Lawson named to Naismith Trophy Midseason Team
ATLANTA – Kansas redshirt-junior Dedric Lawson has been named one of 30 men’s basketball players to the Citizen Naismith Trophy Midseason Team competing to receive the 51st Citizen Naismith Trophy, the Atlanta Tip Off Club announced Wednesday. Lawson is vying to become the third Jayhawk to win the Naismith Trophy with Danny Manning claiming the honor in 1988 and Frank Mason III last season in 2017.
Lawson leads the Big 12 in scoring at 19.4 points per game and rebounding with a 10.6 average. The Memphis, Tennessee native has five double-doubles in his last eight games and is the only player in the Big 12 averaging a double-double. Lawson has a Big 12-leading 16 double-doubles for the season, which is tied for third nationally.
On most every national player of the year watch lists and a Sporting News Midseason All-America First Team selection, Lawson has scored 20 or more points in 13 games this season, including four of the last seven contests. A three-time Big 12 Player of the Week (11/12, 11/26, 12/26) and five-time league newcomer of the week (12/3, 12/17, 1/14, 1/28, 2/11), Lawson leads KU with 28 blocked shots and his 1.1 blocks per game are fifth in the conference and his 50.6 field goal percentage is also fifth.
From this list for the Naismith Trophy, 10 semifinalists will be revealed on March 6, and only those 10 players are eligible for the group of four finalists, which will be released on March 17. Fans, once again, will be able to vote for their favorite player by visiting naismithtrophy.com/vote between March 22-April 3 to cast their ballot, and the fan component counts for five percent of the overall final vote. The 51st Citizen Naismith Trophy will be awarded on April 7 in Minneapolis, during the NCAA Men’s Final Four.
Overall, the midseason team represents twelve conferences with the ACC leading the way with seven players, followed closely by the BIG EAST and the Big Ten with four each.
Citizen Naismith Trophy Midseason Team
NAME | CLASS | POSITION | SCHOOL | CONFERENCE |
Nickeil Alexander-Walker | So. | G | Virginia Tech | ACC |
R.J. Barrett | Fr. | F | Duke | ACC |
Phil Booth | Sr. | G | Villanova | BIG EAST |
Ignas Brazdeikis | Fr. | F | Michigan | Big Ten |
Jordan Caroline | Sr. | G/F | Nevada | Mountain West |
Brandon Clarke | Jr. | F | Gonzaga | WCC |
Chris Clemons | Sr. | G | Campbell | Big South |
Jarrett Culver | So. | G | Texas Tech | Big 12 |
Jarron Cumberland | Jr. | G | Cincinnati | AAC |
Mike Daum | Sr. | F | South Dakota St. | Summit League |
Carsen Edwards | Jr. | G | Purdue | Big Ten |
Kyle Guy | Jr. | G | Virginia | ACC |
Rui Hachimura | Jr. | F | Gonzaga | WCC |
Ethan Happ | Sr. | F | Wisconsin | Big Ten |
Markus Howard | Jr. | G | Marquette | BIG EAST |
De’Andre Hunter | So. | G | Virginia | ACC |
Cameron Johnson | Sr. | G | North Carolina | ACC |
DEDRIC LAWSON | JR. | F | KANSAS | BIG 12 |
Caleb Martin | Sr. | F | Nevada | Mountain West |
C.J. Massinburg | Sr. | G | Buffalo | MAC |
Luke Maye | Sr. | F | North Carolina | ACC |
Ja Morant | So. | G | Murray State | OVC |
Eric Paschall | Sr. | F | Villanova | BIG EAST |
Shamorie Ponds | Jr. | G | St. John’s | BIG EAST |
Admiral Schofield | Sr. | G | Tennessee | SEC |
Marial Shayok | Sr. | G | Iowa State | Big 12 |
P.J. Washington | So. | F | Kentucky | SEC |
Grant Williams | Jr. | F | Tennessee | SEC |
Zion Williamson | Fr. | F | Duke | ACC |
Cassius Winston | Jr. | G | Michigan State | Big Ten |
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