Hield Named To Final Watch List For Shooting Guard Of The Year Award

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today that Oklahoma guard Buddy Hield is one of 10 watch list finalists for the 2016 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award. Named after Hall of Famer and 1959 NCAA Final Four Most Valuable Player Jerry West, the annual honor in its second year recognizes the top shooting guards in Division I men’s college basketball. A national committee comprised of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates in October, which has now been narrowed to just 10.

Through 20 games this season, Hield is averaging 26.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.4 steals in 34.1 minutes per contest. He’s shooting .528 (171-324) from the field, .524 (87-166) from long distance and .905 (95-105) from the foul line. Hield is currently the only player in the country averaging greater than 50 percent from the field, 50 percent from downtown and 90 percent from the charity stripe (min. 20 FT attempts).

Hield, who was also a finalist for this award last season as a junior, currently ranks second in the nation (first among major conferences) in scoring. He has registered at least 30 points in eight games this season (same total as the rest of the players in the Big 12 combined). It’s the most 30-point games by a Sooner in a campaign since Jeff Webster in the 1993-94 season (10).

The senior has 12 games this year scoring at least 25 points. He currently ranks first in the country with his 4.35 3-pointers per game and has made at least five treys in a game nine times this year. Hield has shot at least 50 percent from 3-point range in 16 of 20 outings year.

Hield has climbed the OU scoring chart this season, now ranking seventh overall in total points (1,890). Earlier this year, he passed Terry Evans into first place all-time in 3-point field goals made in a career at OU (now has 289 in his career).

In March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. West and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee for the 2016 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award.  The winner of the 2016 Jerry West Award will be presented at the ESPN College Basketball Awards Show live from Club Nokia in Los Angeles, Calif., on Friday, April 8, 2016.

2016 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award Finalists 

Grayson Allen, Duke
Malcolm Hill, Illinois
AJ English, Iona
Sheldon McClellan, Miami
Caris LeVert, Michigan
Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
Julian Jacobs, University Southern California 
Jalen Jones, Texas A&M
Josh Hart, Villanova
Malcolm Brogdon, Virginia