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Big 12 coaches name Baylor’s Pierre Jackson preseason player of the year

NCAA Basketball Tournament - Xavier v Baylor

ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 23: Pierre Jackson #55 of the Baylor Bears reacts during their 75 to 70 win over the Xavier Musketeers during the 2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball South Regional Semifinal game at the Georgia Dome on March 23, 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

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With practices just over a week away conferences are beginning to release their coaches and media polls for the upcoming season.

The Big 12 picked its preseason Player of the Year on Thursday, and for the second consecutive season the choice is a Baylor Bear.

Senior point guard Pierre Jackson, who was a second team All-Big 12 and Honorable Mention All-America selection last season, is the coaches’ choice to win Big 12 Player of the Year in 2012-13.

Jackson averaged 13.8 points and 5.9 assists per game for the Bears, who reached the Elite 8 for the second time in three years (and in both instances they lost to the eventual national champion).

But of the five players named to the coaches’ preseason All-Big 12 team Jackson wasn’t one of the three unanimous selections.

Those were Kansas center Jeff Withey, Kansas State guard Rodney McGruder and Oklahoma State guard/forward Le’Bryan Nash. Texas sophomore point guard Myck Kabongo rounded out the team.

The honorable mention selections for the preseason All-Big 12 team are: forward Isaiah Austin (Baylor), guard Elijah Johnson (Kansas), forward Romero Osby (Oklahoma), guard Steven Pledger (Oklahoma), guard Marcus Smart (Oklahoma State) and guard Sheldon McClellan (Texas).

Smart was also the pick for Preseason Freshman of the Year honors, and Oklahoma forward Amath M’Baye (transfer from Wyoming) was the coaches’ Preseason Newcomer of the Year selection.

But back to Jackson for a moment, as being named preseason Player of the Year wasn’t the lone honor he received on Thursday.

With Perry Jones III, who was the preseason choice to win Player of the Year heading into last season, Quincy Acy, Quincy Miller and Anthony Jones all leaving Baylor will rely on some young talent inside.

But Scott Drew can take solace in the fact that he’s got one of the nation’s best running the show.

Raphielle is also the assistant editor at CollegeHoops.net and can be followed on Twitter at @raphiellej.