Baylor MBB’s Butler Named to Bob Cousy Award Watch List
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Baylor men’s basketball junior Jared Butler has been named to the preseason watch list for the 2021 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award, as announced Monday by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
The award is now in its 18th year recognizing the top point guards in Division I men’s college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates. The list will be narrowed to 10 candidates in late January, and a month late five finalists will be presented to Mr. Cousy and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. The winner will be presented on April 9, along with four other members of the Men’s Starting Five. Players can be added to the watch list throughout the season.
Watch Lists for the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year, Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year, Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year awards will be announced throughout this week.
Butler is one of four Big 12 Conference players on the Bob Cousy Award watch list, joining Kansas’ Marcus Garrett, Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham and Texas’ Matt Coleman III. Additional players on the watch list include Arizona State’s Remy Martin, Colorado’s McKinley Wright IV, Creighton’s Marcus Zegarowski, Dayton’s Jalen Crutcher, Florida State’s Scottie Barnes, Gonzaga’s Jalen Suggs, Illinois’ Ayo Dosunmu, LSU’s Javonte Smart, Pepperdine’s Colbey Ross, Rhode Island’s Daron Russell, Richmond’s Jacob Gilyard, Rutgers’ Geordano Baker, Seton Hall’s Bryce Aiken, Villanova’s Collin Gillespie, Virginia’s Kihei Clark and Wisconsin’s D’Mitrik Trice.
Butler could potentially square off against eight players on the watch list during the regular season. In addition to the three Big 12 opponents on the watch list, the Bears open the season at the 2k Empire Classic, where they could face Arizona State and Villanova. BU takes on Gonzaga on Dec. 5, and the Bears could also face Seton Hall and Illinois in non-conference play.
A unanimous third-team All-American and first-team All-Big 12 selection in 2019-20, Butler went through the NBA Draft process during the offseason before electing to return to Baylor for his 2020-21 junior season. As a sophomore, Butler led the Bears with 16.0 points per game, while shooting .381 from 3-point range, averaging 3.1 assists and 1.6 steals in 30.4 minutes per game.
Baylor Athletics expects to open the season with 25 percent capacity in the Ferrell Center, and renewed season ticket holders will have exclusive priority. Additional information on the adjusted ticketing process has been provided by the Baylor Bear Foundation here. Follow @BaylorMBB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for updates throughout the year.
2021 BOB COUSY POINT GUARD OF THE YEAR AWARD WATCH LIST
Remy Martin, Arizona State
Jared Butler, Baylor
McKinley Wright IV, Colorado
Marcus Zegarowski, Creighton
Jalen Crutcher, Dayton
Scottie Barnes, Florida State
Jalen Suggs, Gonzaga
Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois
Marcus Garrett, Kansas
Javonte Smart, LSU
Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State
Colbey Ross, Pepperdine
Daron Russell, Rhode Island
Jacob Gilyard, Richmond
Geordano Baker, Rutgers
Bryce Aiken, Seton Hall
Matt Coleman III, Texas
Collin Gillespie, Villanova
Kihei Clark, Virginia
D'Mitrik Trice, Wisconsin
2020-21 BAYLOR MBB PRESEASON HONORS
Jared Butler
Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year
Preseason All-Big 12 Team (unanimous)
Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award Watch List
MaCio Teague
Preseason All-Big 12 honorable mention
Mark Vital
Preseason All-Big 12 honorable mention