KEVIN KLAUS/Arizona Daily Wildcat Luke Walton goes up for a layup earlier this month in the Wildcats' Pacific 10 Conference Tournament title game win against USC. Walton was named to the Wooden All-American team yesterday.

Junior forward named to John R. Wooden All-American team

Legendary UCLA head basketball coach John Wooden always liked players who were selfless, so it is easy to see how junior forward Luke Walton - the Pacific 10 Conference's season leader in assists - was named a third-team All-American by the John R. Wooden committee yesterday.

The committee bestowed All-American status on Walton after the 6-foot-8 junior helped lead the Wildcats to a 24-10 record and a trip to the Sweet 16.

Walton averaged 15.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists in 31 games this season. He led the Wildcats with nine double-doubles and a triple-double this season, while shooting 47.0 percent from the floor.

Walton was also named the Pac-10 Tournament Most Outstanding Player after Arizona beat Southern California in the championship game.

Walton has amassed 878 points, 505 rebounds and 440 assists in his three-year career.

Walton's UA teammate Jason Gardner was also honored yesterday. The junior guard was named to the all-Southwest team by Basketball Times after posting season totals of 20.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game.