Portis continues hauling in honors

Bobby Portis, Arkansas sophomore, looks to his coach in the closing minutes against Texas A&M in the second half Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2015 at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville. The Hogs won 81-72.

Bobby Portis hauled in two more honors Monday.

After it was announced that he had been selected as a finalist for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award, the Arkansas sophomore was named a third-team All-American by the Sporting News.

He is the first Arkansas player to earn All-America honors since Ronnie Brewer was a third-team selection by Basketball Times and honorable mention choice by the Associated Press in 2006.

The Kareem Abdul-Jabbar award, which is in its first season, will be presented by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on April 10.

Kentucky's Willie Cauley-Stein joins Portis as a finalist, giving the SEC two players on the five-man list. Duke's Jahlil Okafor, Syracuse's Rakeem Christman and Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky are the other finalists.

Portis is one of only three players at a major conference school averaging at least 17.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. His nine double-doubles during SEC play were a school record.

He is also one of 15 finalists for the Wooden Award watch list and one of 17 players on the Oscar Robertson Trophy midseason watch list.