Bennedict Mathurin is an All-American.

The second-year Arizona guard was named to the Second Team by the Associated Press on Tuesday, becoming the program’s first All-American selection from the AP since Deandre Ayton was a first-teamer following the 2017-18 season.

The Pac-12 Player of the Year as well, Mathurin is the 16th Arizona player selected to one of the three teams and the 18th overall selection for the program. He’s also the only player from the Pac-12 on the three squads. The league has now had an AP All-American in each of the last three seasons and in four of the last five.

Mathurin has led Arizona to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, a regular-season Pac-12 title, and the Pac-12 Tournament title. In the championship game, he flexed on UCLA’s defense with 27 points.

It was Mathurin’s 13th 20-point game of the season. He was the second-leading scorer in the league at over 17 points a game. He led the conference in both win shares (5.8) and offensive box plus/minus (plus-6.2). Mathurin’s scoring improved year-over-year by seven points from his freshman season while his shooting efficiency remained strong.

Under first-year head coach Tommy Lloyd, Mathurin has flourished in a pace-and-space system that has harnessed his athletic ability and physicality on-ball. In transition, there are few players in the league more explosive than the 6-foot-6 Mathurin.

He has also been named one of 10 semi finalists for the Naismith Trophy, given annually to college basketball’s Player of the Year.

UCLA’s Johnny Juzang was an honorable mention selection.

The full All-American teams:

First Team

  • Keegan Murray, Iowa
  • Kofi Cockburn, Illinois
  • Johnny Davis, Wisconsin
  • Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky
  • Ochai Agbaji, Kansas

Second Team

  • Chet Holmgren, Gonzaga
  • Drew Timme, Gonzaga
  • Jaden Ivey, Purdue
  • Bennedict Mathurin, Arizona
  • Jabari Smith Jr., Auburn

Third Team

  • Paolo Banchero, Duke
  • Collin Gillespie, Villanova
  • E.J. Liddell, Ohio State
  • Walker Kessler, Auburn
  • James Akinjo, Baylor
  • JD Notae, Arkansas