University of Houston Athletics
Jamal Shead, LJ Cryer Earn All-America Honors
3/20/2024 11:32:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Shead named to First Team by NABC and USBWA; Cryer receives USBWA Honorable Mention
HOUSTON – As one of the finest collegiate backcourts in the country, University of Houston senior guards Jamal Shead and LJ Cryer were named All-Americans on Wednesday afternoon.Shead was named to the All-America First Teams by the National Association Basketball Coaches of America and the United States Basketball Writers Association. Cryer received the first All-America honor of his career as Honorable Mention by the USBWA.
This was the first time Houston had two All-America honorees in the same season since center Greg Anderson and guard Alvin Franklin were named Honorable Mention by the Associated Press in 1985-86.
It also marked the third time in the last four years that the Cougars were represented on an All-America Team. Shead and Cryer joined guards Marcus Sasser (2022-23) and Quentin Grimes (2020-21) in receiving that recognition.
ABOUT JAMAL SHEAD
Shead has been a leader for the Cougars throughout his career and never more so than during the 2023-24 season. He owns a 118-17 record in more than three seasons during his Houston career and needs only four more victories in 2023-24 to become the winningest player in school history.
The Manor, Texas, native stands second among the Cougars with 13.1 points per game. Shead also leads Houston and ranks among the Big 12 Top-Five leaders in assists per game (6.2, 3rd), steals per game (2.3, 3rd) and assist-turnover ratio (3.15, 2nd).
Shead is the only student-athlete to rank among the nation's Top-20 leaders in all
three categories.He was named the Big 12 Player of the Week twice during the regular season and was recognized as the Naismith Trophy Player of the Week for Feb. 26 and the Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week for Jan. 23.
Shead has scored double-digit points in 25 games, including 11 of the last 12 . He also dished out 10+ assists in four games this season with a career-high 29-point, 10-assist performance at #21/19 BYU on Jan. 23. He is the only Cougar to record points-rebounds AND points-assists double-doubles in 2023-24.
He was named the Player of the Year by the league office and the Associated and also was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first player in Big 12 history to accomplish that feat.
It also was the second straight season in his second different league in which Shead was named Conference Defensive Player of the Year.
He joined forward and Houston great Bo Outlaw as the only Cougars to accomplish that feat.
ABOUT LJ CRYERCryer is in his first season at Houston in 2023-24 after transferring from Baylor during the summer.
The Katy, Texas, native has started all 34 games to date this season – making him one of only two Cougars to accomplish that feat – and leads Houston and the league with 3.1 3-point field goals per game. Cryer also stands among the Big 12's Top 10 in scoring (15.3 ppg, 8th), field goal percentage (40.3, 8th) and 3-point field goal percentage (39.0, 4th).
A product of Morton Ranch High School, Cryer tops the Cougars with 12 20-point games, including a season-high 25 points against in Houston's come-from-behind win at Big 12 rival UCF on March 6, and has drained multiple 3-pointer in 26 games, including nine of the last 10 contests.
Averaging 16.7 points, 3.7 3-pointers and 2.7 rebounds per game in wins over Towson, Utah and Dayton, Cryer was named the Most Valuable Player at the Shriners Children's Charleston Classic in November 2023.
2023-24 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of BASKETBALL COACHES ALL-AMERICA TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
| Player | Position | School |
| Jamal Shead | Guard | Houston |
| Zach Edey | Center | Purdue |
| Dalton Knecht | Guard | Purdue |
| RJ Davis | Guard | North Carolina |
| Tristen Newton | Guard | UConn |
SECOND TEAM
| Player | Position | School |
| Kyle Filipowski | Center | Duke |
| DaRon Holmes II | Forward | Dayton |
| Tyler Kolek | Guard | Marquette |
| Jaedon Ledee | Forward | San Diego State |
| Caleb Love | Guard | Arizona |
THIRD TEAM
| Player | Position | School |
| Johni Broome | Forward | Auburn |
| Hunter Dickinson | Center | Kansas |
| Kevin McCullar Jr. | Guard | Kansas |
| Baylor Scheiermann | Guard | Creighton |
| Mark Sears | Guard | Alabama |
2023-24 UNITED STATES BASKETBALL WRITERS ASSOCIATION ALL-AMERICA TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
| Player | Position | School |
| Jamal Shead | Guard | Houston |
| Zach Edey | Center | Purdue |
| Dalton Knecht | Guard | Tennessee |
| RJ Davis | Guard | North Carolina |
| Tyler Kolek | Guard | Marquette |
SECOND TEAM
| Player | Position | School |
| Tristen Newton | Guard | UConn |
| Kyle Filipowski | Center | Duke |
| Hunter Dickinson | Center | Kansas |
| Caleb Love | Guard | Arizona |
| Mark Sears | Guard | Alabama |
THIRD TEAM
| Player | Position | School |
| Johni Broome | Forward | Auburn |
| DaRon Holmes II | Forward | Dayton |
| Armando Bacot | Forward/Center | North Carolina |
| Antonio Reeves | Guard | Kentucky |
| Baylor Scheiermann | Guard | Creighton |
HONORABLE MENTION
| Player | Position | School |
| LJ Cryer | Guard | Houston |
| Jaedon Ledee | Forward | San Diego State |
| Boo Buie | Guard | Northwestern |
| Kevin McCullar Jr. | Guard | Kansas |
| Terrence Shannon Jr. | Guard | Illinois |
UP NEXT
• Shead, Cryer and the Cougars tip off in the NCAA Tournament South Region First Round when they meet (16) Longwood at 8:20 p.m., Friday, inside FedExForum, Tenn.
• That game will air on TNT.
• All Houston Men's Basketball games can be heard on 950 AM KPRC and the Varsity Network app.
SUPPORT YOUR COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Men's Basketball by supporting Linking Coogs – UH's NIL collective – and by joining the 50-50 Club, which provides financial support directly to Houston Men's Basketball for needs beyond its operating budget.
Fans who join the 50-50 Club will receive embroidered Jordan Brand team apparel, invitations to exclusive events, regular updates about the program and much more.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarMBK on X, formerly known as Twitter, and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at UHCougarMBK or by visiting the team's Instagram page at UHCougarMBK.
– UHCougars.com –
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