UCLA freshman Lonzo Ball has been named one of five finalists for the 2017 John R. Wooden Award, as announced on ESPNU on Monday evening.
 
Ball, who averaged 14.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 7.6 assists per game as a freshman, joins Villanova's Josh Hart, Kansas' Frank Mason III, Purdue's Caleb Swanigan and Gonzaga's Nigel Williams-Goss as the top five selections from the 15-man final ballot. The Wooden Award is annually presented to the nation's top college basketball player.
 
A 6-foot-6 guard from Chino Hills, Calif., Ball has led the nation in both assists per game (7.6) and total assists (274). Ball set the school's single-season record with 274 assists in 2016-17, the second-highest single-season mark in Pac-12 Conference history.
 
Ball has also been named one of four finalists this season for the 2017 Naismith Trophy, annually awarded to the nation's top player by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. Ball has been named a first-team All-America selection by virtually every prominent national outlet, including the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, the NABC, USA Today, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News and Basketball Times. He has also secured National Freshman of the Year acclaim from the USBWA, USA Today, Sporting News and Bleacher Report.
 
One of six UCLA players to have averaged double-figure scoring this season, Ball helped lead UCLA to a 31-5 overall record and a 15-3 mark in Pac-12 play. The Bruins concluded their regular-season with a program-record-tying 28 wins, before advancing to the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 for the third time in four seasons.
 
The 41st annual presentation of the John R. Wooden Award to the men's and women's most outstanding basketball player will be the anchor presentation of the ESPN College Basketball Awards Show presented by Wendy's on ESPN2 on Friday, April 7.