Fatts Russell On Naismith Award Watch List

Rhode Island senior guard picked up another preseason honor, as he was one of 50 players nationally named to the 2021 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Player of the Year watch list, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Thursday afternoon.

Among the other players on the list are Kansas’ Marcus Garrett, the 2020 Naismith Men’s Defensive Player of the Year, and Iowa’s Luka Garza, a finalist for Naismith’s Player of the Year in 2020. Russell is one of three Atlantic 10 players on the initial list, along with Dayton’s Jalen Crutcher and Davidson’s Kellan Grady.

The ACC and Big Ten each had eight players represented, while the Big 12, Pac-12, SEC and WCC all had six candidates on the list.

“The beginning of the season is filled with excitement, optimism and anticipation as each team and every player is undefeated, making the race for the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy wide open,” said Eric Oberman, executive director of the Atlanta Tipoff Club. “While these 50 candidates are those to keep an eye on, there will be plenty of others who will enter the competition throughout the season. This year will be especially exciting as players who were unable to finish their seasons last year have even more to prove.”

An All-America candidate heading into 2020-21, Russell has 1,255 career points, leaving him with 745 to become the second player in program history to reach 2,000. Carlton “Silk” Owens – who scored 2,114 points from 1984-88 – is the only current member of the 2,000-point club for Rhode Island.

Russell emerged as one of the nation’s best players last season, leading the Rams and finishing third in the Atlantic 10 with 18.8 points per game. He also was second in the country with 2.87 steals per game, and his 86 steals were the second most in a single-season in program history. With 169 career steals entering 2020-21, Russell needs just 38 to tie Keith Cothran’s program record of 207, set from 2006-10.

A First Team All-Atlantic 10 selection and a member of the league’s All-Defensive Team as a junior, Russell was one of 30 players nationally named to the Citizen Naismith Trophy 2020 Midseason Team. He was one of just 15 players nationally named to the Naismith Trophy Midseason Defensive Player of the Year Team. Russell was the U.S. Basketball Writer’s Association District I Player of the Year, as well as a member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches 2019-20 Division I All-District 4 First Team.

A list of the midseason 30 team will be released in early February, followed by the 10 national semifinalists and four finalists on March 4, 2021, and March 16, 2021, respectively. Players who do not make the watch list are still eligible to be selected for the midseason 30 team.

The 2021 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy will be awarded during the Final Four at the Naismith Awards Brunch on April 4, 2021.

“As we sponsor the collegiate honor for the first year, Jersey Mike’s is excited to partner with the Naismith Trophy,” said Rich Hope, chief marketing officer, Jersey Mike’s Franchise Systems, Inc. “We look forward to following these stellar athletes throughout the season and honoring one of these talented players as the winner of the 2021 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy.”

ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB
Founded during the 1956-57 season, the Atlanta Tipoff Club is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club administers the Naismith Awards, the most prestigious national honors in all of college and high school basketball. Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, inventor of the game of basketball, the family of Naismith Awards annually recognizes the most outstanding men’s and women’s college and high school basketball players and coaches. Other Naismith Awards are presented to the men’s and women’s college basketball defensive players of the year, as well as lifetime achievement awards to basketball officials and outstanding contributors to the game. UCLA’s Lew Alcindor received the first Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy in 1969, while the late Anne Donovan (Old Dominion) was the inaugural women’s recipient in 1983. Corporate partners of the Naismith Awards include Jersey Mike’s and Werner Ladder.