Johnson among four Naismith POY finalists
Add Naismith player of the year finalist to Nick Johnson's list of achievements this season.
The Arizona guard joined Creighton's Doug McDermott, Duke's Jabari Parker and Louisville's Russ Smith on the list. The finalists were selected by the Atlanta Tipoff Club's Board of Selectors and the winner will be revealed April 6 at the Final Four in Arlington, Texas.
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"Each of the remaining candidates demonstrates a unique style of basketball, and their individual accomplishments reflect their talent and dedication to the sport," Eric Oberman, executive director of the Atlanta Tipoff Club, said in a release. "Additionally, they have been key contributors to their team's successes throughout the season and that truly exemplifies strong leadership. We would be happy to call any of them a Naismith Trophy winner."
Johnson, who helped the Wildcats earn a No. 1 seed in the West Region, has already been named the Pac-12 Conference's player of the year. Nationally, his honors include first-team All-American honors from the Sporting News and U.S. Basketball Writer's Association of America.
Along with the Naismith Trophy, Johnson is a finalist for the Oscar Robertson and John R. Wooden player of the year honors.
Johnson is Arizona's leading scorer, averaging 16.3 points on 44.4 percent shooting to go with 2.7 assists. An all-league defensive team honoree, he also is averaging slightly better than a steal per contest.
1" align="left" />Click Here to view this Link.Tracy McDannald
GOAZCATS.com Senior Editor