A day after being named the WCC Player of the Year, Gonzaga junior forward Rui Hachimura has been named a semifinalist for the Citizen Naismith Trophy.
The Naismith is awarded by the Atlanta Tipoff Club and goes to the top collegiate players every year.
Hachimura was one of a record six juniors selected as semifinalists along with two freshmen and a pair of sophomores amongst the 10 on the list.
Four finalists will be selected on March 19, and fans will have a chance to vote from March 22-April 3, accounting for five percent of the overall vote.
No Gonzaga player has ever won the Naismith award. Adam Morrison was a finalist for it back in 2006.
“These semifinalists have played extremely well throughout the season and their careers thus far,” said Eric Oberman, executive director of the Atlanta Tipoff Club. “As the regular season comes to an end, we will see these players persevere and excel as they compete in the post season and for the Citizen Naismith Trophy.”
Hachimura leads No. 1 Gonzaga in scoring with 20.6 points per game while shooting 61.3 percent from the field. He has scored in double digits in every one of Gonzaga’s games so far this season.
2019 Citizen Naismith Trophy Semifinalists
Name, School (Class, Position)
R.J. Barrett, Duke (Fr., F)
Carsen Edwards, Purdue (Jr., G)
Rui Hachimura, Gonzaga (Jr., F)
Markus Howard, Marquette (Jr., G)
Dedric Lawson, Kansas (Jr., F)
Ja Morant, Murray State (So., G)
P.J. Washington, Kentucky (So., F)
Grant Williams, Tennessee (Jr., F)
Zion Williamson, Duke (Fr., F)
Cassius Winston, Michigan State (Jr., G)
Our @NaismithTrophy Semifinalist … @rui_8mura: https://t.co/txyxD2t1pH pic.twitter.com/RurIXZjouD— Gonzaga Basketball (@ZagMBB) March 6, 2019
Naismith Trophy Semifinalists:RJ BarrettCarsen EdwardsRui HachimuraMarkus HowardDedric LawsonJa MorantPJ WashingtonGrant WilliamsZion WilliamsonCassius Winston👉https://t.co/fy6UH2Q6Mppic.twitter.com/zsPLvQxAOq— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 6, 2019
