U of M’s Jackson and Barton on Wooden Watch List

By Adam Douglas

Sports Editor

 

 

 

 

Two University of Memphis basketball players are among players from eight schools named to the preseason watch list for the John R. Wooden award, an annual honor recognizing the nation's top player.

Sophomore guards Will Barton and Joe Jackson are among the 50 players named to the watch list, putting Memphis behind only North Carolina (four players), Ohio State (three players) and Vanderbilt (three players) in selections. California, Connecticut, Syracuse and UCLA also had two selections each.  

"It's a wonderful honor for each young man to be on there, just to be under something with the name of Wooden, arguably the greatest coach in basketball history and maybe the greatest coach in all of sports," said head coach Josh Pastner.

Barton, the Tigers' leading scorer last season (12.3 ppg) and second leading rebounder (4.9rpg), and Jackson, the Conference USA Tournament MVP, were the only players selected from C-USA.

"I think we have multiple guys on our team that deserve to be on that list," Pastner said. "But, for Joe and Will, it's about team and they want to win, and that's how it is with everyone else. Guys are locked in about togetherness, about ‘we' and about ‘us.'"

The 6-foot-6 Barton, an all-C-USA third team and C-USA all-freshmen team selection last year, said he was honored by his selection to the Wooden watch list, but shared Pastner's sentiments that team goals come before individual ones.

"I have a lot of individual goals for myself, but in order to reach those, I know I have to do well within the team concept. Plus, we have to win," he said. "I always put my team first. I know my team is depending on me. Individual accolades will come by themselves."

Jackson, a 6-foot standout point guard from White Station High School in Memphis, was the Tigers' second-leading scorer (9.9 ppg) and assist man (3.1 apg) last season. Over the summer, Jackson elevated his game, averaging 11.6 points, 4.1 assists and 3 rebounds in a starting role for Team USA at the FIBA Under-19 World Championships in Latvia.

"It's a great honor, but no award is bigger than my team," Jackson said. "It's a great honor to be mentioned in the 50 finalists, but my focus is on team goals right now."

The Wooden watch list will be trimmed to 30 players in January, when freshmen, transfers and other players who didn't play last season will be eligible to make the list. The award will be presented on the weekend of April 6 at the Los Angeles Athletic Club.