Entering the 2016-17 men’s college basketball season, Tar Heel fans knew that for UNC to be successful, it would need a big year from its stellar junior class consisting of point guard Joel Berry and wings Justin Jackson and Theo Pinson.
Although Pinson is currently out with a broken foot, Berry and Jackson–who have been impressive in the Tar Heels’ opening games–were each named to the Wooden Award’s Preseason Top 50 on Tuesday.
The award–given annually to the nation’s top player–is widely considered the most prestigious individual award in college basketball.
Of the 50 players on the list, 12 play for teams in the ACC. Seven freshmen also made their way into the mix.
One key component of the Wooden Award is that players must have a GPA of above 2.0. Last season, LSU freshman Ben Simmons–the eventual No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft–was disqualified from winning the award due to this provision.
Previous winners of the award include: Larry Bird (Indiana State, 1979), Michael Jordan (UNC, 1984), Tim Duncan (Wake Forest, 1997) and Kevin Durant (Texas, 2007).
Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield took home the most recent honor following the 2015-16 campaign.
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