Graham and Newman named to Naismith Trophy Preseason Watch List

ATLANTA – Kansas senior guard Devonte’ Graham and redshirt-sophomore guard Malik Newman have been named to the 50-member Citizen Naismith Trophy Preseason Watch List, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Thursday. This is the 50th year for the award and Kansas’ Frank Mason III won the 2017 Naismith Trophy.
 
The 2017-18 Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year, Graham is one of two returning starters for Kansas this upcoming season. The Raleigh, North Carolina, native is also on the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award and Oscar Robertson Trophy watch lists. Graham is a two-time All-Big 12 selection, earning second-team honors last season and honorable mention accolades in 2015-16. He is KU’s leading returning scorer from 2016-17 at 13.4 points per game, which was 13th in the league. He ranked third in the Big 12 in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.3, second in 3-point field goals made per game (2.6) and sixth in assists (4.1). Graham enters the 2017-18 season with 1,075 career points, which is 45th on the KU record list. His 186 3-pointers made are eighth on the KU career chart.
 
The 2017-18 Preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and preseason honorable mention all-conference selection, Newman transferred to Kansas from Mississippi State following the 2015-16 season. The Jackson, Mississippi, native averaged 11.3 points and started 22 of 29 games at Mississippi State his freshman season. He scored a career-high 25 points against Ole Miss (Jan. 23, 2016) which included seven 3-point field goals made.
 
This past August Newman led Kansas in scoring in its 4-0 exhibition trip to Italy averaging 18.5 points per game. Included was a 32-point effort in the finale against the Italy All-Stars. In KU’ three exhibition wins earlier this season, Newman averaged 14.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists.
 
The 50 Naismith Trophy watch list candidates will be trimmed to 30 midseason on Feb. 14, 2018. Those student-athletes not on the 50 watch list are still eligible for the midseason team.
 
No. 4/3 Kansas will open the 2017-18 regular season against Tennessee State, Friday, Nov. 10, at 7 p.m. in Allen Fieldhouse. The game will start at 8 p.m. (Central) and be televised on ESPNU.
 
Citizen Naismith Trophy Preseason Watch List
Jaylen Adams (Sr., G, St. Bonaventure)
Deng Adel (Jr., F, Louisville)
Rawle Alkins (So., G, Arizona)
Grayson Allen (Sr., G, Duke)
KeVaughn Allen (Jr., G, Florida)
Deandre Ayton (Fr., F, Arizona)
Marvin Bagley III (Fr., F, Duke)
Mohamed Bamba (Fr., F, Texas)
Joel Berry II (Sr., G, UNC)
Trevon Bluiett (Sr., G, Xavier)
Bennie Boatwright (Jr., F, USC)
Miles Bridges (So., G/F, Michigan State)
Bruce Brown (So., G, Miami)
Jalen Brunson (Jr., G, Villanova)
Jeffrey Carroll (Sr., G, Oklahoma State)
Jevon Carter (Sr., G, West Virginia)
Wendell Carter Jr. (Fr., F, Duke)
Bonzie Colson (Sr., F, Notre Dame)
Mike Daum (Jr., F, South Dakota State)
Tyler Davis (Jr., C, Texas A&M)
Angel Delgado (Sr., C, Seton Hall)
Hamidou Diallo (Fr., G, Kentucky)
Trevon Duval (Fr., G, Duke)
Vince Edwards (Sr., F, Purdue)
Matt Farrell (Sr., G, Notre Dame)
Marcus Foster (Sr., G, Creighton)
DEVONTE’ GRAHAM (SR., G, KANSAS)
Ethan Happ (Jr., F, Wisconsin)
Aaron Holiday (Jr., G, UCLA)
Chandler Hutchison (Sr., G, Boise State)
Justin Jackson (So., F, Maryland)
Kevin Knox (Fr., F, Kentucky)
Jock Landale (Sr., C, St. Mary’s)
Kelan Martin (Sr., F, Butler)
Nate Mason (Sr., G, Minnesota)
Yante Maten (Sr., F, Georgia)
Bryant McIntosh (Sr., G, Northwestern)
Jordan McLaughlin (Sr., G, USC)
Chimezie Metu (Jr., F, USC)
Shake Milton (Jr., G, SMU)
MALIK NEWMAN (SO., G, KANSAS)
Michael Porter Jr. (Fr., F, Missouri)
Collin Sexton (Fr., G, Alabama)
Landry Shamet (So., G, Wichita State)
Reid Travis (Sr., F, Stanford)
Allonzo Trier (Jr., G, Arizona)
Moritz Wagner (Jr., F, Michigan)
Nick Ward (So., F, Michigan State)
Jonathan Williams (Sr., F, Gonzaga)
Robert Williams (So., F, Texas A&M)

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