Morant Named To Naismith Trophy Final Four List

Murray State's Ja Morant was named by the Atlanta Tipoff Club as one of the four finalists vying for the honor of the Naismith Trophy, recognizing the most outstanding men's college basketball player. Rui Hachimura (Gonzaga), Grant Williams (Tennessee) and Zion Williamson (Duke) joined Morant on the list.

Being in the mix for the Naismith Trophy is another honor in a long list that Morant, a sophomore from Dalzell, S.C., has received as he continues his amazing 2018-19 season this week at the NCAA Tournament.

Morant is averaging 24.6 ppg and 5.5 rpg and leading the nation in assists (10.3 apg) and that led to him being named the OVC Player of the Year. As the Racers play Marquette Friday in Hartford at the NCAA Tournament, Morant is in line to become the first Division I basketball player to average 20 ppg and 10 apg and has already become the first Division I player in 20 years to record 40 points, 11 assists and five steals in a regulation game. He is eighth nationally in scoring (24.6 ppg), fifth in double-doubles (19) and one of two players to have multiple triple-doubles this season. His 19 double-doubles are just three off the nation's lead, and he is the only player in the top 20 nationally in double-doubles under 6'6″ tall.

According to the Atlanta Tipoff Club, three of the finalists (Hachimura, Morant and Williams) would be the first from their schools to win the men's Naismith Trophy, and Williamson would be the eighth player from Duke—more than any other men's program—to bring home the award. The most recent Blue Devil winner was J.J. Reddick in 2006. Hachimura and Williams would join 10 juniors who have won the award, including last season's winner of the 50th Citizen Naismith Trophy, Villanova's Jalen Brunson. Morant looks to be the 10th sophomore to win the trophy and would become the first representative from the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) to win a collegiate Naismith Award. Williamson would become only the third freshman to win the Men's Player of the Year honor, joining Kevin Durant (Texas), who was the first freshman ever to win the award, in 2007, and Anthony Davis of Kentucky who won five years later.

By visiting naismithtrophy.com/vote, from March 22-April 3, 2019, fans will be able to cast their ballot for their favorite finalist. For the first time ever, fans may also vote on the @MarchMadness Twitter page on March 22 and March 27, to select one of the finalists. The fan vote will account for five percent of the overall vote.

The 2019 Naismith Trophy will be awarded at the Naismith Awards Brunch (April 7) at the Final Four in Minneapolis.

Founded during the 1956-57 season, the Atlanta Tipoff Club 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 administers the Naismith Awards, the most prestigious national honors in all of college and high school basketball. Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, inventor of the game of basketball, the family of Naismith Awards annually recognizes the most outstanding men's and women's college and high school basketball players and coaches. Other Naismith Awards are presented to the men's and women's college basketball defensive players of the year, as well as lifetime achievement awards to basketball officials and outstanding contributors to the game. UCLA's Lew Alcindor received the first Citizen Naismith Trophy in 1969, while the late Anne Donovan (Old Dominion) was the inaugural women's recipient in 1983. Corporate partners of the Naismith Awards include Bona, Citizen Watch Company, Jersey Mike's and Werner Ladder.

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