ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected 14 outstanding players as finalists for the 2015 Oscar Robertson Trophy, as selected by the association’s board of directors.
The award is to be presented to the national player of the year at the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards on April 14 at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. The Henry Iba Coach of the Year Award and the Integris Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year Award will also be presented at the gala to be held annually the week after the NCAA Men’s Final Four.
Four players from four different Atlantic Coast Conference schools headline the list along with Gonzaga teammates Kevin Pangos and Kyle Wiltjer. Two of the selections, Wiltjer and Ohio State’s D’Angelo Russell, have been recognized as Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week this season. This past week, Wiltjer won the award for the second time. Continue reading “Finalists For 2015 Oscar Robertson Trophy Announced”→
ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected 15 outstanding players for its 2013-14 Oscar Robertson Trophy Preseason Watch List. Members of the association’s board of directors chose the players to be included on the list as contenders for the Oscar Robertson Trophy.
The award is to be presented to the national player of the year by its namesake at the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards on April 14, 2014, at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. The Henry Iba Coach of the Year Award and the Integris Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year Award will also be presented at the gala to be held annually the Monday following the NCAA Men’s Final Four.
Oklahoma State guard Marcus Smart, the 2013 Big 12 Player of the Year and Wayman Tisdale Award winner as the national freshman of the year, leads the watch list and is the USBWA’s preseason selection as the Player of the Year. Creighton forward Doug McDermott, a first-team USBWA All-American a year ago, also headlines the list.
The Big Ten, led by Michigan State teammates Gary Harris and Adreian Payne, leads all conferences with four players recognized, and seven total conferences are represented. Overall, the watch list includes seven seniors, four sophomores and four freshmen. The four freshmen all appear on the Wayman Tisdale Award Preseason Watch List.
Following is the complete watch list:
2013-14 OSCAR ROBERTSON TROPHY PRESEASON WATCH LIST Pos. Player, School (Ht., Wt., Yr., Hometown)
G Jahii Carson, Arizona State (5-10, 180, So., Mesa, Ariz.)
G Aaron Craft, Ohio State (6-2, 195, Sr., Findlay, Ohio)
F C.J. Fair, Syracuse (6-8, 215, Sr., Baltimore, Md.)
F Aaron Gordon, Arizona (6-9, 225, Fr., San Jose, Calif.)
G Gary Harris, Michigan State (6-4, 210, So., Fishers, Ind.)
G Joe Harris, Virginia (6-6, 225, Sr., Chelan, Wash.)
F Doug McDermott, Creighton (6-8, 225, Sr., Ames, Iowa)
F Mitch McGary, Michigan (6-10, 255, So., Chesterton, Ind.)
G Shabazz Napier, Connecticut (6-1, 180, Sr., Roxbury, Mass.)
F Jabari Parker, Duke (6-8, 235, Fr., Chicago, Ill.)
C Adreian Payne, Michigan State (6-10, 245, Sr., Dayton, Ohio)
F Julius Randle, Kentucky (6-9, 250, Fr., Dallas, Texas)
G Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State (6-4, 220, So., Flower Mound, Texas)
G Russ Smith, Louisville (6-0, 165, Sr., Brooklyn, N.Y.)
G Andrew Wiggins, Kansas (6-8, 200, Fr., Vaughan, Ont.)
By conference: Big Ten (4), ACC (3), American Athletic (2), Big 12 (2), Pac-12 (2), Big East (1), SEC (1).
By class: Seniors (7), Juniors (0), Sophomores (4), Freshmen (4).
While these standout players are the initial contenders for the Oscar Robertson Trophy, all NCAA Division I players are eligible for postseason honors from the USBWA. For the fifth straight season, the USBWA will present an Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week each Tuesday beginning Dec. 10.
In mid-March, the USBWA will announce its 2013-14 All-America Team and, at that time, finalists will also be chosen for the player of the year. Once finalists are announced, the entire USBWA membership will vote for the winner of the Oscar Robertson Trophy.
Tickets and sponsorship information for the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards are available at collegebasketballawards.com or by contacting Scott Hill (405-749-1515, scott.hill@access-sports.net). The April 14 banquet will also honor the recipient of the Wayman Tisdale Humanitarian Award.
Since the 1958-59 season, the USBWA has named a National Player of the Year. In 1998, the award was named in honor of the University of Cincinnati Hall of Famer and two-time USBWA Player of the Year Oscar Robertson. It is the nation’s oldest player of the year award and the only one named after a former player.
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With more than 900 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57 season. For more information on the USBWA and the Oscar Robertson Trophy, contact executive director Joe Mitch at 314-795-6821.
ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected 14 outstanding players as finalists for its 2013 Oscar Robertson National Player of the Year Trophy presented by Aflac and eight standout freshmen as finalists for the Integris Wayman Tisdale Award. Members of the association’s board of directors chose the finalists and the entire 900-member USBWA will vote on the awards as well as the annual All-America and All-District teams.
The recipients are to be announced on Friday, April 5 in Atlanta at a 9:15 a.m. ET press conference and then formally presented their awards at the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards on Mon., April 15 at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. The Henry Iba Coach of the Year Award will also be presented at the gala to be held annually the Monday following the NCAA Men’s Final Four.
Following are the finalsts for the Oscar Robertson National Player of the Year Trophy:
2013 OSCAR ROBERTSON TROPHY FINALISTS
Pos.
No.
Player, School
Ht.
Wt.
Yr.
Hometown
F
15
Anthony Bennett, UNLV
6-8
240
Fr.
Brampton, Ont.
G
3
Trey Burke, Michigan
6-0
190
So.
Columbus, Ohio
G
1
Michael Carter-Williams, Syracuse
6-6
185
So.
Hamilton, Mass.
F
3
Doug McDermott, Creighton
6-8
225
Jr.
Ames, Iowa
G
23
Ben McLemore, Kansas
6-5
195
Fr.
St. Louis, Mo.
G
4
Victor Oladipo, Indiana
6-5
214
Jr.
Upper Marlboro, Md.
F
13
Kelly Olynyk, Gonzaga
7-0
238
Jr.
Kamloops, B.C.
F
5
Mason Plumlee, Duke
6-10
235
Sr.
Warsaw, Ind.
F
22
Otto Porter, Georgetown
6-8
205
So.
Sikeston, Mo.
G
33
Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State
6-4
225
Fr.
Flower Mound, Texas
G
2
Russ Smith, Louisville
6-0
165
Jr.
Brooklyn, N.Y.
F
1
Deshaun Thomas, Ohio State
6-7
215
Jr.
Fort Wayne, Ind.
C
5
Jeff Withey, Kansas
7-0
235
Sr.
San Diego, Calif.
F
40
Cody Zeller, Indiana
7-0
240
So.
Washington, Ind.
Following are the finalists for the Integris Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year Award:
2013 INTEGRIS WAYMAN TISDALE AWARD FINALISTS
Pos.
No.
Player, School
Ht.
Wt.
Yr.
Hometown
F
15
Anthony Bennett, UNLV
6-8
240
Fr.
Brampton, Ont.
G
1
Jahii Carson, Arizona State
5-10
175
Fr.
Mesa, Ariz.
G
14
Gary Harris, Michigan State
6-4
205
Fr.
Fishers, Ind.
G
23
Ben McLemore, Kansas
6-5
195
Fr.
St. Louis, Mo.
G/F
15
Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA
6-6
225
Fr.
Las Vegas, Nev.
F
3
Nerlens Noel, Kentucky
6-10
228
Fr.
Everett, Mass.
G
33
Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State
6-4
225
Fr.
Flower Mound, Texas
G
14
Rasheed Sulaimon, Duke
6-4
185
Fr.
Houston, Texas
Tickets and sponsorship information for the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards are available atcollegebasketballawards.com or by contacting Scott Hill (405-749-1515, scott.hill@access-sports.net). The April 15 banquet will also honor Michigan State coach Tom Izzo as the recipient of the Wayman Tisdale Humanitarian Award.
Since the 1958-59 season, the USBWA has named a National Player of the Year. In 1998, the award was named in honor of the University of Cincinnati Hall of Famer and two-time USBWA Player of the Year Oscar Robertson. It is the nation’s oldest award and the only one named after a former player.
The USBWA has chosen a national freshman of the year since the 1988-89 season when LSU’s Chris Jackson was the recipient. Last season, Kentucky’s Anthony Davis became the second winner of the Wayman Tisdale Award. Other notable previous winners of the national freshman of the year award include Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Jason Kidd and Chris Webber.
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 900 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57 season. For more information on the USBWA and its award programs, contact executive director Joe Mitch at 314-795-6821.
The award is to be presented to the national player of the year at the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards on April 14 at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. The Henry Iba Coach of the Year Award and the Integris Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year Award will also be presented at the gala to be held annually the week after the NCAA Men’s Final Four.