UConn guard Solo Ball was named to the midseason watch list for the Jerry West Award, which is given annually to the best shooting guard in college basketball.
Ball was one of 10 players on the list released Tuesday by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the only representative of the Big East conference. The West Award is part of the Naismith Starting Five positional honors, which will continue to have midseason lists announced throughout the week.
The 6-foot-4 junior from Leesburg, Virginia, leads UConn in scoring at 14.6 points per game along with 3.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists. Starting to turn the corner after a shooting slump to start the season, Ball has found other ways to score and is connecting at a 51.7% clip from inside the arc. His 3-point percentage (29%) is steadily trending back up after he shot 41.4% from deep last season. He’s averaged 1.9 made 3s on 6.6 attempts per game through 21 outings.
Ball has had two 20-point outings this season with a career-high 26 in a game where he injured his wrist against Butler on Dec. 16. He recently broke out of a slump with five 3-pointers in a 24-point effort when the Huskies beat Villanova in overtime on Jan. 24.
UConn has had three Naismith Starting Five recipients in program history as Kemba Walker (2011), Shabazz Napier (2014) and Tristen Newton (2024) each claimed the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award as Huskies.
Jerry West Award midseason watch list
Brayden Burries, ArizonaCameron Carr, BaylorRichie Saunders, BYUIsaiah Evans, DukeEmanuel Sharp, HoustonKeaton Wagler, IllinoisDarryn Peterson, KansasSolo Ball, UConnDuke Miles, VanderbiltJohn Blackwell, Wisconsin
