The USBWA has chosen a national freshman of the year since the 1988-89 season when LSU’s Chris Jackson was the recipient. Other previous winners of the award include Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Jason Kidd and Chris Webber. The 2015-16 season marks the sixth year the award has been named in Wayman Tisdale’s honor.
The Integris Wayman Tisdale Award winner will receive a statuette designed by nationally-recognized sculptor Shan Gray.
The late Wayman Tisdale was a three-time USBWA All-American at the University of Oklahoma. Following a stint on the 1984 U.S. Olympic basketball team, he played 12 seasons in the NBA before retiring in 1997 to focus on a blossoming jazz music career. In March 2007, he was diagnosed with cancer and, following a courageous and difficult battle that included the amputation of his right leg in 2008, he passed away in May 2009.
The Integris Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year Award is produced by Access Sports, an Oklahoma City-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to supporting various charitable causes, including funding prosthetic devices for needy individuals through the Wayman L. Tisdale Foundation, educational scholarships through the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and funding of youth basketball programs throughout the state of Oklahoma through Wayman’s Lightning Basketball League.
2015-16 Wayman Tisdale National Freshmen of the Week
• Week ending Dec. 13: Henry Ellenson, Marquette (Big East Conference)
• Week ending Dec. 20: Dwayne Bacon, Florida State (Atlantic Coast Conference)
• Week ending Dec. 27: Edmond Sumner, Xavier (Big East Conference)
• Week ending Jan. 3: Diamond Stone, Maryland (Big Ten Conference)
• Week ending Jan. 10: Brandon Ingram, Duke (Atlantic Coast Conference)
• Week ending Jan. 17: Jawun Evans, Oklahoma State (Big 12 Conference)
• Week ending Jan. 24: Henry Ellenson, Marquette (Big East Conference)
• Week ending Jan. 31: Matt Morgan, Cornell (Ivy League)
• Week ending Feb. 7: Ben Simmons, LSU (Southeastern Conference)
• Week ending Feb. 14: Nick Emery, BYU (West Coast Conference)
• Week ending Feb. 21: Marcus Evans, Rice (Conference USA)
Related Link:
• Integris Wayman Tisdale Award (from integrisok.com)
2014-15 Wayman Tisdale National Freshmen of the Week
• Week ending Dec. 7: Tyus Jones, Duke (Atlantic Coast Conference)
• Week ending Dec. 14: Jahlil Okafor, Duke (Atlantic Coast Conference)
• Week ending Dec. 21: Elijah Stewart, USC (Pac-12 Conference)
• Week ending Dec. 28: Tyler Ulis, Kentucky (Southeastern Conference)
• Week ending Jan. 4: Jahlil Okafor, Duke (Atlantic Coast Conference)
• Week ending Jan. 11: Kevon Looney, UCLA (Pac-12 Conference)
• Week ending Jan. 18: Stanley Johnson, Arizona (Pac-12 Conference)
• Week ending Jan. 25: D’Angelo Russell, Ohio State (Big Ten Conference)
• Week ending Feb. 1: Jared Terrell, Rhode Island (Atlantic 10 Conference)
• Week ending Feb. 8: D’Angelo Russell, Ohio State (Big Ten Conference)
• Week ending Feb. 15: Karl-Anthony Towns, Kentucky (Southeastern Conference)
• Week ending Feb. 22: Tyus Jones, Duke (Atlantic Coast Conference)
Related Link:
• Integris Wayman Tisdale Award (from integrisok.com)
2013-14 Wayman Tisdale National Freshmen of the Week
• Week of Dec. 8: Chris Perry, USF (American Athletic Conference)
• Week of Dec. 15: Jordan Woodard, Oklahoma (Big 12 Conference)
• Week of Dec. 22: Jabari Parker, Duke (Atlantic Coast Conference)
• Week of Dec. 29: James Young, Kentucky (Southeastern Conference)
• Week of Jan. 5: Marcus Foster, Kansas State (Big 12 Conference)
• Week of Jan. 12: Wayne Selden, Kansas (Big 12 Conference)
• Week of Jan. 19: Joel Embiid, Kansas (Big 12 Conference)
• Week of Jan. 26: Andrew Wiggins, Kansas (Big 12 Conference)
• Week of Feb. 2: Jordan Mickey, LSU (Southeastern Conference)
• Week of Feb. 9: Marcus Foster, Kansas State (Big 12 Conference)
• Week of Feb. 16: Sindarius Thornwell, South Carolina (Southeastern Conference)
• Week of Feb. 23: Julius Randle, Kentucky (Southeastern Conference)
2015-16 Wayman Tisdale Award Winner: Ben Simmons, LSU
Simmons, a 6-10 forward from Melbourne, Australia, Simmons led all Division I freshmen in rebounds this season with an 11.8 average and was third among all freshmen in scoring with a 19.8 mark. He ranked fifth nationally among all players with 22 double-doubles and shot 56.0 percent from the field.
2014-15 Wayman Tisdale Award Winner: Jahlil Okafor, Duke
Okafor, a 6-11, 270-pound true freshman from Chicago, is the USBWA’s District III Player of the Year and the first freshman to be named the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Player of the Year. He leads the Blue Devils and ranks among the top five in the ACC in scoring (17.7), rebounds (9.0) and field goal percentage (.669) as he attempts to become the first freshman to lead Duke in all three categories. Okafor has recorded 11 double-doubles and 12 20-point games this season. His 28 straight double-digit scoring games, achieved earlier this season, is a freshman conference record. Eight times this season Okafor was named ACC Rookie of the Week and the weeks of Dec. 14, 2014, and Jan. 4, Okafor was named the Wayman Tisdale National Freshman of the Week by the USBWA.
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| Jabari Parker |
2013-14 Wayman Tisdale Award Winner: Jabari Parker, Duke
Parker, a 6-8, 235-pound true freshman from Chicago, is the USBWA’s District III Player of the Year, a consensus All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection and the conference’s Rookie of the Year. He is second in the ACC in scoring (19.3) and is looks to become just the fourth freshman in conference history to lead the league in rebounds (8.8). Parker has scored in double figures in 17 straight games and in 32 of 34 games this season, breaking the the Duke freshman record held by Gene Banks and Luol Deng, the 2004 USBWA National Freshman of the Year. Ten times this season Parker was named ACC Rookie of the Week and the week of Dec. 24, Parker was the Wayman Tisdale National Freshman of the Week.
2012-13 Wayman Tisdale Award Winner: Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State
Smart, a 6-4, 225-pound true freshman from Flower Mound, Texas, has joined a pair of previous USBWA National Freshman of the Year Award winners – Texas’ Kevin Durant (2007) and Kansas State’s Michael Beasley (2008) – in an exclusive group of three players to be chosen as the Big 12 Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year in the same season. Smart was also named to the USBWA’s All-District VI Team to go with selections to the All-Big 12 First Team, the Big 12 All-Defensive Team and the Big 12 All-Rookie Team. Smart is ranked in the top 10 in the Big 12 in several categories, including scoring (15.1, 6th), assists (4.3, 6th), steals (3.0, 1st) and free-throw percentage (73.8, 5th). His 89 steals tied the conference’s single-season record. He also already holds the Oklahoma State school record for most assists and his 78.3 free-throw percentage is the highest ever by a Cowboy freshman with at least 75 made free throws. Heading into the Big 12 Tournament, Smart has 24 double-figure scoring games and nine 20-point games in 30 games played, all of which he has started.
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| Anthony Davis |
2011-12 Wayman Tisdale Award Winner: Anthony Davis, Kentucky
Davis, a first-team USBWA All-American and the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, has led Kentucky to a 32-2 record, including a perfect 16-0 mark in the SEC. The 6-10 forward from Chicago, Ill., has started all 34 games this season and has led the team with 14.3 points and 10.0 rebounds per game while shooting 64.9 percent from the field, second best in the nation. Davis also leads the nation in blocks (154). Twice this season Davis was named the SEC Player of the Week and he was the conference’s Freshman of the Week four times. In 28 of the Wildcats’ 34 games, he has scored in double figures while recording 17 double-doubles.
2010-11 Wayman Tisdale Award Winner: Jared Sullinger, Ohio State
Sullinger, a first-team USBWA All-American and the Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Year, has led Ohio State to a 32-2 record, the Big Ten regular-season and conference tournament championships and the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. The 6-9 forward from Columbus, Ohio, has started all 34 games this season and has led the team with 17.2 points and 10.1 rebounds per game while shooting 53.6 percent from the field. Four times this season Sullinger has been named the Big Ten Player of the Week. In 31 of the Buckeyes’ 34 games, he has scored in double figures while recording 17 double-doubles. His 40-point game on Dec. 9 vs IUPUI is a school freshman record. Sullinger is just the second player from the Big Ten to win the USBWA’s National Freshman of the Year Award, joining Michigan’s Chris Webber in 1993.
| ALL-TIME WAYMAN TISDALE AWARD WINNERS (NATIONAL FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR) | |
| 1989 Chris Jackson, LSU 1990 Kenny Anderson, Georgia Tech 1991 Rodney Rogers, Wake Forest 1992 Chris Webber, Michigan 1993 Jason Kidd, California 1994 Joe Smith, Maryland 1995 None selected 1996 None selected 1997 None selected 1998 Larry Hughes, Saint Louis 1999 Quentin Richardson, DePaul 2000 Jason Gardner, Arizona 2001 Eddie Griffin, Seton Hall 2002 T.J. Ford, Texas |
2003 Carmelo Anthony, Syracuse 2004 Luol Deng, Duke 2005 Marvin Williams, North Carolina 2006 Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina 2007 Kevin Durant, Texas 2008 Michael Beasley, Kansas State 2009 Tyreke Evans, Memphis 2010 John Wall, Kentucky 2011 Jared Sullinger, Ohio State 2012 Anthony Davis, Kentucky 2013 Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State 2014 Jabari Parker, Duke 2015 Jahlil Okafor, Duke 2016 Ben Simmons, LSU |
Balloting for the USBWA’s All-America Team, All-District Teams and the association’s individual awards will take place in March. The Oscar Robertson Trophy will be presented at a news conference on Friday, March 31, at the Final Four in Phoenix. The Henry Iba Coach of the Year will be presented at the association’s awards breakfast the following Monday. The presentation of the Wayman Tisdale Award is to be announced.
| 2016-17 USBWA MEN’S MIDSEASON WATCH LISTS | |
| Oscar Robertson Trophy (Men’s National Player of the Year) | |
| Dwayne Bacon, Florida State Lonzo Ball, UCLA Joel Berry II, North Carolina De’Aaron Fox, Kentucky Markelle Fultz, Washington Ethan Happ, Wisconsin Josh Hart, Villanova Marcus Keene, Central Michigan Luke Kennard, Duke Jock Landale, Saint Mary’s |
TJ Leaf, UCLA Lauri Markkanen, Arizona Kelan Martin, Butler Frank Mason III, Kansas Malik Monk, Kentucky Johnathan Motley, Baylor Alec Peters, Valparaiso Caleb Swanigan, Purdue Nigel Williams-Goss, Gonzaga |
| Wayman Tisdale Award (Men’s National Freshman Player of the Year) | |
| Lonzo Ball, UCLA De’Aaron Fox, Kentucky Markelle Fultz, Washington Jonathan Isaac, Florida State Josh Jackson, Kansas TJ Leaf, UCLA |
Lauri Markkanen, Arizona Malik Monk, Kentucky Justin Patton, Creighton Shamorie Ponds, St. John’s Dennis Smith, North Carolina State Jayson Tatum, Duke |
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 1,000 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57 season. For more information on the USBWA and its award programs, contact executive director Joe Mitch at 314-795-6821.
Related links:
• Oscar Robertson Trophy
• Wayman Tisdale Award
