The college basketball season officially closed out tonight with the sport’s top coaches, players (past and present) and Hollywood stars all gathering at The College Basketball Awards Presented by Wendy’s televised live on ESPN2 from The NOVO by Microsoft at L.A. Live. Eight prestigious, end-of-season awards were presented to the game’s best and brightest during the 90-minute telecast.
Hosted by ESPN’s Rece Davis, Jay Bilas, Seth Greenberg and Jay Williams with reporter Molly McGrath, the celebratory special reviewed the season’s highlights and saw appearances by actors Mayim Bialik (The Big Bang Theory) and Danny Pudi (Community) and former Wooden Award winners TJ Ford and Ralph Sampson.
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 the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award Presented by College of the Holy Cross and four positional honors created and managed by the Basketball Hall of Fame: 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. Previously announced 2017 Wooden Legends of Coaching Award, Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw, took the stage after a heartfelt introduction by former standout player from her 2001 national championship-winning team, Ruth Riley.
2017 Basketball Hall of Fame Award Winners
Bob Cousy Award presented by College of the Holy Cross: Frank Mason III, Kansas
Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award: Malik Monk, Kentucky
Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award: Josh Hart, Villanova
Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award: Johnathan Motley, Baylor
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award: Przemek Karnowski, Gonzaga
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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