The '60s flashbacks continue.
Two days after being named No. 1 for the first time in more than 30 years, UC has its first first-team wire service
All-American since the heady days of the early 1960s.
The Associated Press named Danny Fortson preseason
All-American Wednesday. The last UC players to be so honored were Ron Bonham (AP, UPI) and Tom Thacker (UPI, The Sporting News) in 1963. Oscar Robertson and Paul Hogue are the only other UC first-teamers.
''I'm happy that people think that much of me,'' Fortson said.
Fortson's selection is no surprise.
Fortson, a 6-foot-7, 260-pound
junior from Pittsburgh, was named second-team All-American
by AP after last season.
''I thought I'd make it after everyone else went to the NBA,'' Fortson said.
Of the players who made first or second team last year, only Fortson, Wake Forest's Tim Duncan, Utah's Keith Van Horn and Jacque Vaughn of Kansas remained in school.
Those four - along with Stanford's Brevin Knight - made up the AP's first-team five. Duncan was a unanimous selection with votes from all 68 members of the national media panel. Van Horn had 63, Fortson 60, Vaughn 47 and Knight 43.
Fortson stayed in school to have a chance to earn what Bonham, Hogue and Thacker did: A national title.
''That's why I stayed,'' he said. ''That's what I'm working for.''
A lot of people think the Bearcats have the stuff to make a strong run at the title, thus the No. 1 ranking. But Fortson says he has kept that in perspective.
''Preseason doesn't mean anything,'' he said. ''It's just like our No. 1 ranking. You've got to prove it on the court.''
Fortson has been doing that since he arrived at UC three years ago. He was a top five recruit coming out of high school.
''Deep down inside I thought I would be (an All-American),'' he said.
But Fortson, despite instant success on the court, knew that you didn't get to the top on talent.
''The thing I like about Dan is he has worked so hard to get better,'' UC coach Bob Huggins said.
Huggins constantly goes back to one point to prove that. Fortson, he says, came to UC at 6-7, 235 pounds, with 17 percent body fat. Now, he's 6-7, 265 with six percent body fat.
''Low body fat is the No. 1 indicator of athleticism,'' Huggins said. ''It takes a lot of work to get to where Dan is.''
Fortson averaged 20.1 points and 9.6 rebounds last year. He knows the addition of Ruben Patterson - a big scorer from junior college - could cut down his numbers this year.
''That's all right,'' he said. ''As long as we win, I'm happy. Winning the national championship is the important thing.''
It is assumed Fortson will leave after this season, even though he could return for his senior year. He admits he's leaning toward leaving, but adds:
''You never know,'' he said. ''It depends how the season turns out.''
The Associated Press 1996-97 preseason All-America team, with school, year, height, position, votes from a 68-member national media panel and averages from last season:
Tim Duncan, Wake Forest, sr, 6-10, c, 68, 19.1 pts, 12.3 rebs.
Keith Van Horn, Utah, sr, 6-9, f, 63, 21.4 pts, 8.8 rebs.
Danny Fortson, Cincinnati, jr, 6-7, f, 60, 20.1 pts, 9.6 rebs.
Jacque Vaughn, Kansas, sr, 6-1, g, 47, 11.0 pts, 6.6 asts.
Brevin Knight, Stanford, sr, 5-10, g, 43, 15.5 pts, 7.3 asts.
Others receiving votes (in alphabetical order): Danya Abrams, Boston College; Toby Bailey, UCLA; Chauncey Billups, Colorado; Isaac Fontaine, Washington State; Reggie Freeman, Texas; Matt Harpring, Georgia Tech; Jason Lawson, Villanova; Ron Mercer, Kentucky; Charles O'Bannon, UCLA; Edgar Padilla, Massachusetts; Anthony Parker, Bradley; Shea Seals, Tulsa; Jess Settles, Iowa; Maurice Taylor, Michigan; DeJuan Wheat, Louisville; Dedric Willoughby, Iowa State.
Published Nov. 13, 1996.
