ATLANTA -- The preseason candidates for the 2008-09 Naismith Trophy were announced today by the Atlanta Tipoff Club and BYU’s Lee Cummard was named one of 50 preseason candidates for the award. 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.
Cummard, also a 2008-09 John R. Wooden Award preseason candidate, is the reigning Mountain West Conference Player of the Year and a three-year starter. He earned Associated Press All-America honorable mention last year after leading the Cougars to a 27-8 overall record and their second straight outright MWC title. Cummard is enjoying another All-America caliber season in 2008-09, leading BYU to a 10-0 start while averaging 18.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game while shooting .595 from the field, .483 from downtown and .857 on free throws.
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 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.
ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB
The Atlanta Tipoff Club, an Atlanta Sports Council property, is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club, founded in 1956, has presented the Naismith Trophy since UCLA’s Lew Alcindor first won the award in 1969. Old Dominion’s Anne Donovan won the inaugural Women’s Naismith Trophy in 1983. The Naismith Award has become an emblem of excellence for the game, recognizing the Men’s and Women’s College Basketball Player of the Year, Men’s and Women’s College Basketball Coach of the Year, as well as awards for outstanding achievement in high school basketball, officiating, and contribution to the game.
ABOUT AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their offerings are the world's most advanced IP-based business communications services and the nation's leading wireless, high speed Internet access and voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of its three-screen integration strategy, AT&T is expanding its TV entertainment offerings. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at www.att.com.
2008-09 Naismith Trophy Early Season Watch List:
Last First Class Pos. 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. G/F Florida
Clark Earl Jr. G/F 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. G/F 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. G/F 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. G/F Alabama-Birmingham
Wilkinson Gary Sr. Forward Utah State
Young Sam Sr. Forward Pittsburgh