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McLaughlin & Metu Named To Preseason Wooden Award Top 50
November 14, 2017 | Men's Basketball, Features
USC men's basketball senior Jordan McLaughlin and junior Chimezie Metu have been named to the 2018 John R. Wooden Award preseason top 50 candidates list, it was announced today (Nov. 14). Chosen by a preseason poll of national college basketball experts, the list is comprised of 50 student-athletes who are the early front-runners for the 2018 John R. Wooden Award Men's Player of the Year presented by Wendy's.
McLaughlin, a three-year team captain, averaged 12.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 5.5 assists during the 2016-17 season. He ranks second on USC's all-time career assists list with 457 and 22nd on its all-time scoring list with 1,188 points. McLaughlin was the only men's college basketball player last season to record at least three assists in every game his team played. McLaughlin ranks first in career assists, first in career steals (141), second in career points and third in career three-point baskets made (131) among returning Pac-12 players.
Metu started all 36 games for USC in the 2016-17 season and averaged 14.8 points and 7.8 rebounds. He was named the 2017 Pac-12 Most Improved Player, All-Pac-12 second team and All-Academic honorable mention. He had at least six rebounds and 10 or more points in 27 of 36 games and posted six double-doubles. He scored in double figures in 31 of 36 games, including five games of 20 or more points. His 534 points scored tied for the 15th-most in a single season by a Trojan and the most since Nikola Vucevic scored 582 in 2011. He averaged 16.9 points and 8.2 rebounds in USC's final 13 games. Metu also had 80 dunks, more than the total (74) of all of USC's opponent's dunks during the 2016-17 season.
Players not chosen to the preseason list are still eligible for the Wooden Award midseason list, late season list and the National Ballot. The National Ballot consists of 15 top players who have proven to their universities that they are also making progress toward graduation and maintaining at least a cumulative 2.0 GPA. Nearly 1,000 voters will rank in order 10 of those 15 players, who have been qualified as meeting the standards set forth by Coach Wooden and the Wooden Award Steering Committee. Voting will open prior to the start of the NCAA Tournament and will allow voters to take into consideration performance during early round games. The Wooden Award All American Team will be announced the week of the "Elite Eight" round of the NCAA Tournament. The winner of the 2018 John R. Wooden Award will be presented during the ESPN College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy's on Friday, April 6, 2018.
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McLaughlin, a three-year team captain, averaged 12.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 5.5 assists during the 2016-17 season. He ranks second on USC's all-time career assists list with 457 and 22nd on its all-time scoring list with 1,188 points. McLaughlin was the only men's college basketball player last season to record at least three assists in every game his team played. McLaughlin ranks first in career assists, first in career steals (141), second in career points and third in career three-point baskets made (131) among returning Pac-12 players.
Metu started all 36 games for USC in the 2016-17 season and averaged 14.8 points and 7.8 rebounds. He was named the 2017 Pac-12 Most Improved Player, All-Pac-12 second team and All-Academic honorable mention. He had at least six rebounds and 10 or more points in 27 of 36 games and posted six double-doubles. He scored in double figures in 31 of 36 games, including five games of 20 or more points. His 534 points scored tied for the 15th-most in a single season by a Trojan and the most since Nikola Vucevic scored 582 in 2011. He averaged 16.9 points and 8.2 rebounds in USC's final 13 games. Metu also had 80 dunks, more than the total (74) of all of USC's opponent's dunks during the 2016-17 season.
Players not chosen to the preseason list are still eligible for the Wooden Award midseason list, late season list and the National Ballot. The National Ballot consists of 15 top players who have proven to their universities that they are also making progress toward graduation and maintaining at least a cumulative 2.0 GPA. Nearly 1,000 voters will rank in order 10 of those 15 players, who have been qualified as meeting the standards set forth by Coach Wooden and the Wooden Award Steering Committee. Voting will open prior to the start of the NCAA Tournament and will allow voters to take into consideration performance during early round games. The Wooden Award All American Team will be announced the week of the "Elite Eight" round of the NCAA Tournament. The winner of the 2018 John R. Wooden Award will be presented during the ESPN College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy's on Friday, April 6, 2018.
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