GREENSBORO, N.C. – Led by four players from Duke, the Atlantic Coast Conference leads all conferences with eight players selected to the 2017-18 Oscar Robertson Trophy Preseason Watch List announced by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) on Monday.
The Oscar Robertson Trophy will be presented to the national player of the year by its namesake at the NCAA Final Four in San Antonio.
ACC Preseason Player of the Year Bonzie Colson of Notre Dame is joined on the list by Duke’s Marvin Bagley III, the ACC Preseason Rookie of the Year, Grayson Allen, Wendell Carter Jr., and Trevon Duval; Louisville’s Deng Adel, Miami’s Bruce Brown, Jr., and North Carolina’s Joel Berry.
While these players are the initial contenders for the Oscar Robertson Trophy, all NCAA Division I players are eligible for postseason honors from the USBWA. In mid-March, the USBWA will announce its 2017-18 All-America Team and, at that time, finalists will also be chosen for the player of the year. Once finalists are announced, the entire USBWA membership will vote for the winner of the Oscar Robertson Trophy.
Since the 1958-59 season, the USBWA has named a National Player of the Year. In 1998, the award was named in honor of the University of Cincinnati Hall of Famer and two-time USBWA Player of the Year Oscar Robertson. It is the nation's oldest player of the year award and the only one named after a former player.
The 2017-18 Oscar Robertson Preseason Watch List is as follows:
Jaylen Adams, St. Bonaventure, Sr., G
Deng Adel, Louisville, Jr., F
Grayson Allen, Duke, Sr., G
KeVaughn Allen, Florida, Jr., G
Deandre Ayton, Arizona, Fr., F
Marvin Bagley III, Duke, Fr., F
Mohamed Bamba, Texas, Fr., C
Joel Berry II, North Carolina, Sr., G
Trevon Bluiett, Xavier, Sr., G
Miles Bridges, Michigan State, So., F
Bruce Brown Jr., Miami, So., G
Jalen Brunson, Villanova, Jr., G
Jevon Carter, West Virginia, Sr., G
Wendell Carter Jr., Duke, Fr., F
Gary Clark, Cincinnati, Sr., F
Bonzie Colson, Notre Dame, Sr., F
Mike Daum, South Dakota State, Jr., F
Angel Delgado, Seton Hall, Sr., F
Hamidou Diallo, Kentucky, Fr., G
Trevon Duval, Duke, Fr., G
Devonte' Graham, Kansas, Sr., G
Ethan Happ, Wisconsin, Jr., C
Kevin Knox, Kentucky, Fr., F
Jock Landale, Saint Mary's, Sr., C
Yante Maten, Georgia, Sr., F
Chimezie Metu, USC, Jr., F
Michael Porter Jr., Missouri, Fr., F
Collin Sexton, Alabama, Fr., G
Landry Shamet, Wichita State, So., G
Reid Travis, Stanford, Jr., F
Allonzo Trier, Arizona, Jr., G
Robert Williams, Texas A&M, So., F