Seton Hall's Myles Powell, along with every other player in college basketball, had his season cut short due to the coronavirus outbreak, but Powell could still be taking home some illustrious hardware.
On Tuesday, Powell was announced as one of five finalists for this year's Naismith Trophy, presented to the most outstanding men's college basketball player in the nation.
Powell joins Kansas' Udoka Azubuike, Oregon's Payton Pritchard, Iowa's Luka Garza, and Dayton's Obi Toppin as finalists for one of the most prestigious trophies in college sports.
The Big East Player of the Year, Powell was second in the conference in scoring, averaging 20.9 points per game. A dynamic scorer, Powell led the Pirates to a 21-9 record, and what likely would have been a high seed in the NCAA Tournament.
"Each of these finalists enjoyed an incredible season, and all of them deserve to win the Citizen Naismith Trophy," said Eric Oberman, executive director of the Atlanta Tipoff Club, the trophy's presenter. "Their talent and skill on the court make them worthy of Player of the Year, and although we won't see them in postseason play, we believe it is important to still honor their accomplishments."
Fans will be able to cast their ballot for the award from March 20-April 1, 2020. The fan vote will account for five percent of the overall vote.
The 2020 Naismith Trophy is scheduled to be announced on April 3, 2020. The award ceremony will be held on a later date.
