Aug. 6, 2003

WACO, Texas - Baylor junior Lawrence Roberts was named to the 2003-2004 Wooden Award Preseason All-America Team, the John R. Wooden Award selection committee announced Wednesday.

Roberts is one of 50 student-athletes named as preseason candidates for the Wooden Award, presented to the nation's most outstanding basketball performer and considered college basketball's most coveted trophy.

The 6-9 forward spent the summer working out with the USA Pan Am Games team, but missed the final cut after an injury to his knee. Roberts was one of 16 finalists for the team.

In 2002-2003 Roberts led the Big 12 with 10 double-doubles in league games and was the leading rebounder in conference games (11.4 per game). He was named All-Big 12 for the second straight year after averaging 15.2 points and 10.4 rebounds, one of three Big 12 players to average a double-double on the year. In 2001-2002 Roberts set a Big 12 freshman scoring record with 498 points en route to being named a freshman All-American and to the Big 12 All-Freshman team.

Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award is bestowed upon the nation's best player at an institution of higher education who has proven to his university that he is making progress toward graduation and maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA.

The 2004 Award ceremony, which will include the presentation of the Wooden Award All-American team and the presentation of the Legends of Coaching Award, will be held at the Los Angeles Athletic Club on Saturday, April 10, 2004, and will be broadcast live on a CBS telecast.

The top five finalists will receive a contribution from the John R. Wooden Award Scholarship Fund in their name to their university's general scholarship fund.