by Wichita State’s Ron Baker (Citizen Band Potawatomi) has been named to the finalist list (among 14 total players in the nation) for the 2015 Oscar Robertson Trophy.
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected 14 outstanding players as finalists for the 2015 Oscar Robertson Trophy, as selected by the association’s board of directors.
The award is to be presented to the national player of the year at the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards on April 14 at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. The Henry Iba Coach of the Year Award and the Integris Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year Awardwill also be presented at the gala to be held annually the week after the NCAA Men’s Final Four.
Four players from four different Atlantic Coast Conference schools headline the list along with Gonzaga teammates Kevin Pangos and Kyle Wiltjer. Two of the selections, Wiltjer and Ohio State’s D’Angelo Russell, have been recognized as Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week this season. This past week, Wiltjer won the award for the second time.
Overall, seven conferences are represented and among the finalists are five seniors, six juniors, one sophomore and two freshmen.
Following is the complete list of finalists:
| 2015 OSCAR ROBERTSON TROPHY FINALISTS (14) | ||||||
| Pos. | No. | Player, School | Ht. | Wt. | Yr. | Hometown |
| G | 31 | Ron Baker, Wichita State | 6-4 | 220 | Jr. | Scott City, Kan. |
| G | 15 | Malcolm Brogdon, Virginia | 6-5 | 215 | Jr. | Atlanta, Ga. |
| F | 15 | Willie Cauley-Stein, Kentucky | 7-0 | 240 | Jr. | Olathe, Kan. |
| F | 25 | Rakeem Christmas, Syracuse | 6-9 | 250 | Jr. | Phildelphia, Pa. |
| G | 22 | Jerian Grant, Notre Dame | 6-5 | 204 | Sr. | Bowie, Md. |
| F | 44 | Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin | 7-0 | 242 | Sr. | Lisle, Ill. |
| F | 31 | Georges Niang, Iowa State | 6-8 | 230 | Jr. | Methuen, Mass. |
| C | 15 | Jahlil Okafor, Duke | 6-11 | 270 | Fr. | Chicago, Ill. |
| G | 4 | Kevin Pangos, Gonzaga | 6-2 | 182 | Sr. | Holland Landing, Ont. |
| F | 10 | Bobby Portis, Arkansas | 6-11 | 242 | So. | Little Rock, Ark. |
| G | 0 | D’Angelo Russell, Ohio State | 6-5 | 180 | Fr. | Louisville, Ky. |
| F | 10 | Seth Tuttle, Northern Iowa | 6-8 | 240 | Sr. | Sheffield, Iowa |
| F | 33 | Kyle Wiltjer, Gonzaga | 6-10 | 240 | Jr. | Portland, Ore. |
| G | 55 | Delon Wright, Utah | 6-5 | 190 | Sr. | Los Angeles, Calif. |
| By conference: ACC (4); Big Ten (2); Missouri Valley (2); SEC (2); West Coast (2); Big 12 (1); Pac-12 (1). | ||||||
| By class: Seniors (5); Juniors (6); Sophomores (1); Freshmen (2). | ||||||
While these standout players are the leading contenders to be named to the USBWA’s All-America Team, all Division I players remain eligible for postseason honors from the USBWA. The association will announce its 2015 All-America Team in mid-March. Ballots for this season’s USBWA men’s honors will be distributed to the entire membership on Mon., March 2.
Tickets and sponsorship information for the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards are available atcollegebasketballawards.com or by contacting Scott Hill (405-749-1515, scott.hill@access-sports.net). The April 14 banquet will also honor Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim as the recipient of the Wayman Tisdale Humanitarian Award.
Since the 1958-59 season, the USBWA has named a National Player of the Year. In 1998, the award was named in honor of the University of Cincinnati Hall of Famer and two-time USBWA Player of the Year Oscar Robertson.
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 900 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57 season. For more information on the USBWA and the Oscar Robertson Trophy, contact executive director Joe Mitch at 314-795-6821.
