The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has announced finalists for the 2010 Oscar Robertson Trophy, to be presented to the association’s national player of the year. A trio of returning finalists – Kansas’ Sherron Collins, Notre Dame’s Luke Harangody and Ohio State’s Evan Turner – are among the 16 players selected to appear on the ballot. The nation’s top two ranked teams are well represented. Joining Collins from the top-ranked Jayhawks is teammate Cole Aldrich. Also, among the finalists is a pair of freshman teammates from No. 2 Kentucky, DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall.
The Oscar Robertson Trophy is voted on by the entire membership of the association, which consists of nearly 900 journalists. The ballot will be distributed to the membership on Mon., March 1. The Oscar Robertson Trophy is awarded to the USBWA’s Player of the Year. It is the nation’s oldest award and the only one named after a former player. The legendary Oscar Robertson was the USBWA’s first player of the year in 1959. The USBWA renamed its player of the year award the Oscar Robertson Trophy in 1998.
The following players are finalists for the Oscar Robertson Trophy:
Cole Aldrich, F, Kansas (6-11, 245, Jr., Bloomington, Minn.)
James Anderson, G, Oklahoma State (6-6, 210, Jr., Junction City, Ark.)
Sherron Collins, G, Kansas (5-11, 205, Sr., Chicago, Ill.)
DeMarcus Cousins, F, Kentucky (6-11, 260, Fr., Mobile, Ala.)
Devan Downey, G, South Carolina (5-9, 170, Sr., Chester, S.C.)
Jimmer Fredette, G, BYU (6-2, 195, Jr., Glens Falls, N.Y.)
Luke Harangody, F, Notre Dame (6-8, 246, Sr., Schererville, Ind.)
Robbie Hummel, F, Purdue (6-8, 208, Jr., Valparaiso, Ind.)
Damion James, G/F, Texas (6-7, 225, Sr., Nacogdoches, Texas)
Wesley Johnson, F, Syracuse (6-7, 205, Jr., Corsicana, Texas)
Dominique Jones, G, South Florida (6-4, 215, Jr., Lake Wales, Fla.)
Greg Monroe, C, Georgetown (6-11, 247, So., New Orleans, La.)
Scottie Reynolds, G, Villanova (6-2, 190, Se., Herndon, Va.)
Jon Scheyer, G, Duke (6-5, 190, Sr., Northbrook, Ill.)
Evan Turner, G/F, Ohio State (6-7, 205, So., Chicago, Ill.)
John Wall, G, Kentucky (6-4, 195, Fr., Raleigh, N.C.)
