Houston Cougars Point Guard Earns Preseason All-American Honor

The hype surrounding one of the best guards in college basketball continues with his latest preseason honor.

Apr 7, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Houston Cougars guard Milos Uzan (7) reacts after a play against the Florida Gators during the first half of the national championship game of the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Back in late May, Houston Cougars basketball announced that Milos Uzan, one of the best guards in the country, would be returning to the program for another year. Only days ago, the senior from Las Vegas Nevada was named to the CBS Sports Preseason All-America Third Team.

In his junior year, Uzan started all 40 games for the Cougars setting a single season record for the Houston basketball program. The guard averaged 31.6 minutes per game in the 2024-25 season and shot over 43% from the three-point line and over 45% overall. The senior also averaged 3.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 11.4 points per game during Houston's trip to the national championship.

Before his time at Houston, Uzan spent two seasons at Oklahoma from 2022-24 where he made 56 total starts. While he averaged over 30 minutes for the Sooners during his freshman and sophomore seasons, Uzan's impact on the court wasn't truly felt until he transferred to Houston in 2024

Uzan's Return Gives Houston a Massive Edge

Apr 7, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Houston Cougars guard Milos Uzan (7) walks off the court after losing to the Florida Gators in the national championship game of the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Before being honored as a member of the CBS Sports Preseason All-America Third Team, Uzan's return to the Cougars sent shockwaves around both the Big 12 and the college basketball world. Even if the senior guard didn't return to Houston for the 2025-26 season, Kelvin Sampson's squad would likely remain one of the top five programs in college basketball.

Now, Houston's pursuit of a national championship—and its chances of achieving it—carry even more weight. Uzan brings back more than just his shooting ability. The senior guard brings back extremely valuable experience from not only the NCAA Tournament, but the national championship loss as well.

Like many collegiate sports, experience is something that is vital to a team's success in the postseason. While younger teams might perform during the regular season, it often takes veteran leadership to take a program past the first couple of rounds in the NCAA Tournament. Even with the departures of L.J. Cryer, J’Wan Roberts, Ja’Vier Francis, and Mylik Wilson, the Cougars still return 10 athletes, including Uzan, with more than enough postseason experience.

Uzan's best performance during March Madness came against Purdue when the senior shot 8-17 from the floor while shooting 6 of 9 from the three-point line. With his 22-point effort, the Cougars knocked off No. 4 Purdue 62-60 to move on to the Elite 8.

The Third Team also featured St. John's forward Zuby Eliofor, Kansas State's PJ Haggerty, Gonzaga's Graham Ike, and NC State's Darrion Williams.