Jones III, Miller Named to Naismith Watch List
11/7/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 7, 2011
WACO, Texas - Baylor men's basketball sophomore Perry Jones III and freshman Quincy Miller were named to the 2011-12 Naismith Trophy Preseason Watch List, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Monday.
Jones III and Miller were among five Big 12 players on the list, joining Kansas' Thomas Robinson, Missouri's Marcus Denmon and Texas A&M's Khris Middleton. This year's list includes the top men's college basketball players from 34 schools around the country.
The watch list was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club's Board of Selectors, which based its criteria on player performances from the previous year and expectations for the 2011-12 college basketball season. The Naismith Trophy will be awarded at the 2012 NCAA Men's Final Four in New Orleans.
Jones III, the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year, returned to Waco for his sophomore season after a freshman All-American season in 2010-11. PJ3, who was named to the Naismith Watch List a year ago, started a Baylor freshman-record 30 games a season ago, averaging 13.9 points and 7.2 rebounds in 33.9 minutes-per-game. He became the first player in program history to be named USBWA Freshman All-American, while also picking up Freshman All-American honors from Basketball Times and CollegeInsider.com.
Miller, a consensus top-10 recruit as a senior at North Carolina's Westchester Country Day School, was an honorable mention All-American and second-team All-Big 12 selection by Athlon. He was named a Jordan Brand Classic All-American as a high school senior, despite suffering a season-ending knee injury.
In late February, the Atlanta Tipoff Club's Board of Selectors will compile a mid-season team of the top 30 players in the nation. Then in March, the Naismith Trophy voting academy will vote to narrow the list to the four finalists.
Other notable Naismith Men's College Player of the Year winners include Bill Walton, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing and last year's winner, Jimmer Fredette. The Naismith Trophy is the most prestigious national award presented annually to college basketball's player of the year. For more information, visit www.naismithawards.com.
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ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB
The Atlanta Tipoff Club, an Atlanta Sports Council property, is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club, founded during the 1956-57 season, has presented the Naismith Trophy every year since UCLA's Lew Alcindor first won the award in 1969. Old Dominion's Anne Donovan won the inaugural Women's Naismith Trophy in 1983.
The Naismith Award has become the most prestigious award in all of college basketball, recognizing the Men's and Women's College Basketball Player of the Year, Men's and Women's College Basketball Coach of the Year, as well as awards for outstanding achievement in high school basketball, officiating, and contribution to the game.
