Gray Makes Wooden Preseason Top 50

NORMAN, Okla. - After tallying the ballots of the National Preseason Selection Committee, the John R. Wooden Award today announced the top 50 preseason candidates for the Men's 2005-06 Wooden Award All-American Team. Oklahoma's Taj Gray, the 2005 Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and a first-team all-league selection, is one of six Big 12 Conference players on the list.

The list is composed of 50 student athletes who, based on last year's individual performance and team records, are the early frontrunners for college basketball's most coveted trophy. These top 50 candidates are comprised of returning players, although transfers, freshmen and other players who excel throughout the season will be evaluated and considered for both the Midseason top 30 list and the National Ballot.

“With so many players jumping to the next level and so many standout athletes from last year, the committee had a tough time nominating these candidates from such a wide selection of tremendous players,” said Duke Llewellyn, Wooden Award chairman. “These preseason selections represent the elite of college basketball, and our entire team at the Wooden Award is excited to see the best players in the nation prove their case as college basketball's player of the year.”

Duke's J.J. Redick and Illinois' Dee Brown are the sole preseason candidates who were honored last year as members of the 2005 Wooden Award All-American Team. Additionally, Sheldon Williams (Duke) and Craig Smith (Boston College) join Redick and Brown as the only preseason candidates named to last year's official voting ballot. Other preseason candidates that were in the running for last year's Wooden Award include guards Justin Gray (Wake Forest), Chris Hernandez (Stanford), Carl Krauser (Pittsburgh) and Gerry McNamara (Syracuse); and forwards Leon Powe (California), P.J. Tucker (Texas) and Curtis Withers (Charlotte).

Eleven NCAA conferences are represented, including the Big East (nine players), ACC (eight players), Pac 10 (seven players), Big Ten (six players), Big 12 (six players), Atlantic 10 (four players), SEC (four players), Conference USA (two players), Western Athletic Conference (two players), West Coast Conference (one player), and the Missouri Valley Conference (one player).

Joining Gray, a 6-9 senior forward, from the Big 12 on the preseason list are JamesOn Curry (Oklahoma State), Daniel Gibson (Texas), Jarrius Jackson (Texas Tech), Curtis Stinson (Iowa State) and P.J. Tucker (Texas).

Last year, Gray averaged 14.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 1.5 assists per game while shooting a Big 12-best .557 from the field (.599 in conference games). He was named Big 12 Rookie of the Week an OU-record four times.

With more than 90 players receiving at least one vote, no teams stood out with an overwhelming number of preseason nominees. However, several teams had two players nominated, including Boston College, Connecticut, Duke, Michigan State, Stanford, Texas and Wake Forest.

In mid-January, the Wooden Award committee will release the midseason top 30 on CBS Sports, and on Tuesday, March 28, the 10-player Wooden Award All-American Team will be announced. The 2006 Award ceremony, which will include the presentation of the Men's and Women's Wooden Award, the Wooden Award All-American Teams and the Legends of Coaching Award, will be held at The Los Angeles Athletic Club on April 8, 2006, and will be broadcast live on a national CBS telecast.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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