ATLANTA — WKU Hilltopper Basketball junior center Charles Bassey has been named one of 30 members of the Naismith Trophy Midseason Watch List for National Player of the Year, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Thursday.
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The Naismith Trophy is given annually to the top men's college basketball player in the nation.
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The midseason watch list will be trimmed to 10 national semifinalists and four finalists on March 4 and March 16, respectively. The 2021 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy will be awarded during the Final Four at the Naismith Awards Brunch on April 4.
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Bassey – a 6-foot-11, 235-pound native of Lagos, Nigeria – is still in the running for the most prestigious national awards in the country.
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He was recently named to the Wooden Award Late Season Top 20 Watch List, as well as the watch list for the Lute Olson Award National Player of the Year and Naismith Defensive Player of the Year. Bassey has also been named a top-10 candidate for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year award.
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Despite the Hilltoppers having not played in nearly three weeks, Bassey leads the nation in dunks, while also ranking second in blocks per game, third in double-doubles, total rebounds and rebounds per game, and fourth in total blocks and defensive rebounds per game.
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The All-American candidate is averaging 17.8 points, 12.2 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per contest while shooting 59.1% from the field. He's one of just two players in the country with multiple games this season of at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks, and the only player with three such games.
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Bassey is the only player in the nation since at least 2010 with three games in a season of at least 20 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks.
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Bassey has also produced his eye-popping numbers against top competition. In four games against West Virginia, Louisville, Alabama and Memphis, he averaged 19 points, 12.3 rebounds and 3.8 blocks.
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Bassey's been named Conference USA Player of the Week six times already this year, tying former Cincinnati star and longtime NBA pro Kenyon Martin for the league record for most in a single season.
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