LOS ANGELES, CA - College basketball’s top coaches and players past and present spent one last night honoring the season that was, tonight. The College Basketball Awards Presented by Wendy’s televised live on ESPN2 from The Novo by Microsoft at L.A. Live saw eight prestigious, end-of-season awards presented to basketball’s very best during the 90-minute telecast hosted by ESPN’s Rece Davis, Jay Bilas, Seth Greenberg and Jay Williams with reporter Molly McGrath.
The College Basketball Awards Presented by Wendy’s – in coordination with the Los Angeles Athletic Club and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame – included the exclusive presentation of the John R. Wooden Award Men’s Player of the Year presented by Wendy’s, John R. Wooden Award Women’s Player of the Year presented by Wendy’s, as well as five honors created and managed by the Basketball Hall of Fame: Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award, Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award, Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award, Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award.
Hall of Famers Abdul-Jabbar, Erving, Malone and West presented their named awards while Ann Meyers Drysdale reflected on the life of Coach Wooden. Chiney Ogwumike handed out the women’s Wooden Award. In addition, this year’s John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award recipient, Villanova Head Coach Jay Wright, took the stage after a touching introduction by his former player Randy Foye who, among other things, credited him with giving him the courage and support to overcome his fear of public speaking.
The 2018 Basketball Hall of Fame Award Winners:
Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award: Jalen Brunson, Villanova
Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award: Carsen Edwards, Purdue
Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award: Mikal Bridges, Villanova
Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award: Deandre Ayton, Arizona
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award: Angel Delgado, Seton Hall
Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award: Deandre Ayton, Arizona
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award: Angel Delgado, Seton Hall
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was invented, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves the game of basketball at every level – professional, collegiate and high school, for both men and women on the global stage.