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UVA’s Sam Hauser named Julius Erving Award finalist

Chris Graham
sam hauser georgia tech
Sam Hauser had 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting to key Virginia’s 64-62 win over Georgia Tech. Photo courtesy Atlantic Coast Conference.

Virginia senior forward Sam Hauser is one of the five finalists for the 2021 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award.

Joining Hauser on the list are Corey Kispert (Gonzaga), Isaiah Livers (Michigan), Ron Harper Jr. (Rutgers) and Terrence Shannon Jr.

Hauser leads UVA in scoring (15.1 ppg), rebounding (7.0 rpg) and 3-pointers (48). He is shooting 51.4. percent from the field, 44.4 percent from three-point range and 85.3 percent from the free throw line, and has reached double figures in scoring in 18 contests, including a season-high 23 points against Pitt and 22 vs. Georgia Tech.

A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 student-athletes in November, which was narrowed to 10 candidates in January and now just five finalists. This month, the finalists will be presented to Erving and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee.

The winner of the 2021 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award will be determined by a combination of fan votes and input from the Basketball Hall of Fame’s selection committee. Naismith Starting Five Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies will go live on Friday, February 26 on hoophallawards.com.

“Selecting our winner for this year’s award will take great attention and research down the homestretch of the season,” said Erving, Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 1993. “The committee members and I are certainly excited to watch them play, and we hope the fans will join us in voting to make their opinions heard.”

Previous winners of the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award include Saddiq Bey, Villanova (2020), Rui Hachimura, Gonzaga (2019), Mikal Bridges, Villanova (2018), Josh Hart, Villanova (2017), Denzel Valentine, Michigan State (2016) and Stanley Johnson, Arizona (2015).

Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham, the king of "fringe media," a zero-time Virginia Sportswriter of the Year, and a member of zero Halls of Fame, is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, or subscribe to his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].