Fighting Illini junior point guard Ayo Dosunmu and sophomore center Kofi Cockburn have been named to the 2021 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Watch List, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Thursday.
Illinois is one of just nine schools – and the only Big Ten team – with at least two student-athletes on the 50-player preseason list for the Naismith Trophy, which has been awarded annually since 1969 to the nation's most outstanding college basketball player.
"The beginning of the season is filled with excitement, optimism and anticipation as each team and every player is undefeated, making the race for the Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy wide open. While these 50 candidates are those to keep an eye on, there will be plenty of others who will enter the competition throughout the season," said Eric Oberman, executive director of the Atlanta Tipoff Club. "This year will be especially exciting as players who were unable to finish their seasons last year have even more to prove."
A list of the midseason 30 team will be released in early February, followed by the 10 national semifinalists and four finalists on March 4 and March 16, respectively. Players who do not make the watch list are still eligible to be selected for the midseason 30 team. The 2021 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy will be awarded during the Final Four at the Naismith Awards Brunch on April 4.
This is the latest accolade for the pair of Illini standouts. Dosunmu has now been named the following:
They both withdrew from the NBA Draft to return to campus, where the Illini enter the season ranked No. 8 nationally.
Illinois is one of just nine schools – and the only Big Ten team – with at least two student-athletes on the 50-player preseason list for the Naismith Trophy, which has been awarded annually since 1969 to the nation's most outstanding college basketball player.
"The beginning of the season is filled with excitement, optimism and anticipation as each team and every player is undefeated, making the race for the Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy wide open. While these 50 candidates are those to keep an eye on, there will be plenty of others who will enter the competition throughout the season," said Eric Oberman, executive director of the Atlanta Tipoff Club. "This year will be especially exciting as players who were unable to finish their seasons last year have even more to prove."
A list of the midseason 30 team will be released in early February, followed by the 10 national semifinalists and four finalists on March 4 and March 16, respectively. Players who do not make the watch list are still eligible to be selected for the midseason 30 team. The 2021 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy will be awarded during the Final Four at the Naismith Awards Brunch on April 4.
This is the latest accolade for the pair of Illini standouts. Dosunmu has now been named the following:
- Naismith Trophy Watch List by Atlanta Tipoff Club
- Preseason All-American by the Associated Press
- Bob Cousy Award Watch List by Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
- First-team All-America pick by CBS Sports
- Unanimous All-Big Ten selection by the league media
- Nation's most intriguing player by Brian Hamilton, The Athletic
- Nation's No. 1 guard by CJ Moore, The Athletic
- Nation's No. 3 overall player by Matt Norlander, CBSSports.com
- Nation's No. 2 returning player by Andy Katz, NCAA.com
- Naismith Trophy Watch List by Atlanta Tipoff Club
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Watch List by Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
- All-Big Ten pick by conference media
- Nation's No. 4 big by Brendan Marks, The Athletic
- Nation's No. 10 returning player by Andy Katz, NCAA.com
- Nation's No. 17 overall player by Matt Norlander, CBSSports.com
They both withdrew from the NBA Draft to return to campus, where the Illini enter the season ranked No. 8 nationally.
