Kolek Named Candidate For Bob Cousy Award

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the Top 10 candidates for the 2023 Bob Cousy Award. Named after Class of 1971 Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic and Holy Cross guard Bob Cousy, the annual honor, now in its 20th year, recognizes the top point guard in Division I men's college basketball.

Marquette junior guard Tyler Kolek is one of the 10 candidates for the honor. Kolek, one of two BIG EAST players (Souley Boum, Xavier) on the list, currently leads the league and is second in the nation in assists per game (7.9) through games of Feb. 5. He is on pace to become just the fourth player in Marquette history to dish out 200 assists in a season (see below) and has already surpassed his season total from 2021-22. He was tabbed BIG EAST Player of the Week on Jan. 30 and has been named to the league's weekly honor roll on four occasions. Former guard Markus Howard was one of five finalists in 2019-20.

Fans can support their favorite players in the remaining rounds by participating in Fan Voting, presented by Dell Technologies, starting Friday, February 10 on hoophallawards.com. The Fan Vote will count as one committee vote during the finalist selection process.

2023 Bob Cousy Award Candidates*
Antonie Davis - Detroit Mercy
Jalen Pickett - Penn State
Markquis Nowell - Kansas State
Yuri Collins - St. Louis
Tyler Kolek - Marquette
Mike Miles - TCU
Kendric Davis - Memphis
Tyger Campbell - UCLA
Max Abmas - Oral Roberts
Souley Boum - Xavier
*Players can play their way onto and off the list at any point in the 2022-23 season.

In March, five finalists will be presented to Cousy and the Hall of Fame's selection committee. The Selection Committee for the Bob Cousy Award is composed of top men's college basketball personnel including media members, head coaches, sports information directors and Hall of Famers.

The winner of the 2023 Bob Cousy Award will be presented on a to be determined date, along with the other four members of the Men's Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Jerry West Award (Shooting Guard), Julius Erving Award (Small Forward), Karl Malone (Power Forward) and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award (Center), in addition to the Women's Starting Five.

Previous winners of the Bob Cousy Award include Collin Gillespie, Villanova (2022), Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois (2021), Ja Morant, Murray State (2019), Jalen Brunson, Villanova (2018), Trey Burke, Michigan (2013), Kendall Marshall, North Carolina (2012), Kemba Walker, Connecticut (2011) and Jameer Nelson, St. Joseph's (2004).

For more information on the 2023 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophall and #CousyAward on Twitter and Instagram.

About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame:

Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving and celebrating the game of basketball at every level – men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches and contributors, both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 400 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo "Court of Dreams." Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game's elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 70 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum and events, visit hoophall.com, follow @hoophall or call 1-877-4HOOPLA.

Players Mentioned

Tyler Kolek

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