Walker IV Named to Jerry West Award Watch List
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – University of Miami freshman Lonnie Walker IV was among 20 players named to the watch list for the 2018 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Tuesday.
Walker joins the Hurricanes after guiding Reading High School to its first Pennsylvania 6A High School State Championship and earning Mr. PA Basketball honors in May. The 6’5” guard was also named a McDonald’s and Jordan Brand All-American and was regarded as a consensus Top-15 prospect coming out of high school.
Walker is the first Hurricane to be named to the Jerry West Award watch list since Sheldon McClellan in 2015.
Named after Hall of Famer and 1959 NCAA Final Four Most Valuable Player Jerry West, the annual honor in its fourth year recognizes the top shooting guards in Division I men’s college basketball. A national committee comprised of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.
“Jerry West is one of the best shooting guards to ever play the game and by far one of the most competitive personalities in the game as well,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “These twenty collegiate athletes have worked tirelessly to earn their spots on this watch list and have shown similar work ethics and skills as the esteemed Jerry West.”
Jerry West attended West Virginia University and averaged 24.8 points and 13.3 rebounds per game in his three varsity seasons. He led his team to the NCAA Championship game in 1959 and was named a consensus All-American in 1959 and 1960. In the summer of 1960, he was co-captain of the U.S. men’s basketball team and won an Olympic gold medal. As a professional player, West played 14 seasons in the NBA with the Lakers making the All-NBA First Team 10 times. West won an NBA championship in 1972 and was named the NBA Finals MVP in 1969 despite his team not winning the championship. In 1996, he was named a member of the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.
“Now in its fourth year, this award’s committee continually compiles a list of the best shooting guards in collegiate basketball,” said Jerry West, a 1979 inductee of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “It is truly an honor be associated with this award and I am looking forward to seeing the level of competitiveness and talent each of these candidates exhibits this upcoming season.”
By mid-February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2018 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award will be narrowed to just 10. In March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. West and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. The winner of the 2018 Jerry West Award will be presented at the ESPN College Basketball Awards Show presented by Wendy’s in Los Angeles, CA on Friday, April 6, 2018. Broadcast information will be released at a later date.
Previous winners of the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award include Malik Monk, Kentucky (2017), Buddy Hield, Oklahoma (2016) and D’Angelo Russell, Ohio State (2015).
2018 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award Candidates
Allonzo Trier, Arizona
Mustapha Heron, Auburn
Jerome Robinson, Boston College
TJ Haws, BYU
Marcus Foster, Creighton
Grayson Allen, Duke
KeVaughn Allen, Florida
MJ Walker, Florida State
Rob Gray, Houston
Malik Newman, Kansas
Hamidou Diallo, Kentucky
Lonnie Walker IV, Miami
Quinndary Weatherspoon, Mississippi St.
E.C. Matthews, Rhode Island
Khadeen Carrington, Seton Hall
Shamorie Ponds, St. John’s
Tyus Battle, Syracuse
Andrew Jones, Texas
De’Anthony Melton, USC
Daxter Miles Jr. West Virginia
