Editor: Part of the following comes from hoophallawards.com.
(Springfield, MA) — The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the 20 watch-list members for the 2024 Julius Erving Award. Named after Class of 1993 Hall of Famer and 16-year professional basketball player Julius Erving, the annual honor, in its tenth year, recognizes 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.
“As the 2023-24 season approaches, we are excited to watch the small forwards on the 2024 Julius Erving Award Watch List take the court and prove why we have selected them as the Top 20 to watch this season,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. “We are honored to have the great ‘Dr. J’ assist our selection committee as they evaluate these student-athletes throughout the season.”
Drake forward Tucker DeVries is the lone Missouri Valley Conference player to be named to any of the Naismith ‘watch lists’. The Valley’s preseason and reigning ‘Player of the Year’ averaged 18.6 points and 5.7 rebounds for the Arch Madness champions. His accolades include being the MVC’s 2022 ‘Freshman of the Year’ and the 2023 ‘Most Outstanding Player’ of Arch Madness.
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting, presented by Dell Technologies, in each of the three rounds beginning Friday, October 27. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2024 Julius Erving Award will be narrowed to 10, and then in late February, to just five. In March, the five finalists will be presented to Erving and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee, where a winner will be selected.
Former Illinois State guard Antonio Reeves (Kentucky) is on the Jerry West, shooting guard watch list along with St. Louisian Caleb Love (Arizona). Murray State’s Ja Morant is the only player from either the Missouri Valley or Ohio Valley Conferences to win one of these awards when he claimed the 2019 Bob Cousy Award as the nation’s top point guard.
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Flooding, lightning strikes, etc. have cost @RacersHoops two home games. Had to play 'neutral site' tonight instead of at home and Wednesday's goes from home to away. Tough break for the Racers, and the whole area has been hit with difficulties. #FatherHarry
Murray State's scheduled home game Wednesday vs. Southern Illinois being moved to Banterra Center in Carbondale. #ValleyHoops
Gigantic game for @BradleyUMBB today in Des Moines. If they have a chance to catch @DrakeBulldogsMB, they have to win today. The Bulldogs can basically win the title today. @BustingBrackets breaks it all down. #FatherHarry https://bit.ly/3EGiVgi
Not rooting for any particular @ValleyHoops, but chaos is always fun. If things break certain ways, after today there could be a six-way tie for fifth place.
Fun to listen to @MLBLarry on the @SIU_Basketball/@BelmontMBB game tonight. Good job brother. #FatherHarry
