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Jared Butler is the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year. The award is voted on by the league’s coaches. Butler was a unanimous selection to the Preseason All-Big 12 team.
I interviewed Butler in August and asked him what it would mean to get this award. He said, “Means the world to me. Even the awards I got this year were pretty surreal. I’m glad I can represent Baylor. What matters is actually winning though.”
Butler is the third Baylor player to earn the preseason award. Perry Jones won it for the 2011-2012 season and Pierre Jackson won it for the 2012-2013 season.
Mark Vital and MaCio Teague earned honorable mention accolades. The duo each made All-Big 12 teams last year.
From the Big 12 release:
Preseason All-Big 12 Team Jared Butler, Baylor*, G, 6-3, 195, Jr., Reserve, La./Riverside Academy Marcus Garrett, Kansas*, G, 6-5, 195, Sr., Dallas, Texas/SkylineAustin Reaves, Oklahoma, G, 6-5, 206, Sr., Newark, Ark./Cedar Ridge/Wichita StateCade Cunningham, Oklahoma State, G, 6-8, 200, Fr., Arlington, Texas/Montverde AcademyMatt Coleman III, Texas, G, 6-2, 180, Sr., Norfolk, Va./Oak Hill AcademyOscar Tshiebwe, West Virginia, F, 6-9, 260, So., Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo/Kennedy Catholic (Pa.)* Denotes unanimous selection.
A tie resulted in an extra position on the team.
Honorable Mention (listed alphabetically by school):MaCio Teague (Baylor), Mark Vital (Baylor), Greg Brown III (Texas), Courtney Ramey (Texas), Jericho Sims (Texas), Kyler Edwards (Texas Tech), Mac McClung (Texas Tech), Derek Culver (West Virginia)