SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Gonzaga's
Ryan Nembhard was named one of the 10 candidates for the 2025 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Monday.
Named after Class of 1971 Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic and Holy Cross guard Bob Cousy, the annual honor now in its 22nd year recognizes the top point guards in Division I men's college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 10 candidates.
Nembhard averages a double-double of 11.0 points and 10.0 assists per game. His assist average tops the nation. He became the first player in the country to eclipse the 100 and 200-assist marks this season, now at 229. He was the fastest to 100 and 200 assists in a season in program history. His 4.40 assist-to-turnover ratio is second in the country.
Nembhard currently leads the WCC averaging 9.9 assists per league game. The conference record is 9.2 set by Orlando Smart of USF in 1991. The senior is third in the country among active leaders in career assists with 767. Nembhard's 6.29 assist career average is fourth among active leaders, and his 2.59 assist to turnover is sixth.
The program career record is 712 set by Josh Perkins, Nembhard's two-year Gonzaga total of 471 assists ranks seventh in GU's all-time Top 10. Nembhard has 14 double-digit assist outings out of the 23 games this season, with 10 double-doubles. Nembhard finished with a single game tournament record 14 assists against Davidson in the Battle 4 Atlantis. He totaled 39 assists in the three-game event, setting a new tournament record, to just eight turnovers.
Bob Cousy played for Holy Cross from 1946-1950 winning an NCAA Championship in 1947. He was named a Consensus First-Team All-American in 1950. His success continued at the professional level as a six-time NBA Champion (1957, 1959-1963), NBA Most Valuable Player (1957) and 13-time NBA All-Star (1951-63). In 1996, he was named a member of the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.
In March, the Top 10 list will be narrowed to just five, and in late March, the five finalists will be presented to Cousy and the Hall of Fame's selection committees, where winners will be selected. The Selection Committee for the Bob Cousy Award is composed of top men's college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.
The winner of the 2025 Bob Cousy Award will be presented on a to be determined date, along with the other four members of the Men's Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Jerry West Award (Shooting Guard), Julius Erving Award (Small Forward), Karl Malone (Power Forward), and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award (Center).
Previous winners of the Bob Cousy Award include Tristen Newton, Connecticut (2024), Markquis Nowell, Kansas State (2023), Collin Gillespie, Villanova (2022), Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois (2021), Ja Morant, Murray State (2019), Jalen Brunson, Villanova (2018), Trey Burke, Michigan (2013), Kendall Marshall, North Carolina (2012), Kemba Walker, Connecticut (2011), and Jameer Nelson, St. Joseph's (2004).
For more information on the 2025 Bob Cousy Award and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophallu and #CousyAward on X and Instagram.
| Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award Top 10 |
| NAME |
SCHOOL |
| Mark Sears |
Alabama |
| Walter Clayton Jr |
Florida |
| Ryan Nembhard |
Gonzaga |
| Keshon Gilbert |
Iowa State |
| Kam Jones |
Marquette |
| Ace Baldwin |
Penn State |
| Braden Smith |
Purdue |
| Dylan Harper |
Rutgers |
| Zakai Zeigler |
Tennessee |
| Javon Small |
West Virginia |
