UVA basketball redshirt sophomore De’Andre Hunter (Philadelphia, Pa.) has been named a finalist for the 2019 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced on Wednesday.
The five finalists for the 2019 Julius Erving Award are Rui Hachimura (Gonzaga), Marial Shayok (Iowa State), Caleb Martin (Nevada), Admiral Schofield (Tennessee) and De’Andre Hunter (Virginia).
Hunter is averaging a career-high 15.4 points and 5.3 rebounds. He ranks third in the ACC in field goal percentage (54.7%), fifth in free throw percentage (79.7%) and 13th in scoring (15.4). Hunter has registered two double-doubles this season, including a 20-point and 10 rebound effort vs. Notre Dame. In the win at Syracuse, he netted a career-high five 3-pointers. Hunter spearheads UVA’s top-ranked defense that yields 54.1 points per game.
The winner of the 2019 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. Fans are encouraged to visit www.HoophallAwards.com to cast their votes March 8-29.
The winner of the 2019 Julius Erving Award will be presented at The College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy’s in Los Angeles, CA on Friday, April 12, 2019, along with the other four members of the Naismith Starting 5. Additional awards being presented and receiving support from Eaton Ephesus Lighting include the Bob Cousy Point Guard Award, the Jerry West Shooting Guard Award, the Karl Malone Power Forward Award and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center Award. Additional information about the telecast will be released by ESPN 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 and the latest updates on the 2019 Julius Erving Award, log onto www.hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophall and #ErvingAward on Twitter and Instagram
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