ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected 10 outstanding first-year players as finalists for its 2015 Integris Wayman Tisdale Award. Members of the association’s board of directors chose the players to be included on the list as contenders for the national freshman of the year award.

Ballots for this season’s USBWA men’s honors will be distributed today and the the association will announce the winner of the 2015 Integris Wayman Tisdale Award on Mon., March 16.

The award is to be officially presented to the national freshman 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 Oscar Robertson Trophy and the Henry Iba Coach of the Year Award will also be presented at the gala that is held annually the week following the NCAA Men’s Final Four.  Continue reading “Integris Wayman Tisdale Award Finalists Announced”

ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected ten outstanding first-year players for its 2014 Integris Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year Award Preseason Watch List. Members of the association’s board of directors chose the players to be included on the list as initial contenders for the national freshman of the year award. All NCAA Division I freshmen are eligible to win the award.

 

The award is to be presented to the national freshman of the year at the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards on April 14, 2014, at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. The Oscar Robertson Trophy and 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.

 

Kansas guard Andrew Wiggins, the association’s preseason selection for Freshman Player of the Year, is joined by teammate Wayne Selden on the watch list. But it’s Kentucky that dominates the list with four players — twin guards Aaron and Andrew Harrison, forward Julius Randle and guard James Young.

 

Rounding out the list are Syracuse guard Tyler Ennis, Arizona guard Aaron Gordon, Florida guard Kasey Hill and Duke forward Jabari Parker. The Southeastern Conference boasts five of the 10 players on the list. Seven of the 10 players are guards.

 

Following is the complete watch list:

 

2014 WAYMAN TISDALE AWARD PRESEASON WATCH LIST
Pos. Player, School (Ht., Wt., Yr., Hometown)
G Tyler Ennis, Syracuse (6-2, 180, Fr., Brampton, Ont.)
F Aaron Gordon, Arizona (6-9, 225, Fr., San Jose, Calif.)
G Aaron Harrison, Kentucky (6-6, 218, Fr., Richmond, Texas)
G Andrew Harrison, Kentucky (6-6, 215, Fr., Richmond, Texas)
G Kasey Hill, Florida (6-1, 181, Fr., Eustis, Fla.)
F Jabari Parker, Duke (6-8, 235, Fr., Chicago, Ill.)
F Julius Randle, Kentucky (6-9, 250, Fr., Dallas, Texas)
G Wayne Selden, Kansas (6-5, 230, Fr., Roxbury, Mass.)
G Andrew Wiggins, Kansas (6-8, 200, Fr., Vaughan, Ont.)
G James Young, Kentucky (6-6, 215, Fr., Rochester Hills, Mich.)
By conference: SEC (5) ACC (2) Big 12 (2), Pac-12 (1).

 

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, Oklahoma State’s Marcus Smart became the third winner of the Wayman Tisdale Award. Other notable previous winners of the national freshman of the year award include Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Jason Kidd and Chris Webber.

 

The Tisdale Award winner will receive a statuette designed by nationally-recognized sculptor Shan Gray. The April 14 banquet will also honor the recipient of the Wayman Tisdale Humanitarian Award.

 

The late Wayman Tisdale was a three-time USBWA All-American at the University of Oklahoma. Following a stint on the 1984 U.S. Olympic basketball team, he played 12 seasons in the NBA before retiring in 1997 to focus on a blossoming jazz music career. In March 2007, he was diagnosed with cancer and, following a courageous and difficult battle that included the amputation of his right leg in 2008, he passed away in May 2009.

 

The Integris Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year Award is produced by Access Sports, an Oklahoma City-based 501(c)(3) not-for-profit foundation responsible for creating the Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year Award. Access Sports produces all events associated with the award, including the annual awards dinner. Proceeds from the activities affiliated with the award are used to support various worthy charitable causes, including providing opportunities for disadvantaged youth to participate in basketball leagues, clinics, and training throughout the state. In addition, Access Sports supports the Wayman L. Tisdale Foundation which helps fund prosthetics for those who cannot afford the cost on their own and may not be covered by insurance.

 

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 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 its award programs, contact executive director Joe Mitch at 314-795-6821.

 

Related links:
Integris Wayman Tisdale Award
Integris Wayman Tisdale Award Logo

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.

Related link:
• Oscar Robertson Trophy presented by Aflac
• Integris Wayman Tisdale Award