Fredette Named to Naismith Preseason Watch List

ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Tipoff Club announced today that BYU guard Jimmer Fredette has been named to the 2010-11 Naismith preseason watch list. This year’s diverse list includes the top men’s college basketball players from 44 schools around the country.

Fredette has also been named to the John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 and a preseason All-American by the Associated Press, SI.com/Sports Illustrated, ESPN.com, Sporting News, Blue Ribbon Magazine, Athlon Sports, Basketball Times and Dick Vitale. Last season, Fredette averaged 22.1 points and 4.7 assists while leading BYU to 30 victories and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

In BYU’s season 2010-11 season opener, he scored 24 points and dished out eight assists in an 83-56 victory over Fresno State.

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 2010-11 college basketball season. The Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T* will be awarded at the 2011 NCAA Men’s Final Four in Houston.

“This year’s watch list features an incredible array of talent from across the country, which will create a tremendous challenge for our voting academy in determining the winner of the most prestigious trophy in college basketball,” said Eric Oberman, Atlanta Tipoff Club executive director.

Since 2005, presenting sponsor AT&T has set the standard in allowing fans to participate in determining the trophy winner. Through the power and ease of text messaging**, fan voting will account for 25 percent of all of the final results – more than any other national college basketball award.

In February, during CBS’ coverage of college basketball, the “AT&T at the Half” segment will feature a Naismith Trophy update highlighting the players in contention for the award.

“AT&T is excited to watch the performances of these student-athletes in the coming season, and we look forward to following their successes,” said Jason Simpson, executive director, AT&T Corporate Sponsorships. “At AT&T, we’re all about connecting people to what matters most to them, so we’re proud to continue our relationship with the Naismith Trophy and give basketball fans a say in determining the next Men’s College Player of the Year.”

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 David Robinson. The Naismith Trophy is the most prestigious national award presented annually to college basketball’s player of the year.

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.

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.

2010-11 Naismith Trophy Preseason Watch List
Lavoy Allen          Temple
Kevin Anderson       Richmond
Harrison Barnes      North Carolina
Will Barton          Memphis
Talor Battle         Penn State
Keith Benson         Oakland
William Buford       Ohio State
Alec Burks           Colorado
Randy Culpepper      UTEP
Malcolm Delaney      Virginia Tech
Kim English          Missouri
Kenneth Faried       Morehead State
Corey Fisher         Villanova
Jimmer Fredette      BYU
Austin Freeman       Georgetown
Ashton Gibbs         Pittsburgh
Elias Harris         Gonzaga
Jeremy Hazell        Seton Hall
Kyrie Irving         Duke
Charles Jenkins      Hofstra
JaJuan Johnson       Purdue
Kevin Jones          West Virginia
Perry Jones          Baylor
Kris Joseph          Syracuse
Brandon Knight       Kentucky
Kawhi Leonard        San Diego State
Jon Leuer            Wisconsin
Kalin Lucas          Michigan State
Shelvin Mack         Butler
Demetri McCarney     Illinois
E’Twaun Moore        Purdue
Marcus Morris        Kansas
Chandler Parsons     Florida
Jacob Pullen         Kansas State
Kyle Singler         Duke
Chris Singleton      Florida State
John Shurna          Northwestern
Nolan Smith          Duke
Jared Sullinger      Ohio State
Durrell Summers      Michigan State
Jeff Taylor          Vanderbilt
Isaiah Thomas        Washington
Trey Thompkins       Georgia
Klay Thompson        Washington State
Kemba Walker         Connecticut
Chris Warren         Mississippi
Derrick Williams     Arizona
Jordan Williams      Maryland
Chris Wright         Dayton
Tyler Zeller         North Carolina