UVA basketball’s De’Andre Hunter (Philadelphia, Pa.) was one of 20 players named to the watch list for the 2019 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Wednesday (Oct. 17).
Named after Class of 1993 Hall of Famer and 16-year professional basketball player Julius Erving, the annual honor now in its fifth year recognizes the top small forwards in Division I men’s college basketball. A national committee comprised of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.
Hunter averaged 9.2 points and 3.5 rebounds in 33 games for the Cavaliers (31-3) last season. He reached double figures in 16 games and was Virginia’s leading scorer in six contests. Hunter was named ACC Co-Rookie of the Week following his 22-point performance at Miami on Feb. 18. He banked in a dramatic game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer at Louisville on March 1. Hunter was also named to the All-ACC Freshman Team.
Erving averaged 26.3 points and 20.2 rebounds per game at UMass, making him one of only six NCAA men’s basketball players to average more than 20 points and 20 rebounds per game. After two seasons, Erving made the jump to the American Basketball Association and was the league’s most recognizable player when it merged with the National Basketball Association in 1976. During his professional career, Erving won three championships, four most valuable player awards and three scoring titles. In 1996, he was named a member of the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.
By mid-February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2019 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award will be narrowed to just 10. In March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. Erving and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. The winner of the 2019 Julius Erving Award will be presented at the ESPN College Basketball Awards Show presented by Wendy’s in Los Angeles on Friday, April 12, 2019. Broadcast information will be released at a later date.
Previous winners of the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award include Mikal Bridges, Villanova (2018), Josh Hart, Villanova (2017), Denzel Valentine, Michigan State (2016) and Stanley Johnson, Arizona (2015).
For more information on the 2019 Julius Erving Award, log onto www.hoophallawards.com and follow @Hoophall and #ErvingAward on Twitter and Instagram.
2019 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Candidates
- Dylan Windler, Belmont
- Cam Reddish, Duke
- Elijah Minnie, Eastern Michigan
- Rui Hachimura, Gonzaga
- Keldon Johnson, Kentucky
- Sam Hauser, Marquette
- Aaron Wiggins, Maryland
- Caleb Martin, Nevada
- Nassir Little, North Carolina
- Louis King, Oregon
- Tres Tinkle, Oregon State
- Lamar Stevens, Penn State
- O’Shea Brissett, Syracuse
- Admiral Schofield, Tennessee
- Jordon Varnado, Troy
- Kris Wilkes, UCLA
- De’Andre Hunter, Virginia
- Jaylen Hoard, Wake Forest
- Matisse Thybulle, Washington
- Robert Franks Jr., Washington State
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