McClellan on Naismith Player of the Year List

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – University of Miami senior shooting guard Sheldon McClellan has been named a mid-season finalist for the Naismith Trophy Men’s College Player of the Year award, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Thursday.

He is one of 35 total players, including one of eight ACC players, on the list.

McClellan is the second-most efficient player in the country, according to KenPom.com, among players used in 20 percent of possessions.

McClellan has posted the seventh-best shooting percentage (53.4%) in the country among guards, and has the top shooting percentage among guards in the ACC, according to stats on NCAA.org on Feb. 11. McClellan’s 2-point shooting percentage is 61.8 percent this season.

The native of Houston has posted a true shooting percentage of 67.0 percent, good for 14th in the country, and has the 10th-best offensive rating in the country, according to KenPom.com.

McClellan is ninth in the ACC in scoring in league games (17.8), fifth in free throw percentage and ninth in steals. He has scored 20+ points in five outings and 14+ points in 16 games. He has scored 12+ in every ACC game, and 20+ in three league outings.

Miami is 6-0 this season, and 10-0 over the past two years, when McClellan scores 20+. 

McClellan is also currently on two other national player of the year watch lists: The Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award and the Oscar Robertson Trophy for the Men’s National Player of the Year.