Payton II On Bob Cousy Award Watch List
October 13, 2015 | Men's Basketball
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Gary Payton II was one of 20 NCAA Division I student-athletes named to the Bob Cousy Award Watch List for the nation's top point guard, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Tuesday.
The Hall of Fame oversees a total of five awards named after legendary hall of famers at each position – point guard (Bob Cousy), shooting guard (Jerry West), small forward (Julius Erving), power forward (Karl Malone) and center (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar).
Each award will be narrowed down to 10 in mid-February and five finalists will be selected in March. The winners will be presented by the Hall of Famers at The College Basketball Awards live on ESPN2 from Los Angeles on Friday, April 8.
A native of Seattle, Wash., Payton II has received numerous preseason accolades heading into his senior campaign. He was on the cover of the Sporting News, named a Second Team All-American by Athlon Magazine and selected to the All-Pac-12 First Team by Lindy's Magazine. He was also tabbed as the favorite to be named Pac-12 Player of the Year by Athlon and repeat as Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year by Athlon and Lindy's.
Payton II earned numerous awards last season after transferring to Oregon State from Salt Lake Community College. He was voted the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, named to the All-Pac-12 First Team and All-Defensive Team, and selected to the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) All-District-IX and National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division I All-District 20 Teams.
He became just the second player in Oregon State history to lead the team in scoring, rebounding and steals (Lester Connor, 1981-82), and had a steal in all 31 games, the second-longest streak in school history, trailing only his father, the legendary Gary Payton, who had a steal in 37 consecutive games from February1989 to March1990.
Payton II finished the season with 95 steals, tied for the third most in Pac-12 single-season history, the second most in Oregon State single-season history and the most by a junior in school history. He finished second in the nation in steals at 3.06 per game (Corey Walden, Eastern Kentucky, 3.09).
The lefty guard also had seven double-doubles and posted just the second triple-double in school history with 10 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists against Grambling State. His father recorded the only other triple-double on Nov. 26, 1988 when he had 20 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists against Portland at Gill Coliseum.
About Bob Cousy
With exceptional peripheral vision, large hands, sloping shoulders and extremely sturdy legs, Bob Cousy was an outstanding all-around player. In basketball circles, however, Cousy was best known for his razzle-dazzle ball handling abilities. Nicknamed the "Houdini of the Hardwood" by sports writers, Cousy is considered by many as the best playmaker ever. Cousy had an All-America career at The College of the Holy Cross, leading the Crusaders to three NCAA tournaments and the 1947 title.
A Basketball Hall of Famer since 1971, Mr. Cousy wanted to continue both his legacy and ensure that the best point guards in the collegiate game are appropriately recognized. Entering its 12th year of existence, the Cousy Award has both recognized some of the games' best players and students.
