Peter Jok Named Finalist for Jerry West Award

Hawkeyes in the NBA | 24 Hawkeyes to Watch | Hawk Talk Monthly — January

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today the 10 watch list finalists for the 2017 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award, which includes University of Iowa senior Peter Jok.
 
Named after Hall of Famer and 1959 NCAA Final Four Most Valuable Player Jerry West, the annual honor in its third year recognizes the top shooting guards in Division I men’s college basketball. A national committee comprised of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates in October, which has now been narrowed to just 10.
 
Jok is the Big Ten leading scorer, averaging 21 points per game. He has scored 25 points or more eight times this season, including a career-best 42 against Memphis on Nov. 26. In addition to leading the Big Ten in scoring, he is first in free throw accuracy (.915) and second in 3-pointers made per game (2.9).
 
“As one of the best shooting guards to ever play the game, Jerry West’s drive for perfection is what set him apart,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “With their unwavering dedication to the game, these ten finalists have set themselves apart from this year’s competition as well.”
 
Jerry West attended West Virginia University and averaged 24.8 points and 13.3 rebounds per game in his three varsity seasons. He led his team to the NCAA Championship game in 1959 and was named a consensus All-American in 1959 and 1960. As a professional player, West played 14 seasons in the NBA with the Lakers making the All-NBA First Team 10 times. West won an NBA championship in 1972 and was named the NBA Finals MVP in 1969, despite his team not winning the championship. In 1979, West was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
 
In March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. West and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee for the 2017 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award.  The winner of the 2017 Jerry West Award will be presented at the ESPN College Basketball Awards Show live from The Novo by Microsoft in downtown Los Angeles on April 7.
 
Previous winners of the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award include Buddy Hield, Oklahoma (2016) and D’Angelo Russell, Ohio State (2015). For more information on the 2017 Jerry West Award, log onto HoophallAwards.com.
 
2017 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award Finalists