Oklahoma State University Athletics
Wooden Award Names Cunningham To Preseason Top-50
December 01, 2020 | Cowboy Basketball
STILLWATER – Oklahoma State star guard Cade Cunningham was featured on the John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top-50 Watch List, which was released Tuesday by the Los Angeles Athletic Club.
The Wooden Award is given annually to the most outstanding men's and women's players in college basketball, and it's recipients are a who's who of basketball royalty - Larry Bird ('79), Michael Jordan ('84), Tim Duncan ('97), Kevin Durant ('07), Candace Parker ('07; '08), Maya Moore ('09; '11) and Breanna Stewart ('15 and '16).
Cunningham, who was also named to the 2021 Naismith Trophy and Bob Cousy Award watch lists, was the lone freshman named to the Associated Press Preseason All-America team. CBS Sports name him their Preseason Freshman of the Year, a Preseason All-America First Team selection and listed him at No. 2 on their ranking of the top 101 players in college basketball for 2020-21.
The Arlington, Texas native led the Cowboys to a couple of wins in the opening week of the season with a pair of 20-point performances. Cunningham began his career with 21 points and 10 rebounds at UT Arlington, making him the first OSU freshman to ever open his career with a double-double and just the second Big 12 freshman to post a 20/10 outing in his first game (the other was Kansas State's Michael Beasley).
The 2020 Naismith High School Trophy winner, Cunningham is looking to become the first Cowboy to win a major player of the year award since Bob Kurland won that honor from Sporting News in 1946.
The players on the list are considered strong candidates for the 2021 Wooden Award and the Wooden All-America team. Players not chosen to the preseason list are still eligible for the Wooden Award midseason list, late season list, and the National Ballot. The National Ballot consists of 15 top players who have proven to their universities that they meet or exceed the qualifications of the Wooden Award.
Nearly 1,000 voters will rank in order 10 of those 15 players when voting opens prior to the NCAA Tournament and will allow voters to take into consideration performance during early round games. The Wooden Award All-American Team will be announced the week of the "Elite Eight" round of the NCAA Tournament. The winner of the 2021 Wooden Award will be presented following the NCAA Tournament in April.
Cunningham and the Cowboys will face their first test of the season on Tuesday night at Marquette for the Big 12/Big East Battle. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m. CT on Fox Sports 1.
The Wooden Award is given annually to the most outstanding men's and women's players in college basketball, and it's recipients are a who's who of basketball royalty - Larry Bird ('79), Michael Jordan ('84), Tim Duncan ('97), Kevin Durant ('07), Candace Parker ('07; '08), Maya Moore ('09; '11) and Breanna Stewart ('15 and '16).
Cunningham, who was also named to the 2021 Naismith Trophy and Bob Cousy Award watch lists, was the lone freshman named to the Associated Press Preseason All-America team. CBS Sports name him their Preseason Freshman of the Year, a Preseason All-America First Team selection and listed him at No. 2 on their ranking of the top 101 players in college basketball for 2020-21.
The Arlington, Texas native led the Cowboys to a couple of wins in the opening week of the season with a pair of 20-point performances. Cunningham began his career with 21 points and 10 rebounds at UT Arlington, making him the first OSU freshman to ever open his career with a double-double and just the second Big 12 freshman to post a 20/10 outing in his first game (the other was Kansas State's Michael Beasley).
The 2020 Naismith High School Trophy winner, Cunningham is looking to become the first Cowboy to win a major player of the year award since Bob Kurland won that honor from Sporting News in 1946.
The players on the list are considered strong candidates for the 2021 Wooden Award and the Wooden All-America team. Players not chosen to the preseason list are still eligible for the Wooden Award midseason list, late season list, and the National Ballot. The National Ballot consists of 15 top players who have proven to their universities that they meet or exceed the qualifications of the Wooden Award.
Nearly 1,000 voters will rank in order 10 of those 15 players when voting opens prior to the NCAA Tournament and will allow voters to take into consideration performance during early round games. The Wooden Award All-American Team will be announced the week of the "Elite Eight" round of the NCAA Tournament. The winner of the 2021 Wooden Award will be presented following the NCAA Tournament in April.
Cunningham and the Cowboys will face their first test of the season on Tuesday night at Marquette for the Big 12/Big East Battle. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m. CT on Fox Sports 1.
Players Mentioned
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