He’ll go down as Idaho’s first-ever WAC Player of the year in addition to the first Vandal to lead the WAC in both scoring and rebounding. Monday evening, Kyle Barone brought home another program first.
The senior center was named as an Associated Press All-American honorable mention, the first time a Vandal men’s basketball player has received the honor from the AP and sixth time someone has earned All-American status.
Idaho’s last All-America honor came in 1993 when Orlando Lightfoot was given the award by the U.S. Basketball Writers of America.
“I put a lot of effort into it this offseason to get ready for this year,” Barone said. “I guess the hard work just paid off for me.”
Barone topped the WAC stat sheet in multiple categories, including scoring (18.2 per game) as well as rebounding (10.9 per game).
The Garden Grove, Calif., native became the best post player in program history, statistically speaking. Barone has logged more minutes than any Idaho player in program history with 126, ranks No. 2 in rebounds with 869, No. 3 in career field goal percentage with 58 percent and No. 4 in career scoring with 1,433 points.
“This year I stepped up and became the player I saw myself as,” Barone said.
The only fourth-year senior on this year’s Idaho team hit a bump prior to the team’s exhibition games, when he received a DUI charge October 7. Idaho coach Don Verlin suspended Barone indefinitely, then lifted that suspension prior to the Vandals’ season-opener against Wright State.
Barone was good for 18 points and nine rebounds against the Raiders and posted his first double-double of the season two games later in Idaho’s first season victory, a 72-62 win against Green Bay.
He went on to record 22 double-doubles this season, tied for 10th in the nation.
This month, Barone will compete in the Portsmouth Invitational, where he will show off for NBA and international teams.
The event will take place April 10-13 at Churchland High School in Portsmouth, Va.