Marcus Foster
Photo by: A.J. Olnes
Marcus Foster Named to Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Watch List
10/17/2017 12:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Senior was a unanimous First Team All-BIG EAST pick in 2016-17
SPRINGFIELD, MASS. – Creighton senior Marcus Foster is one of 20 candidates for the 2018 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today. Named after Hall of Famer and 1959 NCAA Final Four Most Valuable Player Jerry West, the annual honor in its fourth year recognizes the top shooting guards in Division I men's college basketball.
"Jerry West is one of the best shooting guards to ever play the game and by far one of the most competitive personalities in the game as well," said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. "These twenty collegiate athletes have worked tirelessly to earn their spots on this watch list and have shown similar work ethics and skills as the esteemed Jerry West."
Jerry West attended West Virginia University and averaged 24.8 points and 13.3 rebounds per game in his three varsity seasons. He led his team to the NCAA Championship game in 1959 and was named a consensus All-American in 1959 and 1960. In the summer of 1960, he was co-captain of the U.S. men's basketball team and won an Olympic gold medal. As a professional player, West played 14 seasons in the NBA with the Lakers making the All-NBA First Team 10 times. West won an NBA championship in 1972 and was named the NBA Finals MVP in 1969 despite his team not winning the championship. In 1996, he was named a member of the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.
Foster was a unanimous First Team All-BIG EAST selection, as well as a First Team All-District VI pick by the USBWA in 2016-17, when he was one of five finalists for the Jerry West Award. The Wichita Falls, Texas native started all 35 games in 2016-17, leading the Bluejays with 18.2 points per game, 245 field goals, 75 free throws and 73 three-pointers. He led all BIG EAST players in field goals made, both in all games and in league only contests, ranked third in the BIG EAST in points per game in all games and second in league-only games, and was one of 30 candidates for the Naismith Men's College Player of the Year.
Foster's 18.2 points per game were the most by a CU newcomer since Cyril Baptiste's 18.9 ppg. in 1969-70, and his 638 points were 10th-most in Creighton history and most ever by a Bluejay newcomer in their first year on the court. Foster was a two-time BIG EAST Player of the Week, earned a spot on the BIG EAST All-Tournament Team, and was named MVP of the Paradise Jam after helping CU to the title last November.
The BIG EAST had three men among the 20 initial candidates, as Foster was joined by Shamorie Ponds (St. John's) and Khadeen Carrington (Seton Hall).
"Now in its fourth year, this award's committee continually compiles a list of the best shooting guards in collegiate basketball," said Jerry West, a 1979 inductee of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. "It is truly an honor be associated with this award and I am looking forward to seeing the level of competitiveness and talent each of these candidates exhibits this upcoming season."
By mid-February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2018 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award will be narrowed to just 10. In March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. West and the Hall of Fame's selection committee. The winner of the 2018 Jerry West Award will be presented at the ESPN College Basketball Awards Show presented by Wendy's in Los Angeles, Calif., on Friday, April 6, 2018. Broadcast information will be released at a later date.
Previous winners of the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award include Malik Monk, Kentucky (2017), Buddy Hield, Oklahoma (2016) and D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State (2015). For more information on the 2018 Jerry West Award, log onto www.HoophallAwards.com.
2018 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award Candidates
*Players can play their way onto and off of the list at any point in the 2017-18 season*
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was invented, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves the game of basketball at every level – professional, collegiate and high school, for both men and women on the global stage.
For more information:
Visit us online: www.hoophall.com or www.hoophallawards.com
… on Facebook: www.facebook.com/BHOF
… on Twitter/Instagram: @hoophall WestAward CBBAwards
… or call 1-877-4-HOOPLA
"Jerry West is one of the best shooting guards to ever play the game and by far one of the most competitive personalities in the game as well," said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. "These twenty collegiate athletes have worked tirelessly to earn their spots on this watch list and have shown similar work ethics and skills as the esteemed Jerry West."
Jerry West attended West Virginia University and averaged 24.8 points and 13.3 rebounds per game in his three varsity seasons. He led his team to the NCAA Championship game in 1959 and was named a consensus All-American in 1959 and 1960. In the summer of 1960, he was co-captain of the U.S. men's basketball team and won an Olympic gold medal. As a professional player, West played 14 seasons in the NBA with the Lakers making the All-NBA First Team 10 times. West won an NBA championship in 1972 and was named the NBA Finals MVP in 1969 despite his team not winning the championship. In 1996, he was named a member of the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.
Foster was a unanimous First Team All-BIG EAST selection, as well as a First Team All-District VI pick by the USBWA in 2016-17, when he was one of five finalists for the Jerry West Award. The Wichita Falls, Texas native started all 35 games in 2016-17, leading the Bluejays with 18.2 points per game, 245 field goals, 75 free throws and 73 three-pointers. He led all BIG EAST players in field goals made, both in all games and in league only contests, ranked third in the BIG EAST in points per game in all games and second in league-only games, and was one of 30 candidates for the Naismith Men's College Player of the Year.
Foster's 18.2 points per game were the most by a CU newcomer since Cyril Baptiste's 18.9 ppg. in 1969-70, and his 638 points were 10th-most in Creighton history and most ever by a Bluejay newcomer in their first year on the court. Foster was a two-time BIG EAST Player of the Week, earned a spot on the BIG EAST All-Tournament Team, and was named MVP of the Paradise Jam after helping CU to the title last November.
The BIG EAST had three men among the 20 initial candidates, as Foster was joined by Shamorie Ponds (St. John's) and Khadeen Carrington (Seton Hall).
"Now in its fourth year, this award's committee continually compiles a list of the best shooting guards in collegiate basketball," said Jerry West, a 1979 inductee of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. "It is truly an honor be associated with this award and I am looking forward to seeing the level of competitiveness and talent each of these candidates exhibits this upcoming season."
By mid-February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2018 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award will be narrowed to just 10. In March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. West and the Hall of Fame's selection committee. The winner of the 2018 Jerry West Award will be presented at the ESPN College Basketball Awards Show presented by Wendy's in Los Angeles, Calif., on Friday, April 6, 2018. Broadcast information will be released at a later date.
Previous winners of the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award include Malik Monk, Kentucky (2017), Buddy Hield, Oklahoma (2016) and D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State (2015). For more information on the 2018 Jerry West Award, log onto www.HoophallAwards.com.
2018 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award Candidates
| Allonzo Trier | Arizona |
| Mustapha Heron | Auburn |
| Jerome Robinson | Boston College |
| TJ Haws | BYU |
| Marcus Foster | Creighton |
| Grayson Allen | Duke |
| KeVaughn Allen | Florida |
| Rob Gray | Houston |
| Malik Newman | Kansas |
| Hamidou Diallo | Kentucky |
| Bruce Brown Jr. | Miami |
| Lonnie Walker | Miami |
| Quinndary Weatherspoon | Mississippi St. |
| E.C. Matthews | Rhode Island |
| Khadeen Carrington | Seton Hall |
| Shamorie Ponds | St. John's |
| Tyus Battle | Syracuse |
| Andrew Jones | Texas |
| De'Anthony Melton | USC |
| Daxter Miles Jr. | West Virginia |
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was invented, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves the game of basketball at every level – professional, collegiate and high school, for both men and women on the global stage.
For more information:
Visit us online: www.hoophall.com or www.hoophallawards.com
… on Facebook: www.facebook.com/BHOF
… on Twitter/Instagram: @hoophall WestAward CBBAwards
… or call 1-877-4-HOOPLA
Players Mentioned
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