For the third time in less than a week, Wichita State's Tyson Etienne was named a major national player of the year watch list – this time for the prestigious Wooden Award.
 
The Wooden Award Preseason Watch List list – announced Tuesday morning on ESPN's SportsCenter -- was chosen by a list of national college basketball experts and is comprised of 50 student-athletes who are considered early front-runners for two of the most-prestigious honors in college basketball: The John R. Wooden Award All-America Team and the Most-Outstanding Player Award. Players not chosen are still eligible.
 
Final voting takes place prior to the NCAA tournament with honorees announced in late March and early April.
 
Etienne was previously selected to watch lists for the Lute Olson Award the Naismith Trophy. He's also the American Athletic Conference's preseason player of the year after winning co-player of the year honors last spring.
 
Etienne – a third-year sophomore guard out of Englewood, N.J. – averaged 16.2 points while shooting nearly 40 percent from distance in 2020-21.
 
He's the first Shocker to be named to a Wooden watch list since Landry Shamet in 2017-18. The list of Wooden Award All-Americans at WSU includes Ron Baker (2014-15), Cleanthony Early (2013-14) and Xavier McDaniel (1984-85).
 
Wichita State opens its 2021-22 season this evening against Jacksonville State at Charles Koch Arena (7 p.m. CT, ESPN+). Tickets are available at goshockers.com/tickets or by calling 316-978-FANS (3267).