SPRINGFIELD, MASS. – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today the 24 watch list finalists for the 2014 Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year Award. Named after Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic Bob Cousy, the annual honor recognizes the top point guards in men’s college basketball. The original watch list of 80 candidates was narrowed down to the below list of 24 by a nationally based committee.
“The 24 athletes on this list represent the most committed, determined and skillful point guards in college basketball,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “We are honored to be recognizing their strengths and are excited to move forward in the selection process.”
“The men on this list all have the athletic qualities of an exceptional true point guard in the game of college basketball, the same qualities that made Mr. Cousy an iconic player,” said Ken Kaufman, Chair of the Bob Cousy Award and former president of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). “All of these young men are on this list because they deserve to be competing for this well-respected award.”
Beginning Tuesday February 18th through Monday March 10th, fans from around the country will have the chance to vote for the top point guard in college basketball – fan voting begins on www.cousyaward.com at 10:00AM EST. The current listing of 24 finalists for the 2014 Bob Cousy Award will be narrowed down to five players by early March. The final five players in contention for the award will be presented to Mr. Cousy and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. The Hall of Fame committee is made up of top college basketball personnel including media members, head coaches, Hall of Famers and Sports Information Directors. The winner of the 2014 Bob Cousy Award will be presented at the Hall of Fame’s Class Announcement on Championship Monday in North Texas as part of NCAA Final Four weekend.
Previous winners of the Bob Cousy Award have included Raymond Felton (North Carolina), Dee Brown (Illinois), Acie Law (Texas A & M), DJ Augustin (Texas), Ty Lawson (North Carolina), Greivis Vasquez (Maryland), Kemba Walker (Connecticut), Kendall Marshall (North Carolina) and last year’s recipient Trey Burke (Michigan). For more information on the 2014 Bob Cousy Award, log onto www.CousyAward.com.
2014 Bob Cousy Award Candidates
Jahii Carson, Arizona State University
Billy Baron, Canisius College
Kevin Pangos, Gonzaga University
Siyani Chambers, Harvard University
Yogi Ferrell, Indiana University
DeAndre Kane, Iowa State University
Jason Brickman, LIU Brooklyn
Keith Appling, Michigan State University
Aaron Craft, Ohio State University
Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State University
Xavier Thames, San Diego State University
Tyler Ennis, Syracuse University
T.J. McConnell, University of Arizona
Justin Cobbs, University of California, Berkeley
Kyle Anderson, University of California, Los Angeles
Shabazz Napier, University of Connecticut
Scottie Wilbekin, University of Florida
Chaz Williams, University of Massachusetts
Kendall Williams, University of New Mexico
Marcus Paige, University of North Carolina
Eric Atkins, University of Notre Dame
James Robinson, University of Pittsburgh
Juwan Staten, West Virginia University
Fred VanVleet, Wichita State University