1.4 assists and 1.3 steals per contest while shooting .570 from the field. He ranks 13th in the league in scoring, fourth in rebounding, first in offensive rebounding, first in blocks and second in field goal percentage.

In 16 conference games, Gray averaged 14.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.2 rejections while shooting a league-high .599 from the field. His 10 double-doubles this year rank second in the conference behind Player of the Year Wayne Simien of Kansas.

Gray, from Wichita, Kan., has earned Big 12 Rookie of the Week honors a school record four times this season. He began his OU career in fine fashion with 29 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and four blocked shots against Cal State Northridge on Nov. 20. He went on to lead the team in scoring 10 times this season and in rebounding 14 times. He has blocked a career-high four shots on six occasions.

Gray became the third Sooner to be named Big 12 Newcomer of the Year. Guards Corey Brewer and Ebi Ere were honored in 1997 and 2002, respectively.

The conference also honored fellow OU juniors Kevin Bookout and Terrell Everett. Bookout was a Third-Team All-Big 12 selection while Everett garnered honorable mention all-league honors. Bookout, a 6-8, 259-pound forward, leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage (.605) and averages 11.8 points and 6.4 rebounds per contest. He has six double-doubles on the year, five of them in conference action. Everett has been extremely valuable at the guard position, averaging 12.3 points, 4.7 boards and team highs in assists (5.1) and steals (1.7).

The 6-4, 185-pound lefty is on pace to average the most assists at OU since Tyrone Foster handed out 5.6 per outing in 1995-96. Over the last six games (all wins), Everett is averaging 15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists while shooting .561 from the field, .538 from beyond the 3-point arc and .826 from the free throw line.

ALL-BIG 12 FIRST TEAM
Taj Gray, Oklahoma, Jr., Forward
Joey Graham, Oklahoma State, Sr., Forward
John Lucas, Oklahoma State, Sr., Guard
Ronald Ross, Texas Tech, Sr., Guard
Wayne Simien, Kansas, Sr., Forward

ALL-BIG 12 SECOND TEAM
Brad Buckman, Texas, Jr., Forward
Keith Langford, Kansas, Sr., Guard
Jeremiah Massey, Kansas State, Sr., Forward
Curtis Stinson, Iowa State, So., Guard
Antoine Wright, Texas A&M, Jr., Forward

ALL-BIG 12 THIRD TEAM
Kevin Bookout, Oklahoma, Jr., Forward
Daniel Gibson, Texas, Fr., Guard
Jared Homan, Iowa State, Sr., Center
Jarrius Jackson, Texas Tech, So., Guard
Aaron Miles, Kansas, Sr., Guard

ALL-BIG 12 HONORABLE MENTION
Aaron Bruce, Baylor, Fr., Guard
Richard Roby, Colorado, Fr., Guard
Linas Kleiza, Missouri, So., Forward
Joe McCray, Nebraska, Fr., Guard
Terrell Everett, Oklahoma, Jr., Guard
Ivan McFarlin, Oklahoma State, Sr., Forward
Joseph Jones, Texas A&M, Fr., Center
Acie Law, Texas A&M, So., Guard

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Wayne Simien, Kansas, Sr., Forward

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Taj Gray, Oklahoma, Jr., Forward

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Daniel Gibson, Texas, Fr., Guard

COACH OF THE YEAR
Billy Gillispie, Texas A&M