Hofstra's Wright-Foreman and St. John's Heron named to Jerry West Award watch list
Hofstra guard Justin Wright-Foreman drives on Northeastern's Shawn Occeus on Jan.25, 2018. Credit: Lee S. Weissman/Lee S. Weissman
Justin Wright-Foreman of Hofstra and Mustapha Heron of St. John's have been named to the Jerry West Award preseason watch list, the Naisimth Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Tuesday.
The Jerry West Award is given each year to the best shooting guard in college basketball. The list will be trimmed to 10 in mid-February, with five finalists being announced in March. The winner will be revealed on April 12, 2019, at ESPN's College Basketball Awards Show in Los Angeles.
Previous winners of the Jerry West Award include Purdue's Carsen Edwards (2018), Kentucky's Malik Monk (2017), Oklahoma's Buddy Hield (2016) and Ohio State's D'Angelo Russell (2015).
Heron, a junior who transferred to St. John's from Auburn, averaged 16.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game last season. He had two double-doubles and eight games with 20 or more points.
Mustapha Heron led Auburn in scoring last season, averaging 16.4 points. He also averaged 5.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 32 games. Credit: AP/Brynn Anderson
Heron joins Shamorie Ponds as the second St. John's player named to a preseason watch list. Ponds was named to the watch list for the Bob Cousy Award, which is given to the nation's best point guard, on Monday.
Wright-Foreman was fifth in the nation last year with 24.4 points per game and became the fourth Pride player ever to be named Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year. He ranks 13th in school history with 1,379 career points and seventh with 167 three-pointers. Wright-Foreman also was the ECAC Player of the Year, an AP Honorable Mention All-American, as well as an All-CAA, NABC All-District and All-Met first team selection last year.
Wright-Foreman also was involved in each of the Pride's three game-winning shots last season.
2019 Jerry West Award Candidates
Bryce Brown, Auburn
Jarron Cumberland, Cincinnati
Kellan Grady, Davidson
RJ Barrett, Duke
KeVaughn Allen, Florida
Zach Norvell, Gonzaga
Justin Wright-Foreman, Hofstra
Romeo Langford, Indiana
Quentin Grimes, Kansas
Barry Brown, Kansas St.
Tyler Herro, Kentucky
Quinndary Weatherspoon, Mississippi St.
James Palmer Jr., Nebraska
T.J. Gibbs, Notre Dame
Mustapha Heron, St. John's
Tyus Battle, Syracuse
Jarrett Culver, Texas Tech
Kyle Guy, Virginia
Jaylen Nowell, Washington
Fletcher Magee, Wofford
Nick Klopsis is Newsday.com's sports editor. He often can be found studying NFL and college football film for his latest draft breakdown.
