ST. LOUIS (USBWA) The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has announced finalists for the 2009 Oscar Robertson Trophy, to be presented to the association's national player of the year.
Teammates Tyler Hansbrough and Ty Lawson of North Carolina are among the 15 players selected as finalists. Hansbrough, among three senior finalists, was the 2008 Oscar Robertson Trophy winner, yet no player has won back-to-back USBWA Player of the Year awards since Virginia's Ralph Sampson won three straight from 1981-83.
The presentation of this year's award will take place on Friday, April 3 at the USBWA's annual awards breakfast at the downtown Detroit Athletic Club in conjunction with the Men's Final Four. The breakfast will also honor the winner of the Henry Iba Award, the association's coach of the year, as well as the 1979 Michigan State national championship team that was led by Earvin "Magic" Johnson.
The Oscar Robertson Trophy is voted on by the entire membership of the association, which consists of nearly 800 journalists. The ballot will be distributed to the membership on Mon., March 2.
The following players are finalists for the Oscar Robertson Trophy:
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.
Finalists for the Henry Iba Award will be announced on Monday. The award has also been presented since 1959 and is named for the legendary Oklahoma State coach.
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. Today, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. For more information on the USBWA and its awards, contact executive director Joe Mitch at 314-421-0339.
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Oscar Robertson Trophy