Kansas junior Thomas Robinson has been chosen Big 12 Player of the Year and leads the 2012 All-Big 12 Men's Basketball accolades, it was announced. Jeff Withey (Kansas) earned Defensive Player of the Year recognition, while Royce White (Iowa State) is the top newcomer. Quincy Miller (Baylor) and Le'Bryan Nash (Oklahoma State) share Freshman of the Year, while Michael Dixon earned the Sixth Man Award. Fred Hoiberg of Iowa State and Bill Self of Kansas tied for Big 12 Coach of the Year honors.
Robinson is the only player in the Big 12 to average a double-double (18.0 ppg, 11.9 rpg) and his 22 double-doubles this year are fourth on the conference single-season list. Against eight nationally-ranked teams in 2011-12, he averaged 19.8 points and 12.3 rebounds while shooting 55.6 percent. Robinson's honor is the seventh time that a Kansas men's basketball athlete has won Player of the Year.
Withey led the Big 12 in blocked shots with 100, a total that ranked fifth on the conference single-season chart. Sixty-five of those rejections came in league games, setting a Big 12 record for conference play. Withey is the fourth Jayhawk to win the top defensive honor since it began in 2005-06, including three times in the past four seasons.
White is the second Iowa State player in league history to be named top newcomer. A unanimous selection for the award, he averaged 12.9 points per game and ranks second in rebounding with 9.2 per contest. He was also fifth overall in assists with a 5.2 average, dishing out five or more in a game 17 times in 2011-12.
Miller and Nash shared the accolade for top freshman. Miller was fourth on his team in scoring (11.5 ppg) and scored in double digits 16 times. Nash was the Big 12's top scoring freshman with 13.3 points per game and tied Miller for third among freshman rebounders with 5.0 per contest. Both athletes are the first from their school's to be named Big 12 Freshman of the Year.
Dixon was the unanimous pick for the Sixth Man Award. The junior ranked 12th in the conference in scoring with 13.3 points despite coming off the bench in all 31 Missouri contests. He finished the regular season on a strong note, scoring in double figures in the last 10 outings while shooting 57 percent or better seven times. He is the second Tiger to be named top sixth man.
Hoiberg wins coaching accolades after leading the Cyclones to the greatest turnaround in Big 12 history. Iowa State won nine more games than a year ago and earned the No. 3 seed in the Big 12 Championship. Self is named top coach for the third time in the last four seasons and fourth time overall after leading KU to its eighth consecutive Big 12 regular season crown.
The All-Big 12 First, Second, Third and Honorable Mention teams were also announced, while conference coaches also selected All-Defensive and All-Rookie Teams. Marcus Denmon (Missouri) is the lone repeat first team choice from a year ago, while Robinson, White and Tyshawn Taylor (Kansas) were all unanimous first team selections.
The official All-Big 12 awards are selected by the league's head coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their own players.
2011-12 PHILLIPS 66 ALL-BIG 12 MEN'S BASKETBALL AWARDS
| Player of the Year: | Thomas Robinson, Kansas, F, Jr., 6-10, 237, Washington, D.C./Brewster Academy [N.H.] |
| Defensive Player of the Year: | Jeff Withey, Kansas, C, Jr., 7-0, 235, San Diego, Calif./Horizon |
| Newcomer of the Year: | Royce White, Iowa State, F, So., 6-8, 270, Minneapolis, Minn./Hopkins/Minnesota** |
| Co-Freshman of the Year: | Quincy Miller, Baylor, F, Fr., 6-9, 210, High Point, N.C./Westchester Country Day School
Le'Bryan Nash, Oklahoma State, G/F, Fr., 6-7, 230, Dallas, Texas/Lincoln |
| Sixth Man Award: | Michael Dixon, Missouri, G, Jr., 6-1, 185, Kansas City, Mo./Lee's Summit West** |
| Co-Coaches of the Year: | Fred Hoiberg, Iowa State [Career and at ISU: 38-25, 2nd season]
Bill Self, Kansas [Career: 470-156, 19th season; At KU: 263-51, 9th season] |
Ties in the voting created additional spots for Freshman of the Year and Coach of the Year
| All-Big 12 First Team | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | Hometown/Previous School(s) |
| Royce White, Iowa State** | F | 6-8 | 270 | So. | Minneapolis, Minn./Hopkins/Minnesota |
| Thomas Robinson, Kansas** | F | 6-10 | 237 | Jr. | Washington, D.C./Brewster Academy [N.H.] |
| Tyshawn Taylor, Kansas** | G | 6-3 | 185 | Sr. | Hoboken, N.J./St. Anthony |
| Marcus Denmon, Missouri | G | 6-3 | 185 | Sr. | Kansas City, Mo./Hogan Prep |
| J'Covan Brown, Texas | G | 6-1 | 197 | Jr. | Port Arthur, Texas/Memorial |
| |
| All-Big 12 Second Team | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | Hometown/Previous School(s) |
| Quincy Acy, Baylor | F | 6-7 | 235 | Sr. | Mesquite, Texas/Horn |
| Pierre Jackson, Baylor | G | 5-10 | 180 | Jr. | Las Vegas, Nev./Desert Pines/College of Southern Idaho |
| Rodney McGruder, Kansas State | G | 6-4 | 205 | Jr. | Washington, D.C./Arlington Country Day [Fla.] |
| Ricardo Ratliffe, Missouri | F | 6-8 | 240 | Sr. | Hampton, Va./Kecoughtan/Central Florida CC |
| Keiton Page, Oklahoma State | G | 5-9 | 165 | Sr. | Pawnee, Okla./Pawnee |
| |
| All-Big 12 Third Team | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | Hometown/Previous School(s) |
| Perry Jones III, Baylor | F | 6-11 | 235 | So. | Duncanville, Texas/Duncanville |
| Scott Christopherson, Iowa State | G | 6-3 | 195 | Sr. | LaCrosse, Wis./Aquinas/Marquette |
| Jeff Withey, Kansas | C | 7-0 | 235 | Jr. | San Diego, Calif./Horizon |
| Kim English, Missouri | G | 6-6 | 200 | Sr. | Baltimore, Md./Randallstown/Notre Dame Prep |
| Phil Pressey, Missouri | G | 5-10 | 175 | So. | Dallas, Texas/Dallas Episcopal |
| |
| All-Big 12 Honorable Mention (Listed alphabetically by school) |
| Quincy Miller (Baylor), Chris Allen (Iowa State), Melvin Ejim (Iowa State), Jamar Samuels (Kansas State), Steven Pledger (Oklahoma), Romero Osby (Oklahoma), Le'Bryan Nash (Oklahoma State), Myck Kabongo (Texas), Elston Turner (Texas A&M), David Loubeau (Texas A&M) |
| |
| Big 12 All-Defensive Team | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | Hometown/Previous School(s) |
| Quincy Acy, Baylor** | F | 6-7 | 235 | Sr. | Mesquite, Texas/Horn |
| Jeff Withey, Kansas** | C | 7-0 | 235 | Jr. | San Diego, Calif./Horizon |
| Jordan Henriquez, Kansas State | F | 6-11 | 250 | Jr. | Port Chester, N.Y./The Winchendon School [Mass.] |
| Rodney McGruder, Kansas State | G | 6-4 | 205 | Jr. | Washington, D.C./Arlington Country Day [Fla.] |
| Michael Dixon, Missouri | G | 6-1 | 185 | Jr. | Kansas City, Mo./Lee's Summit West |
| |
| Big 12 All-Rookie Team | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | Hometown/Previous School(s) |
| Pierre Jackson, Baylor** | G | 5-10 | 180 | Jr. | Las Vegas, Nev./Desert Pines/College of Southern Idaho |
| Quincy Miller, Baylor | F | 6-9 | 210 | Fr. | High Point, N.C./Westchester Country Day School |
| Royce White, Iowa State** | F | 6-8 | 270 | So. | Minneapolis, Minn./Hopkins/Minnesota | |
| Le'Bryan Nash, Oklahoma State | G/F | 6-7 | 230 | Fr. | Dallas, Texas/Lincoln |
| Myck Kabongo, Texas | G | 6-1 | 169 | Fr. | Toronto, Ontario, Canada/St. Benedict's Prep [N.J.] |
** - Unanimous Selection