SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Gonzaga's
Corey Kispert was named one of 10 candidates on the late season list for the 2020 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award Wednesday.
Named after Class of 1993 Hall of Famer and 16-year professional basketball player Julius Erving, the annual honor in its sixth year recognizes the top small forwards in Division I men's college basketball. A national committee comprising top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates in October, which has now been narrowed to just 10.
Kispert has started in all 24 games for the No. 2/2 Zags (23-1, 9-0 West Coast Conference) this season. He's averaging a team-high 32.5 minutes per game. The junior is 10
th in the conference averaging 14.1 points per game. He is third in the league making 81.2 percent of his shots from the free-throw line, and third with 57 made three-pointers.
Kispert has scored 872 career points, averaging 9.1 points per game during his three seasons at GU. He has 158 made three-pointers in career at 38.7 percent from behind-the-arc. The Edmonds, Wash., native has started 67 of his 96 career appearances, and has a career record of 87-9 (.907) in the games he has appeared in.
Julius Erving attended the University of Massachusetts and averaged 26.3 points and 20.2 rebounds per game, making him one of only six NCAA men's basketball players to average more than 20 points and 20 rebounds per game. After two seasons, Erving made the jump to the American Basketball Association and was the league's most recognizable player when it merged with the National Basketball Association in 1976. During his professional career, Erving won three championships, four most valuable player awards and three scoring titles. In 1996, he was named a member of the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.
Starting Five Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies will go live on Friday via hoophallawards.com. In March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. Erving and the Hall of Fame's selection committee. The winner of the 2020 Julius Erving Award will be presented at The College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy's in Los Angeles on April 10, along with the other four members of the Men's Starting Five.
Additional awards being presented and receiving support from Eaton Ephesus Lighting include the Bob Cousy Point Guard Award, the Jerry West Shooting Guard Award, the Karl Malone Power Forward Award and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center Award, in addition to the Women's Starting Five. Broadcast information will be released by ESPN at a later date.
Last season, Kispert's former teammate
Rui Hachimura, was named the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award winner. Other previous winners include Mikal Bridges, Villanova (2018), Josh Hart, Villanova (2017), Denzel Valentine, Michigan State (2016) and Stanley Johnson, Arizona (2015).
For more information and the latest updates on the 2020 Julius Erving Award, log onto www.hoophallawards.com.
2020 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award Candidates*
| Derrick Alston Jr. |
Boise State |
| Devin Vassell |
Florida State |
| Corey Kispert |
Gonzaga |
| Jordan Nwora |
Louisville |
| Precious Achiuwa |
Memphis |
| Tres Tinkle |
Oregon St. |
| Elijah Hughes |
Syracuse |
| Anthony Lamb |
Vermont |
| Saddiq Bey |
Villanova |
| Naji Marshall |
Xavier |
*Players can play their way onto and off of the list at any point in the 2019-20 season*
