Award Created in Honor of Wayman Tisdale

A new award, which honors the legacy of Sooner Wayman Tisdale, will be presented one freshman basketball player each year at the NCAA Final Four.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 11:53 am

By: News On 6

Award Created in Honor of Wayman Tisdale

Originally Published: Aug 5, 2010 9:49 AM CDT

Stephany Speck
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

OKLAHOMA CITY -- An Oklahoma City-based non-profit organization, along with the United States Basketball Writers Association, announced Thursday they will award one freshman basketball player with the Wayman Tisdale Award.

The sculpture will be presented by Access Sports and will be announced at the NCAA Final Four in addition to the presentation of the USBWA’s Oscar Robertson Player of the Year Trophy and the Henry Iba Coach of the Year Award.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to honor the life and accomplishments of Wayman and everything he stood for,” said Scott Hill, executive director of Access Sports. “We couldn’t be more pleased to marry together this new national basketball honor with the ability to raise money for worthy causes.”

The non-profit Access Sports raises funds through a celebrity golf tournament, hosted at the Bel Mar Golf Club in Moore--the golf home of Oklahoma native Toby Keith.

The money raised will go toward supporting youth basketball in disadvantaged communities. Access Sports also plans on working with the Wayman Tisdale Foundation, which provides financial assistance to amputees in need of prosthetics.