Seven Schools Tied with Two Players Each Included on Midseason Team
ATLANTA (February 13, 2019) – With the midseason team announced today by the Atlanta Tipoff Club, the competition for the 2019 Citizen Naismith Trophy narrows to 30 players from 23 colleges still vying for the Men’s Player of the Year honor. Seven schools placed two players apiece on the midseason team. Duke, which has won more Citizen Naismith Trophies (seven) than any other school, joins two schools both in search of their fourth trophy, North Carolina and Virginia. These repeat winners accompany several new contenders—Gonzaga, Nevada and Tennessee—looking for their first win of the Citizen Naismith Trophy and Villanova, which claimed its first trophy last year with Jalen Brunson.
One name on the midseason team familiar to the Naismith Awards is R.J. Barrett, who took home the 2018 Naismith High School Trophy. Barrett would only be the second men’s player to win both the high school and college trophies, joining former Blue Devil Shane Battier, who won the Naismith High School Trophy in 1997 and the Citizen Naismith Trophy for Men’s College Player of the Year in 2001. Overall, the midseason team represents twelve conferences with the ACC leading the way with seven players, followed closely by the BIG EAST and the Big Ten with four each.
“We’ve seen some amazing games and matchups this season between the players on this list and across the college basketball landscape,” said Eric Oberman, executive director of the Atlanta Tipoff Club. “The competition for the 2019 Citizen Naismith Trophy will only get more intense as the regular season hits the final few weeks, and conference titles are on the line.”
On March 4, 2019, the list will narrow even further to 10 national semifinalists. The four finalists will be announced on March 19, 2019, and fans will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite player leading up to the final announcement. The 2019 Citizen Naismith Trophy will be awarded at the Naismith Awards Brunch presented by Mortenson on April 7, 2019, during the Final Four in Minneapolis. Only players on the midseason team are eligible to advance to the next round.
“Each of the 30 players on the midseason team display the talent and drive worthy of the Citizen Naismith Trophy,” said Eric Horowitz, managing director U.S. and travel retail, Citizen Watch Company of America, Inc. “We are looking forward to watching these men compete at the highest level, and we get closer to awarding the Player of the Year honor.”
| FIRST NAME | LAST NAME | YEAR | POSITION | SCHOOL | CONFERENCE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickeil | Alexander-Walker | So. | G | Virginia Tech | ACC |
| R.J. | Barrett | Fr. | F | Duke | ACC |
| Phil | Booth | Sr. | G | Villanova | BIG EAST |
| Ignas | Brazdeikis | Fr. | F | Michigan | Big Ten |
| Jordan | Caroline | Sr. | G/F | Nevada | Mountain West |
| Brandon | Clarke | Jr. | F | Gonzaga | WCC |
| Chris | Clemons | Sr. | G | Campbell | Big South |
| Jarrett | Culver | So. | G | Texas Tech | Big 12 |
| Jarron | Cumberland | Jr. | G | Cincinnati | AAC |
| Mike | Daum | Sr. | F | South Dakota State | Summit League |
| Carsen | Edwards | Jr. | G | Purdue | Big Ten |
| Kyle | Guy | Jr. | G | Virginia | ACC |
| Rui | Hachimura | Jr. | F | Gonzaga | WCC |
| Ethan | Happ | Sr. | F | Wisconsin | Big Ten |
| Markus | Howard | Jr. | G | Marquette | BIG EAST |
| De'Andre | Hunter | So. | G | Virginia | ACC |
| Cameron | Johnson | Sr. | G | North Carolina | ACC |
| Dedric | Lawson | Jr. | F | Kansas | Big 12 |
| Caleb | Martin | Sr. | F | Nevada | Mountain West |
| C.J. | Massinburg | Sr. | G | Buffalo | MAC |
| Luke | Maye | Sr. | F | North Carolina | ACC |
| Ja | Morant | So. | G | Murray State | OVC |
| Eric | Paschall | Sr. | F | Villanova | BIG EAST |
| Shamorie | Ponds | Jr. | G | St. John's | BIG EAST |
| Admiral | Schofield | Sr. | G | Tennessee | SEC |
| Marial | Shayok | Sr. | G | Iowa State | Big 12 |
| P.J. | Washington | So. | F | Kentucky | SEC |
| Grant | Williams | Jr. | F | Tennessee | SEC |
| Zion | Williamson | Fr. | F | Duke | ACC |
| Cassius | Winston | Jr. | G | Michigan State | Big Ten |
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, the most prestigious national honors in all of college and high school basketball. Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, inventor of the game of basketball, the family of Naismith Awards annually recognizes the most outstanding men’s and women’s college and high school basketball players and coaches. Other Naismith Awards are presented to the men’s and women’s college basketball defensive players of the year, as well as lifetime achievement awards to basketball officials and outstanding contributors to the game. UCLA’s Lew Alcindor received the first Citizen Naismith Trophy in 1969, while the late Anne Donovan (Old Dominion) was the inaugural women’s recipient in 1983. Corporate partners of the Naismith Awards include Bona, Citizen Watch Company and Werner Ladder.
ABOUT CITIZEN
Citizen, a pioneer in watchmaking and innovative technology since 1918, promotes excellence and creativity with a deep-rooted respect for craftsmanship. Citizen advocates “Better Starts Now,” searching for and accomplishing goals that are cause driven. In this respect, Citizen aligns with organizations and personalities that reflect the values of the brand including the Billie Jean King Leadership Initiative, Naismith Awards, National Merit Scholarship, and Good360.
For over 40 years, Citizen’s Eco-Drive technology has served as the prime example of how the brand is dedicated to making the world and its environment a better place. A simple yet revolutionary concept, Eco-Drive harnesses the power of light from any natural or artificial light source and converts it into energy, eliminating the need for any battery replacement.
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