🏀 Wilson Named to 2022 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Watch List
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Kansas redshirt sophomore Jalen Wilson is one of 20 players named to the 2022 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award Watch List, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Wednesday.
Named after Class of 1993 Hall of Famer and 16-year professional basketball player Julius Erving, the annual honor is in its eighth year recognizing the top small forwards in Division I men’s college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.
Wilson ended the 2020-21 season averaging 7.9 rebounds per game which is the second-best average by a KU freshman, only trailing Joel Embiid (8.1 in 2014). The Denton, Texas, native averaged 11.8 points per game last season and was named to the 2021 Big 12 All-Newcomer and Big 12 All-Freshman teams in addition to earning academic all-conference honors.
Wilson ranked second in the Big 12 in rebounds (7.9) and second in double-doubles with nine. His six double-doubles in Big 12 play were tied for the most in the conference. Wilson recorded six double-doubles in his last 11 games of the 2021 season, including a KU freshman four consecutive.
Julius Erving attended the UMass and averaged 26.3 points and 20.2 rebounds per game, making him one of only six NCAA men’s basketball players to average more than 20 points and 20 rebounds per game. After two seasons, Erving made the jump to the American Basketball Association and was the league’s most recognizable player when it merged with the National Basketball Association in 1976. During his professional career, Erving won three championships, four most valuable player awards and three scoring titles. In 1996, he was named a member of the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.
College basketball fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies in each of the three rounds. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2022 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award will be narrowed to 10 and then in late February to just 5. In March the five finalists will be presented to Mr. Erving and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee where a winner will be selected.
For more information on the 2022 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award and the latest updates, log onto www.hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophall and #ErvingAward on Twitter and Instagram. Starting Five Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies will go live on Friday, October 22.
2022 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award Candidates*
Name (school) – listed alphabetically by school
Marcus Bagley (Arizona St.)
Matt Mayer (Baylor)
Kendall Brown (Baylor)
Jabari Walker (Colorado)
Hyunjung Lee (Davidson)
AJ Griffin (Duke)
Matthew Cleveland (Florida State)
JALEN WILSON (KANSAS)
Lucas Williamson (Loyola-Chicago)
Emoni Bates (Memphis)
Caleb Houstan (Michigan)
Justice Sueing (Ohio State)
Ron Harper Jr. (Rutgers)
Julian Champagnie (St. John’s)
Harrison Ingram (Stanford)
Timmy Allen (Texas)
Kevin Obanor (Texas Tech)
Jaime Jaquez (UCLA)
Patrick Baldwin Jr. (UW-Milwaukee)
Jermaine Samuels (Villanova)
*Players can play their way onto and off of the list at any point in the 2021-22 season*
