By Paul M. Banks
ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has announced finalists for the 2010 Oscar Robertson Trophy, to be presented to the association’s national player of the year.
Three of the 16 finalists hail from the Chicago area: Ohio State’s Evan “His Royal Smoothness” Turner, Kansas’ Sherron Collins, and Duke’s Jon Scheyer. There’s a second member from the Big Ten, Purdue’s Robbie Hummell. And another rep from a quasi-“Chicago area team” Notre Dame’s Luke Harangody.
The nation’s top two ranked teams are well represented. Joining Collins from the top-ranked Jayhawks is teammate Cole Aldrich. Also, among the finalists is a pair of freshman teammates from No. 2 Kentucky, DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall.
The presentation of this year’s award will take place on Friday, April 2 at the USBWA’s annual awards breakfast at the Columbia Club in Indianapolis in conjunction with the NCAA Men’s Final Four. The breakfast will also honor the winner of the Henry Iba Award, the association’s coach of the year.
The Oscar Robertson Trophy is voted on by the entire membership of the association, which consists of nearly 900 journalists. The ballot will be distributed to the membership on Mon., March 1. (I’m not sure who I’m going to vote for….but I bet you can guess who my front-runner is, as of now!)
Here’s the list of finalists for the Oscar Robertson Trophy:
Where highlighted, click the player’s name for an exclusive interview profile.
Cole Aldrich, F, Kansas (6-11, 245, Jr., Bloomington, Minn.)
James Anderson, G, Oklahoma State (6-6, 210, Jr., Junction City, Ark.)
Sherron Collins, G, Kansas (5-11, 205, Sr., Chicago, Ill.)
DeMarcus Cousins, F, Kentucky (6-11, 260, Fr., Mobile, Ala.)
Devan Downey, G, South Carolina (5-9, 170, Sr., Chester, S.C.)
Jimmer Fredette, G, BYU (6-2, 195, Jr., Glens Falls, N.Y.)
Luke Harangody, F, Notre Dame (6-8, 246, Sr., Schererville, Ind.)
Robbie Hummel, F, Purdue (6-8, 208, Jr., Valparaiso, Ind.)
Damion James, G/F, Texas (6-7, 225, Sr., Nacogdoches, Texas)
Wesley Johnson, F, Syracuse (6-7, 205, Jr., Corsicana, Texas)
Dominique Jones, G, South Florida (6-4, 215, Jr., Lake Wales, Fla.)
Greg Monroe, C, Georgetown (6-11, 247, So., New Orleans, La.)
Scottie Reynolds, G, Villanova (6-2, 190, Se., Herndon, Va.)
Jon Scheyer, G, Duke (6-5, 190, Sr., Northbrook, Ill.)
Evan “His Royal Smoothness” Turner, G/F, Ohio State (6-7, 205, So., Chicago, Ill.)
John Wall, G, Kentucky (6-4, 195, Fr., Raleigh, N.C.)
The Oscar Robertson Trophy is awarded to the USBWA’s Player of the Year. It is the nation’s oldest award and the only one named after a former player. The legendary Oscar Robertson was the USBWA’s first player of the year in 1959. The USBWA renamed its player of the year award the Oscar Robertson Trophy in 1998.
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. Today, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball.