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ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association
has announced finalists for the 2009 Oscar Robertson Trophy,
to be presented to the association's national player of the year.
 Teammates
Tyler Hansbrough and Ty Lawson of North Carolina are among the 15
players selected as finalists. Hansbrough, among three senior finalists,
was the 2008 Oscar Robertson Trophy winner, yet no player has won
back-to-back USBWA Player of the Year awards since Virginia's Ralph
Sampson won three straight from 1981-83.
The presentation of this year's award will take place on Friday,
April 3 at the USBWA's annual awards breakfast at the downtown Detroit
Athletic Club in conjunction with the Men's Final Four. The breakfast
will also honor the winner of the Henry Iba Award, the association's
coach of the year, as well as the 1979 Michigan State national championship
team that was led by Earvin "Magic" Johnson.
The Oscar Robertson Trophy is voted on by the entire membership
of the association, which consists of nearly 800 journalists. The
ballot will be distributed to the membership on Mon., March 2.
The following players are finalists for the Oscar Robertson Trophy:
|
2009 OSCAR ROBERTSON TROPHY FINALISTS |
| Pos. |
No. |
Player, School |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
Hometown |
| F |
45 |
DeJuan Blair,
Pittsburgh |
6-7 |
265 |
So. |
Pittsburgh, Pa. |
| G |
4 |
Sherron Collins,
Kansas |
5-11 |
200 |
Jr. |
Chicago, Ill. |
| F |
33 |
Dante Cunningham,
Villanova |
6-8 |
230 |
Sr. |
Silver Spring, Md. |
| G |
30 |
Stephen Curry,
Davidson |
6-3 |
185 |
Jr. |
Charlotte, N.C. |
| G |
12 |
Tyreke Evans,
Memphis |
6-6 |
219 |
Fr. |
Chester, Pa. |
| F |
23 |
Blake Griffin,
Oklahoma |
6-10 |
251 |
So. |
Oklahoma City, Okla. |
| F |
50 |
Tyler Hansbrough,
North Carolina |
6-9 |
250 |
Sr. |
Poplar Bluff, Mo. |
| F |
44 |
Luke Harangody,
Notre Dame |
6-8 |
255 |
Jr. |
Schererville, Ind. |
| G |
13 |
James Harden,
Arizona State |
6-5 |
218 |
So. |
Los Angeles, Calif. |
| G |
5 |
Ty Lawson, North
Carolina |
5-11 |
195 |
Jr. |
Clinton, Md. |
| G |
22 |
Jerel McNeal,
Marquette |
6-3 |
200 |
Sr. |
Chicago, Ill. |
| G |
23 |
Jodie Meeks, Kentucky |
6-4 |
208 |
Jr. |
Norcross, Ga. |
| C |
34 |
Hasheem Thabeet,
Connecticut |
7-3 |
263 |
Jr. |
Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania |
| G |
0 |
Jeff Teague, Wake
Forest |
6-2 |
180 |
So. |
Indianapolis, Ind. |
| G/F |
21 |
Evan Turner, Ohio
State |
6-7 |
205 |
So. |
Chicago, Ill. |
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.
Finalists for the Henry Iba Award will be announced on
Monday. The award has also been presented since 1959 and is named
for the legendary Oklahoma State coach.
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.
For more information on the USBWA and its awards, contact executive
director Joe Mitch at 314-421-0339.
Related links:
• Oscar Robertson Trophy
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