DALLAS – UAB guard Jordan “Jelly” Walker was named one of 20 watch-list candidates for the 2023 Bob Cousy Award, announced Monday by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. 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.
 
Recently named the C-USA Preseason Player of the Year, Walker returns for his final season after becoming the first Blazer to be named C-USA Player of the Year (2021-22) since 2011. The Long Island, N.Y., native led the league in scoring (21.6) and assists (5.3) during conference action. Walker ranked third nationally in total three-pointers made (116) and eighth in three-pointers made per game (3.41).
 
In three games at the 2022 C-USA Basketball Championship, he averaged 31 points per game to garner C-USA Tournament MVP honors, including a program-record 42 points in a semifinal win over Middle Tennessee. Walker and the Blazers, who were voted preseason favorites by the league’s head coaches, open the 2022-23 campaign Nov. 7 against Alabama A&M.
 
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting, presented by Dell Technologies, in each of the three rounds starting on October 28. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2023 Bob Cousy Award will be narrowed to 10, and then in late February to just 5. In March, the five finalists will be presented to Cousy and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee where a winner will be selected.
 
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 Award (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).
 
2023 Bob Cousy Award Candidates

Jahvon Quinerly	Alabama	Caleb Love	North Carolina
Kerr Kriisa	Arizona	Grant Sherfield	Oklahoma
Wendell Green, Jr.	Auburn	Max Abmas	Oral Roberts
Isaiah Stevens	Colorado State	Will Richardson	Oregon
Ryan Nembhard	Creighton	Yuri Collins	St. Louis
Antoine Davis	Detroit Mercy	Mike Miles, Jr.	TCU
Jeremy Roach	Duke	Tyrese Hunter	Texas
Sahvir Wheeler	Kentucky	Jordan Walker	UAB
Darius McGhee	Liberty	Tyger Campbell	UCLA
Kendric Davis	Memphis	Kihei Clark	Virginia