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As the college basketball season rolls along, award watchlists continue to be released.
On Thursday, the Naismith Award, given to the national player of the year, released its list of 30 players.
Of the 30, three players play in the SEC: Kentucky’s Malik Monk and De’Aaron Fox, and South Carolina’s Sindarius Thornwell.
Monk currently leads the SEC in scoring at 21.9 points per game. If he finishes the season with 20+ PPG, Monk will be just the second SEC freshman since 1992-93 to average over 20 points per game in his freshman season, joining former Kentucky Wildcat Jamal Murray.
Fox currently leads the SEC with 5.5 assists per game, and picked up right where Tyler Ulis left off at the point guard position for Kentucky. Fox also averages 16 points per game.
Thornwell has done a little bit of everything for the Gamecocks this season. His 20.4 points per game would be the second best scoring average for South Carolina since 1992-93, behind Devan Downey in 2009-2010. Additionally, Thornwell’s 7.7 rebounds per game is second in the SEC. Thornwell would be the first SEC player since Shaquille O’Neal to average at least 20 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in a single season if the numbers hold.
The SEC has just two previous winners in the 47 year history of the Naismith Award: Pete Maravich (LSU, 1970) and Anthony Davis (Kentucky, 2012).
The full list of 30 can be found below.
Naismith Award Watch List
| FIRST | LAST | CLASS | POSITION | SCHOOL | CONFERENCE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIRST | LAST | CLASS | POSITION | SCHOOL | CONFERENCE |
| Dwayne | Bacon | Sophomore | G | Florida State | ACC |
| Lonzo | Ball | Freshman | G | UCLA | Pac 12 |
| Joel | Berry II | Junior | G | North Carolina | ACC |
| Dillon | Brooks | Junior | F | Oregon | Pac 12 |
| Jalen | Brunson | Sophomore | G | Villanova | Big East |
| Bonzie | Colson | Junior | F | Notre Dame | ACC |
| Jawun | Evans | Sophomore | PG | Oklahoma State | Big 12 |
| Marcus | Foster | Junior | G | Creighton | Big East |
| De'Aaron | Fox | Freshman | G | Kentucky | SEC |
| Markelle | Fultz | Freshman | G | Washington | Pac 12 |
| Ethan | Happ | R-Sophomore | F | Wisconsin | Big Ten |
| Josh | Hart | Senior | G | Villanova | Big East |
| Josh | Jackson | Freshman | G | Kansas | Big 12 |
| Justin | Jackson | Junior | F/G | North Carolina | ACC |
| Marcus | Keene | Junior | G | Central Michigan | MAC |
| Luke | Kennard | Sophomore | G | Duke | ACC |
| Jock | Landale | Junior | C | St. Mary's | West Coast |
| TJ | Leaf | Freshman | F | UCLA | Pac 12 |
| Lauri | Markkanen | Freshman | F | Arizona | Pac 12 |
| Frank | Mason III | Senior | G | Kansas | Big 12 |
| Donovan | Mitchell | Sophomore | G | Louisville | ACC |
| Malik | Monk | Freshman | G | Kentucky | SEC |
| Monte | Morris | Senior | G | Iowa State | Big 12 |
| Jonathan | Motley | Junior | F | Baylor | Big 12 |
| Alec | Peters | Senior | F | Valparaiso | Horizon League |
| Dennis | Smith Jr. | Freshman | G | NC State | ACC |
| Caleb | Swanigan | Sophomore | F | Purdue | Big Ten |
| Sindarius | Thornwell | Senior | G | South Carolina | SEC |
| Melo | Trimble | Junior | G | Maryland | Big Ten |
| Nigel | Williams-Goss | R-Junior | G | Gonzaga | West Coast |