Top Ten Collegiate Small Forwards Named as Candidates
SPRINGFIELD, MASS. – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today the 10 candidates for the 2018 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award. Named after Hall of Famer and 11-time NBA All-Star Julius Erving, the annual honor in its fourth year recognizes the top small forwards in Division I men’s college basketball. A national committee comprised of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 21 candidates in October, which has now been narrowed to just 10.
“Julius Erving was a standout player at both the collegiate and professional level for nearly thirty years, taking the position of small forward to new heights,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “The ten young men recognized as candidates for the Julius Erving Award have shown glimpses of Dr. J’s skillset and we’re excited to see them compete as we head toward tournament play.”
Julius Erving attended the University of Massachusetts 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 where he shined for five years 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. In 1996, Erving was named a member of the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team and in 1993 he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
In March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. Erving and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee for the 2018 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award. The winner will be honored at ESPN’s College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy’s in downtown Los Angeles on Friday, April 6, 2018. Additional awards being presented include the Bob Cousy Point Guard Award, the Jerry West Shooting Guard Award, the Karl Malone Power Forward Award and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center Award. Broadcast information will be released at a later date.
Previous winners of the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award include Josh Hart, Villanova (2017), Denzel Valentine, Michigan State (2016) and Stanley Johnson, Arizona (2015). For more information on the Julius Erving Award, visit www.HoophallAwards.com.
2018 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award Candidates
|
Kelan Martin |
Butler |
|
Jacob Evans |
Cincinnati |
|
Gary Trent Jr. |
Duke |
|
Kevin Knox |
Kentucky |
|
Deng Adel |
Louisville |
|
Miles Bridges |
Michigan St. |
|
Keita Bates-Diop |
Ohio St. |
|
Vincent Edwards |
Purdue |
|
Mikal Bridges |
Villanova |
|
Trevon Bluiett |
Xavier |
*Players can play their way onto and off of the list at any point in the 2017-18 season*
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.
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