Wednesday, October 25, 2023

- Starting Five Fan Voting, Presented by Dell Technologies, Begins Friday, October 27 -

 

SPRINGFIELD, MASS. — The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the 20 watch-list members for the 2024 Julius Erving Award. Named after Class of 1993 Hall of Famer and 16-year professional basketball player Julius Erving, the annual honor, in its tenth year, recognizes the top small forwards in Division I men’s college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.

 

“As the 2023-24 season approaches, we are excited to watch the small forwards on the 2024 Julius Erving Award Watch List take the court and prove why we have selected them as the Top 20 to watch this season,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. “We are honored to have the great ‘Dr. J’ assist our selection committee as they evaluate these student-athletes throughout the season.” 

 

2024 Julius Erving Award Candidates* 

Jalen Bridges

Baylor

David Joplin

Marquette

Jaylon Tyson

Cal

Matthew Cleveland

Miami (Fla.)

Baylor Scheierman

Creighton 

Coen Carr

Michigan State

Tucker DeVries

Drake

Harrison Ingram

North Carolina

Mark Mitchell

Duke

Jamison Battle

Ohio State

Anton Watson

Gonzaga

Glenn Taylor Jr.

St. John’s

Payton Sandfort

Iowa

Dalton Knecht

Tennessee 

Johnny Furphy

Kansas

Tyler Burton

Villanova

Arthur Kaluma

Kansas State

Dillon Jones

Weber State

Justin Edwards

Kentucky

Tyler Wahl

Wisconsin 

 *Players can play their way onto and off of the list at any point in the 2023-24 season.

 

Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting, presented by Dell Technologies, in each of the three rounds beginning Friday, October 27. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2024 Julius Erving Award will be narrowed to 10, and then in late February, to just five. In March, the five finalists will be presented to Erving and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee, where a winner will be selected. 

 

The winner of the 2024 Julius Erving Award will be presented on a to be determined date, along with the other four members of the Men’s Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Bob Cousy Award (Point Guard), Jerry West Award (Shooting Guard), Karl Malone Award (Power Forward), and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award (Center), in addition to the Women’s Starting Five.

 

Previous winners of the Julius Erving Award are Jalen Wilson, Kansas (2023), Wendell Moore Jr., Duke (2022), Corey Kispert, Gonzaga (2021), Saddiq Bey, Villanova (2020), Rui Hachimura, Gonzaga (2019), Mikal Bridges, Villanova (2018), Josh Hart, Villanova (2017), Denzel Valentine, Michigan State (2016), and Stanley Johnson, Arizona (2015).

For more information on the 2024 Julius Erving Award and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophallu and #ErvingAward on Twitter and Instagram. 

 

About Julius Erving

Julius Erving attended the University of Massachusetts (1968-70) and averaged 26.3 points and 20.2 rebounds per game, making him one of only six NCAA men’s basketball players to average more than 20 points and 20 rebounds per game. After two seasons, Erving made the jump to the American Basketball Association and was the league’s most recognizable player when it merged with the National Basketball Association in 1976. During his professional career, Erving won three championships, four Most Valuable Player awards, and three scoring titles. He was named a member of the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1996 and was listed as one of the league’s 75 greatest players in 2021.

 

About the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame 

Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving, and celebrating the game of basketball at every level—men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches, and contributors—both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 400 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits, and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo "Court of Dreams." Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game’s elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 70 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum and events, visit hoophall.com, follow @hoophall and or call 1-877-4HOOPLA.