Jawun Evans Named To Naismith Award Preseason Watch List

Oklahoma State point guard Jawun Evans was among the 50 names on the preseason watch list for Naismith Award, given annually to the nation's top college basketball player by the Atlanta Tipoff Club.

The Naismith Award has been handed out to the game's best player since 1969, when Lew Alcindor of UCLA took home the first honor. It makes the third preseason watch list for Evans, who was also selected to the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year award and the Lute Olsen Player of the Year award.

The 50-player watch list will be trimmed to 30 players on Feb. 9. The 10 semifinalists will be announced on March 1 and the four finalists on March 19.  The award will be presented at the Naismith Awards banquet during the Final Four.

Evans was joined on the list by Big 12 comrades Devonte' Graham, Josh Jackson and Frank Mason III of Kansas, Iowa State's Monte' Morris and Baylor big man Jonathan Motley.

The reigning Big 12 Freshman of the Year and a Preseason All-Big 12 honoree, Evans led all Big 12 freshmen in scoring (12.9 PPG), assists (4.9 apg), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.9 A/TO), field goal percentage (47.1), 3-point field goal percentage (47.5) and free throw percentage (83.3).

He was a three-time recipient of the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week award, and his 4.9 assists per game were the most ever by an OSU freshman.

Evans hit his stride in league play. He poured in a Bedlam-record 42-points against Oklahoma and days later led the Cowboys to an upset of No. 3 Kansas with 22 points, six rebounds and eight assists.

A shoulder injury sidelined Evans for the final 10 games of 2015-16, but in the six games prior to his injury he averaged 19.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game - all team highs.

Evans and the Cowboys begin the 2016-17 season on Friday against Campbell. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m.