Johni Broome of Auburn, Cooper Flagg of Duke unanimous picks to lead the AP All-America team

Johni Broome of Auburn and Cooper Flagg of Duke are unanimous first-team selections for The Associated Press men's college basketball All-America team
FILE - Auburn forward Johni Broome (4) shoots a layup against LSU forward Corey Chest (11) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Baton Rouge, La., Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Forest, File)

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FILE - Auburn forward Johni Broome (4) shoots a layup against LSU forward Corey Chest (11) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Baton Rouge, La., Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Forest, File)

One is a fifth-year senior who began his career at a mid-major, the other a first-year wunderkind recruited by everyone. The first is a now leading a program on the rise, while the other is the unmistakable star for a traditional power.

Johni Broome of Auburn and Cooper Flagg of Duke do have something in common, though: The forwards were unanimous first-team picks for The Associated Press men's college basketball All-America teams released Tuesday.

They were joined on the first team by Alabama star Mark Sears, Purdue's Braden Smith and Walter Clayton Jr. of Florida.

Only Broome, a third-team pick a year ago, and Flagg were among the first five on the ballots of all 61 national media members who vote for the weekly AP Top 25. Broome becomes the Tigers' fourth All-American and first to make the first team, while Flagg is the 19th different Blue Devils player to earn first-team recognition.

“He’s doing things nobody really has ever done before," Duke coach Jon Scheyer said. "And he’s not about numbers. I’m telling you, when this dude goes home, somebody says to him, ‘Man, you had 42, six and seven,’ he’ll say, ‘OK, cool.’ That’s not what he’s about, which to me makes it even better because you can get caught up with that, especially as a young player.”

Maybe that is something else that Broome and Flagg have in common: Both are eyeing a national championship. Auburn spent eight weeks at No. 1 this year, while Duke ascended to the top spot when the Tigers stumbled down the stretch.

Now, the two programs head to the NCAA Tournament as the No. 1 seed in their respective regions.

“I’ve proved a lot individually through my career but my main goal is a team goal, which is to win the national championship,” said Broome, who played two seasons at Morehead State before spending the past three with the Tigers. "When the team shines, everyone shines individually. Coming from where I came from, it means a lot to me.”

Sears was a second-team pick last season, when he helped to lead the Crimson Tide to their first Final Four. He initially declared for the NBA draft but withdrew in late May, choosing instead to return to Alabama for another run at a national title.

He's the Crimson Tide's second first-team All-American after Brandon Miller two years ago.

Smith was an honorable mention pick last year, when Purdue teammate Zach Edey was a unanimous first-team pick for the second straight season. With Edey off to the NBA, Smith became the go-to player for a bunch of Boilermakers who will be trying to return to the national championship game after losing to UConn there a year ago.

Florida had never had a first-team All-American before Clayton, who helped the Gators climb as high as No. 2 in the Top 25 this season. He's also their first All-American since 2007, when second-teamer Joakim Noah and third-team choice Al Horford led the Gators to their second consecutive national championship.

Perhaps the versatile Clayton will be able to lead Florida back to the top in March Madness.

“Whatever path, I like my guys,” he said. “Me and my guys against whoever.”

Second team

JT Toppin transferred from New Mexico to Texas Tech, John Tonje from Missouri to Wisconsin and PJ Haggerty from Tulsa to Memphis, and all took advantage of a change in scenery to have breakout seasons and earn second-team All-America honors.

The trio was joined on the second team by Kam Jones of Marquette and RJ Luis Jr. of St. John's.

Third team

Hunter Dickinson of Kansas and fellow big man Ryan Kalkbrenner of Creighton were third-team picks, making it three straight years that each appeared on an All-America team. Both were honorable mention two years ago, while Dickinson was a second-team pick and Kalkbrenner honorable mention again last season.

They were joined on the third team by Zakai Zeigler of Tennessee, Eric Dixon of Villanova and Houston's LJ Cryer, who was the Big 12 player of the year and an honorable mention All-America pick last season.

Honorable mention

Chaz Lanier of Tennessee and Trey Kaufman-Renn of Purdue were among the next 10 (including ties) in voting who earned honorable mention recognition. Other honorable mentions included Donovan Dent of New Mexico, Drake's Bennett Stirtz and Chucky Hepburn of Louisville.

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

FILE - Duke's Cooper Flagg (2) drives past Florida State's Jerry Deng, second from left, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Durham, N.C., Saturday, March 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown, File)

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FILE - Purdue guard Braden Smith (3) looks to pass around Southern California guard Chibuzo Agbo (7) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in West Lafayette, Ind., Friday, Feb. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)

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FILE - Alabama guard Mark Sears (1) runs a play against Arkansas during an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, in Fayetteville, Ark. (AP Photo/Michael Woods, FIle(

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FILE - Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. (1) reacts to a basket against Alabama during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File(

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Auburn forward/center Johni Broome (4) celebrates by getting the crowd pumped during the second half an NCAA college basketball game against Georgia, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Julie Bennett)

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Duke's Cooper Flagg (2) reacts after a play during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Wake Forest in Durham, N.C., Monday, March 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown)

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St. John's's RJ Luis Jr. gets past Marquette's David Joplin during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, March 8, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

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Marquette's Kam Jones tries to get past St. John's's Zuby Ejiofor during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Mar. 8, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

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Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner, right, defends DePaul's CJ Gunn (11) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Big East basketball tournament Thursday, March 13, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

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Tennessee guard Zakai Zeigler (5) drives the lane against Texas A&M guard Zhuric Phelps (1) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft)

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Seton Hall's Dylan Addae-Wusu, left, and Prince Aligbe, right, fights for control of the ball with Villanova's Eric Dixon, center, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Big East basketball tournament Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

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Houston's L.J. Cryer (4) passes the ball around Kansas' Zeke Mayo (5) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, March 3, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

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Kansas' Hunter Dickinson (1) dunks during overtime of an NCAA college basketball game against UCF in the second round of the Big 12 Conference tournament, Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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