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Lee Named Finalist for Julius Erving Award

by | Feb 2, 2022

Fans love watching Hyunjung Lee. He just earned a new honor. 

 

DAVIDSON, N.C. –  Hyunjung Lee has been named 1 of 10 finalists for the 2022 Julius Erving Award, as announced Wednesday by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Named after Class of 1993 Hall of Famer and 16-year professional basketball player Julius Erving, the annual honor in its eighth year recognizes the top small forwards in Division I men’s college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.

Hyunjung Lee taking a shot from the corner, behind the arc.

In just two-plus seasons at Davidson, Lee has established himself as one of the nation’s top shooters. As a sophomore, the 6-7 wing became the first-ever Wildcat to conclude the season shooting at least 50 percent overall, 40 percent from 3-point range and 90 percent at the line.

Since the 1992-93 campaign, only 11 Division I college basketball players have accomplished this feat.

A 2020 Atlantic 10 All-Rookie selection, Lee is averaging 16.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game this season. In addition, the junior ranks among A-10 leaders in scoring (6th), rebounding (18th), 3-pointers made (3rd), 3-pointers per game (7th) and free-throw percentage (15th).

College basketball fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies in each of the three rounds. In late February, the watch list of 10 players for the 2022 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award will be narrowed to 5. In March those finalists will be presented to Mr. Erving and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee where a winner will be selected. 

The winner of the 2022 Julius Erving Award will be presented on a to be determined date, along with the other four members of the Men’s Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Bob Cousy Point Guard Award, Jerry West Shooting Guard Award, the Karl Malone Power Forward Award and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center Award, in addition to the Women’s Starting Five.

Previous winners of the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award include Corey Kispert, Gonzaga (2021), 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).

For more information on the 2022 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award and the latest updates, log onto www.hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophall and #ErvingAward on Twitter and Instagram. Starting Five Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies will go live on Friday, February 4.

2022 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award Candidates* 

Kendall Brown Baylor
Hyunjung Lee Davidson
Wendell Moore Duke
Lucas Williamson Loyola-Chicago
Caleb Houstan Michigan
Ron Harper Jr. Rutgers
Julian Champagnie St. John’s
Harrison Ingram Stanford
Jaime Jaquez Jr. UCLA
Jermaine Samuels Villanova

*Players can play their way onto and off the list at any point in the 2021-22 season*

About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving and celebrating the game of basketball at every level – men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches and contributors, both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 400 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo “Court of Dreams.” Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game’s elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 70 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum and events, visit www.hoophall.com, f

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