Sports
D.J. Cooper Makes Preseason Top 50 for Wooden Award
By: Lucas Widman
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Ohio senior guard D.J. Cooper was one of the 50 college basketball players voted to the John R. Wooden Award preseason watch list posted Thursday afternoon.
Fresh off of a Sweet 16 appearance and after nearly taking down heavy favorite North Carolina in overtime last year, Cooper is a preseason favorite of yet another accolade.
Along with being named to a Preseason All-MAC selection, Cooper was a finalist for the Cousy Award and was a Lute Olson All- America Team selection a year ago.
Cooper is the only player from the Mid-American Conference named to the list.
The Bobcat captain averaged 14.7 points, 5.7 assists, and 2.3 steals per game last year in leading the Bobcats to a Mid-American Conference Tournament championship.
Cooper is on track to become the first player on Division I history to finish a career with 2,000 points, 900 assists, 650 rebounds and 300 steals. He only needs one more steal to become the all-time leader in steals in Bobcat history.
Associated Press preseason All-Americans Indiana forward Cody Zeller and Creighton forward Doug McDermott also headline the preseason watch list.
The Wooden Award was first given out in 1977 when it was presented to UCLA standout Marques Johnson, and was most recently given to Kentucky center Anthony Davis last year after he carried the Wildcats to a national championship.
Members of the media vote annually from a list of candidates that the award’s advisory board post near the end of the previous season. Therefore, this list does not include freshman and transfer players.