Naismith Trophy: Top 50 Watch List
ATLANTA (Dec. 18,
2008) – University of North
Carolina forward Tyler Hansbrough takes aim at becoming just the third repeat
winner in the 40-year history of the Naismith Trophy as he headlines the 2008-09
preseason watch list, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced today. Hansbrough, the
third Tar Heel and 16th recipient from the Atlantic Coast Conference
(ACC) to win the Naismith Trophy, would join UCLA’s Bill Walton (1972, 73, 74)
and Virginia’s Ralph Sampson (1981, 82, 83) as the only multiple winners of the
award, if he repeats again this year. The 6-9 senior from Poplar Bluff, Mo., is
joined by teammates Wayne Ellington and Ty Lawson on the
list.
The Big East
Conference placed 11 candidates on the watch list, followed by the ACC with
seven. The Southeastern Conference (SEC) and Pacific 10 (PAC-10) each placed
six.
The watch list was
compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors, which based its
criteria on player performances from the previous year and expectations for the
2008-09 college basketball season. The watch list does not include incoming
freshmen, although those student-athletes will be considered in the first vote
in February, 2009. The Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T will be awarded
at the 2009 NCAA Men’s Final Four in Detroit, Mich.
“The talent level
across all conferences continues to impress, and that will create an even
greater challenge for our voting academy when it comes time to select the winner
in April,” said Gary Stokan, Atlanta Tipoff Club president. “And we look
forward to this special season, our 40th anniversary of the most
prestigious trophy in all of college basketball.”
For the sixth
consecutive season, presenting sponsor AT&T will once again set the standard
in allowing fans to participate in determining this year’s winner. Through the
power and ease of text messaging, fan voting will account for an unprecedented
25% of the final results – more than any other national college basketball
award. At the beginning of February, CBS’ “AT&T at the Half” will feature a
weekly Naismith Trophy update highlighting the players in contention.
In February, the
Naismith Trophy voting academy, comprised of leading basketball journalists,
coaches and administrators from around the country, will narrow its early season
list to the Top 30 players in the nation. Those players, and others who
distinguish themselves throughout the season, will be eligible for the final
ballot in March.
Other notable
Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year winners include Bill Walton, Larry
Bird, Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing and David Robinson. The Naismith Trophy is
the most prestigious national award presented annually to college basketball’s
player of the year.
For more information,
visit www.naismithawards.com.
2008-09 Naismith
Trophy Early Season Watch List:
|
Last |
First |
Class |
Position |
School |
|
Abrams |
A.J. |
Sr. |
Guard |
Texas
|
|
Adrien |
Jeff |
Sr. |
Forward |
Connecticut |
|
Akognon |
Josh |
Sr. |
Guard |
Cal. St.
Fullerton |
|
Blair |
DeJuan |
So. |
Forward |
Pittsburgh |
|
Brockman |
Jon |
Sr. |
Forward |
Washington |
|
Brown |
Derrick |
Jr.
|
Forward |
Xavier |
|
Budinger |
Chase |
Jr. |
Forward |
Arizona |
|
Calathes |
Nick |
So. |
Guard/Forward |
Florida |
|
Clark |
Earl |
Jr. |
Guard/Forward |
Louisville |
|
Collins |
Sherron |
Jr. |
Guard |
Kansas |
|
Collison |
Darren |
Sr. |
Guard |
UCLA |
|
Cummard |
Lee |
Sr. |
Guard |
Brigham Young
|
|
Curry |
Stephen |
Jr. |
Guard |
Davidson |
|
Downey |
Devan |
Jr.
|
Guard |
South
Carolina |
|
Dozier |
Robert |
Sr. |
Forward |
Memphis |
|
Ellington |
Wayne |
Jr. |
Guard |
North
Carolina |
|
Gibson |
Taj |
Jr. |
Forward |
Southern
California |
|
Griffin |
Blake |
So. |
Forward |
Oklahoma |
|
Hansbrough |
Tyler |
Sr. |
Forward |
North
Carolina |
|
Harangody |
Luke |
Jr. |
Forward |
Notre
Dame |
|
Harden |
James |
So. |
Guard |
Arizona
State |
|
Henderson |
Gerald |
Jr.
|
Guard/Forward |
Duke |
|
Heytvelt |
Josh |
Sr. |
Forward |
Gonzaga |
|
Hudson |
Lester |
Sr. |
Guard |
University of
Tennessee-Martin |
|
Hummel |
Robbie |
So. |
Forward |
Purdue |
|
James |
Dominic |
Sr. |
Guard |
Marquette |
|
James |
Damion |
Jr. |
Guard/Forward |
Texas
|
|
Jerrells |
Curtis |
Sr. |
Guard |
Baylor |
|
Lawal |
Gani |
So. |
Forward |
Georgia
Tech |
|
Lawson |
Ty |
Jr. |
Guard |
North
Carolina |
|
Maynor |
Eric |
Sr. |
Guard |
Virginia Commonwealth
|
|
Mayo |
Josh |
Sr. |
Guard |
Illinois-Chicago |
|
McAlarney |
Kyle |
Sr. |
Guard |
Notre
Dame |
|
McClinton |
Jack |
Sr. |
Guard |
Miami |
|
McNeal |
Jerel |
Sr. |
Guard |
Marquette |
|
Mills |
Patrick |
So. |
Guard |
Saint
Mary's |
|
Moore |
E'Twaun |
So. |
Guard |
Purdue |
|
Morgan |
Raymar |
Jr. |
Forward |
Michigan
State |
|
Ogilvy |
A.J. |
So. |
Center |
Vanderbilt |
|
Pargo |
Jeremy |
Sr. |
Guard |
Gonzaga |
|
Patterson |
Patrick |
So. |
Forward |
Kentucky |
|
Price |
A.J. |
Sr. |
Guard |
Connecticut |
|
Reynolds |
Scottie |
Jr. |
Guard |
Villanova |
|
Rice |
Tyrese |
Sr. |
Guard |
Boston
College |
|
Smith |
Tyler |
Jr. |
Forward |
Tennessee |
|
Steele |
Ronald |
Sr. |
Guard |
Alabama |
|
Thabeet |
Hasheem |
Jr. |
Center |
Connecticut |
|
Vaden |
Robert |
Sr. |
Guard/Forward |
Alabama-Birmingham |
|
Wilkinson |
Gary |
Sr. |
Forward |
Utah
State |
|
Young |
Sam |
Sr. |
Forward |
Pittsburgh |
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