A little over a year ago, we jokingly started a #Russ4AllAmerica hashtag on Twitter after he played a couple of surprisingly good games at the beginning of the season.
Today, Russ was named a Midseason All-American by CBS. They weren't joking.
CBSSports.com Midseason All-Americans
G: Trey Burke, Michigan. John Beilein's sophomore star has been spectacular. He's averaging 18.2 points and 7.3 assists while shooting 39.2 percent from 3-point range for the undefeated and second-ranked Wolverines.G: Russ Smith, Louisville. It's wild that Smith has earned a spot among the top players in the country. He has transformed from a mid-major recruit to a dynamic scorer who is averaging 19.4 points and guarding well on the perimeter for the third-ranked Cardinals.
F: Doug McDermott, Creighton. He's not Larry Bird, as some suggest. But McDermott is really fun to watch. He can score in a multitude of ways and has led the Bluejays to a top-15 ranking by averaging 22.6 points and 7.3 rebounds while shooting 49.3 percent from 3-point range.
F: Mason Plumlee, Duke. He has been the best player on the nation's best team. Plumlee has nine double-doubles in 14 games this season and is the main reason the Blue Devils remain undefeated.
C: Jeff Withey, Kansas. Bill Self's latest gifted big impacts the game as much as anyone on the defensive end of the floor. And he has become a competent threat on the offensive end -- averaging 13.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 5.1 blocks.
Just like we all predicted.