WICHITA, Kan. – Wichita State's
Landry Shamet is in the hunt for yet another national player of the year award. The sophomore point guard was one of 50 players included on Thursday's Citizen Naismith Trophy Preseason Watch List.
Now celebrating its 50
th year, the Naismith Trophy is presented annually by the Atlanta Tipoff Club to college basketball's most outstanding player. A midseason list of 30 players will be released on Feb. 13, and the winner will be announced April 1.
Earlier this week, Shamet's name appeared on similar watch lists for the Oscar Robertson Trophy and the Lute Olson Award. He's also a candidate for the Bob Cousy Award, given to the nation's top point guard. In addition, Shamet has earned a handful of preseason All-American accolades and represented WSU on the American Athletic Conference's preseason first team.
Former Shockers Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet appeared on preseason and midseason lists for the Naismith Trophy in 2014-15 and 2015-16. VanVleet was one of 10 semifinalists as a sophomore in 2013-14.
Shamet and Wichita State – ranked No. 7 in the preseason AP Poll – open the regular season at home Friday evening against UMKC.
CITIZEN NAISMITH TROPHY WATCH LIST:
Jaylen Adams Sr., G (St. Bonaventure / Atlantic 10)
Deng Adel Jr., F (Louisville / ACC)
Rawle Alkins So., G (Arizona / Pac)
Grayson Allen Sr., G (Duke / ACC)
KeVaughn Allen Jr., G (Florida / SEC)
Deandre Ayton Fr., F (Arizona / Pac)
Marvin Bagley III Fr., F (Duke / ACC)
Mohamed Bamba Fr., F (Texas / Big 12)
Joel Berry II Sr., G (UNC / ACC)
Trevon Bluiett Sr., G (Xavier / BIG East)
Bennie Boatwright Jr., F (USC / Pac)
Miles Bridges So., G/F (Michigan State / Big Ten)
Bruce Brown So., G (Miami / ACC)
Jalen Brunson Jr., G (Villanova / BIG EAST)
Jeffrey Carroll Sr., G (Oklahoma State / Big 12)
Jevon Carter Sr., G (West Virginia / Big 12)
Wendell Carter Jr. Fr., F (Duke / ACC)
Bonzie Colson Sr., F (Notre Dame / ACC)
Mike Daum Jr., F (South Dakota State / Summit League)
Tyler Davis Jr., C (Texas A&M / SEC)
Angel Delgado Sr., C (Seton Hall / BIG EAST)
Hamidou Diallo Fr., G (Kentucky / SEC)
Trevon Duval Fr., G (Duke / ACC)
Vince Edwards Sr., F (Purdue / Big Ten)
Matt Farrell Sr., G (Notre Dame / ACC)
Marcus Foster Sr., G (Creighton / BIG EAST)
Devonte' Graham Sr., G (Kansas / Big 12)
Ethan Happ Jr., F (Wisconsin / Big Ten)
Aaron Holiday Jr., G (UCLA / Pac-12)
Chandler Hutchison Sr., G (Boise State / Mountain West)
Justin Jackson So., F (Maryland / Big Ten)
Kevin Knox Fr., F (Kentucky / SEC)
Jock Landale Sr., C (St. Mary's / WCC)
Kelan Martin Sr., F (Butler / BIG EAST)
Nate Mason Sr., G (Minnesota / Big Ten)
Yante Maten Sr., F (Georgia / SEC)
Bryant McIntosh Sr., G (Northwestern / Big Ten)
Jordan McLaughlin Sr., G (USC / Pac-12)
Chimezie Metu Jr., F (USC / Pac-12)
Shake Milton Jr., G (SMU / American Athletic)
Malik Newman So., G (Kansas / Big 12)
Michael Porter Jr. Fr., F (Missouri / SEC)
Collin Sexton Fr., G (Alabama / SEC)
Landry Shamet So., G (Wichita State / American Athletic)
Reid Travis Sr., F (Stanford / Pac-12)
Allonzo Trier Jr., G (Arizona / Pac-12)
Moritz Wagner Jr., F (Michigan / Big Ten)
Nick Ward So., F (Michigan State / Big Ten)
Jonathan Williams Sr., F (Gonzaga / WCC)
Robert Williams So., F (Texas A&M / SEC)
ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB
Founded during the 1956-57 season, the Atlanta Tipoff Club is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club administers the Naismith Awards, which have become the most prestigious national honors in all of college basketball. Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, inventor of the game of basketball, the Naismith Trophy recognizes the top Men's and Women's College Basketball Players of the Year. Other Naismith Awards are presented to the Men's and Women's College Basketball Coaches of the Year, Boys' and Girls' High School Basketball Players and Coaches of the Year, Basketball Officials and Outstanding Contributors to the game. Celebrating its 50th year by honoring past winners, the Citizen Naismith Trophy was first presented to UCLA's Lew Alcindor (later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) in 1969. Old Dominion's Anne Donovan won the inaugural Women's Citizen Naismith Trophy in 1983.
