Willie Warren Named The Sporting News Preseason Player of the Year

Originally Published: Nov 6, 2009 4:27 PM CDT

Dave Carty
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Last June, the Los Angeles Clippers – and much of the basketball universe – considered the University of Oklahoma’s Blake Griffin to be the nation’s best college basketball player. As a result, the Clippers selected him No. 1 overall in the 2009 NBA Draft.

Now, another Sooner is considered to be the nation’s top college player.

OU’s Willie Warren was named by The Sporting News as its preseason national player of the year. The 6’4”, 203-pound sophomore shooting guard was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year and a freshman All-American last season.

Warren averaged 14.6 points and 3.1 assists per game in his freshman campaign.

In Tuesday’s exhibition against British Columbia, he scored 23 points in 28 minutes of play.