UConn junior Solo Ball was named to the preseason top-20 watch list for the Jerry West Award on Tuesday.
The recognition, part of the Naismith Starting Five Awards, is annually given to the top shooting guard in college basketball. And Ball, after a breakout sophomore campaign, figures to be a sure-fire candidate.
The Leesburg, Virginia, native averaged 14.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game while shooting 41.4% from beyond the arc last season. His 99 made 3-pointers are the fourth-most in a single-season in UConn program history. Ball made it a clear focus this offseason to develop in other areas of the game – shot creation, playmaking, on-ball defense – and set a personal goal to establish himself as an All-American and a potential first round draft pick by season’s end.
Ball was voted Preseason First Team All-Big East by the league’s coaches at Media Day last week.
UConn point guard Silas Demary Jr., the junior Georgia transfer, was named to the watch list for the Bob Cousy Award, which goes annually to the nation’s top point guard. The remaining starting five watch lists – the Julius Erving Award (small forwards), Karl Malone Award (power forwards) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award (centers) – will continue to be released throughout the week.
UConn has never had a player win the West Award, which was introduced in 2015.
Jerry West Award watch list
Brayden Burries, Arizona
Richie Saunders, BYU
Josh Dix, Creighton
Isaiah Evans, Duke
Xaivian Lee, Florida
Emanuel Sharp, Houston
Kylan Boswell, Illinois
PJ Haggerty, Kansas State
Otega Oweh, Kentucky
Ryan Conwell, Louisville
Seth Trimble, North Carolina
Anthony Roy, Oklahoma State
Jason Edwards, Providence
Ian Jackson, St. John’s
Solo Ball, UConn
Rodney Rice, USC
Mason Falslev, Utah State
Malik Thomas, Virginia
Wesley Yates III, Washington
John Blackwell, Wisconsin
https://www.courant.com/2025/10/28/uconn-sharpshooter-named-to-watch-list-for-jerry-west-award/
