University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Ball Among 10 Naismith Trophy Semifinalists
March 01, 2017 | Men's Basketball
ATLANTA – UCLA freshman guard Lonzo Ball has been named as one of 10 national semifinalists for the 2017 Naismith Trophy, as announced Wednesday morning by the Atlanta Tipoff Club.
Ball, a 6-foot-6 guard from Chino Hills, Calif., has averaged 14.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and a nation-leading 7.6 assists per game in all 29 contests for UCLA. He has logged a 2.96 assist-turnover ratio while having broken the UCLA record for single-season assists by a freshman.
Ball is one of two freshmen, along with Kansas guard Josh Jackson, on the 10-man list of semifinalists. He is the only Pac-12 player to be named a semifinalist for this season's Naismith Trophy.
Joining Ball and Jackson on the 10-man list are Ethan Happ (Wisconsin), Josh Hart (Villanova), Justin Jackson (North Carolina), Luke Kennard (Duke), Frank Mason III (Kansas), Johnathan Motley (Baylor), Calen Swanigan (Purdue) and Nigel Williams-Goss (Washington).
The list of 10 national semifinalists will be reduced to four finalists by Sunday, March 19.
The 49th award of the Naismith Trophy to the nation's most outstanding college basketball player will be presented at the Atlanta Tipoff Club's annual Final Four Awards Brunch on Sunday, April 2 in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Ball and the Bruins (26-3, 13-3 Pac-12) will return to action against Washington on Wednesday, March 1. Game time in Pauley Pavilion is 8 p.m. (PT).
