UConn guard named to watch list for Jerry West Award

UConn junior Solo Ball was named to the preseason top-20 watch list for the Jerry West Award on Tuesday.

The recognition, part of the Naismith Starting Five Awards, is annually given to the top shooting guard in college basketball. And Ball, after a breakout sophomore campaign, figures to be a legitimate candidate.

The Leesburg, Va., native averaged 14.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game while shooting 41.4% from beyond the arc last season. His 99 made 3-pointers are the fourth-most in a single-season in UConn program history. Ball made it a clear focus this offseason to develop in other areas of the game – shot creation, playmaking, on-ball defense – and set a personal goal to establish himself as an All-American and a potential first round draft pick by season’s end.

Ball was voted to the Big East’s preseason first team by the league’s coaches at the conference media day last week.

UConn point guard Silas Demary Jr., the junior Georgia transfer, was named to the watch list for the Bob Cousy Award, which goes annually to the nation’s top point guard. The remaining watch lists – the Julius Erving (small forward), Karl Malone (power forward) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (centers) – will continue to be released throughout the week.

UConn has never had a player win the West Award, which was introduced in 2015.

Jerry West Award watch list

Solo Ball, UConn; John Blackwell, Wisconsin; Kylan Boswell, Illinois; Brayden Burries, Arizona; Ryan Conwell, Louisville; Josh Dix, Creighton.

Isaiah Evans, Duke; Jason Edwards, Providence; Mason Falslev, Utah State; PJ Haggerty, Kansas State; Ian Jackson, St. John’s. Xaivian Lee, Florida; Otega Oweh, Kentucky.

Rodney Rice, USC; Anthony Roy, Oklahoma State; Richie Saunders, BYU; Emanuel Sharp, Houston; Malik Thomas, Virginia; Seth Trimble, North Carolina; Wesley Yates III, Washington.