Stanford Athletics

STANFORD, Calif. – Sophomore KZ Okpala was a First Team All-District selection by the United States Basketball Writers Association, based on voting from its national membership of more than 900 individuals.
 
The standout forward, who was also a First Team All-Pac-12 pick, led Stanford in scoring at 16.8 ppg in his second year on The Farm. Okpala ranks fifth in the Pac-12 in scoring with the second-most 20-point games (15) in the conference. The sophomore also ranks 17th in the conference in rebounding (5.7 rpg), and 12th in defensive rebounding (4.5 drpg). During the Pac-12 regular season, he finished fifth in the conference in scoring (17.5 ppg).
 
Okpala, a semifinalist for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award, scored a career-high 30 points in the win at California in February. He recorded four consecutive 20-point games for the first time in his career in the middle of the conference season, achieving the mark against Arizona (29), Arizona State (21), Washington (22) and Utah (22). The sophomore earned Pac-12 Player of the Week honors in November, after averaging 29.0 ppg in victories over Seattle and UNC Wilmington. Okpala finished his sophomore season on The Farm with a pair of double-doubles, posting 22 points and 10 rebounds in the Pac-12 opener against UCLA and 20 points and 10 rebounds in the season opener against Seattle.
 
The USBWA All-District IX Team recognized 11 standouts from Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington. Gonzaga's Rui Hachimura was the District IX Player of the Year.
 
Stanford, with 11 of 15 players in their first or second year, completed the season 15-16 overall and 8-10 in the Pac-12.