2017 Naismith Trophy: Lonzo Ball Headlines List of Finalists
UCLA freshman Lonzo Ball is one of four finalists for the 2017 James A. Naismith Trophy.
Per the Naismith Trophy website, the other finalists are Villanova's Josh Hart, Kansas' Frank Mason III and Purdue's Caleb Swanigan. The award will be handed out April 2.
"Throughout this season, we realized that there would be numerous candidates worthy of the Naismith Trophy, so for these four individuals to emerge as finalists, it says a great deal about their drive, determination and leadership," said Eric Oberman, executive director of the Atlanta Tipoff Club, which presents the award. "Their performances in the tournament will go a long way in determining the winner."
Ball has become the biggest star in college basketball thanks to the combination of his dazzling performances and his outspoken father, LaVar Ball, who said his son will be a better player than Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry.
There's no denying Ball's on-court impact for the Bruins. He's averaging 14.6 points, 7.6 assists, 6.1 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game.
Among the four programs represented by this year's finalists, only Villanova hasn't had a player win the Naismith Trophy since it was first presented to college basketball's most outstanding men's player in 1969. UCLA has had three different winners, including the first recipient in Lew Alcindor and three-time winner Bill Walton. Kansas and Purdue have each produced one previous winner.
There is no weak link among the four finalists, and Ball's closest competition might be Swanigan. The Boilermakers star leads all Division I players with 28 double-doubles, including a 20-point, 12-rebound showing against Iowa State on Saturday that propelled his team to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2010.
Based on impact and overall performance, though, Ball will be difficult to beat.
