Penn State Men’s Basketball: Jalen Pickett Makes Top 10 for 2023 Bob Cousy Award

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame has named Penn State’s Jalen Pickett a top 10 candidate for the 2023 Bob Cousy Award, which recognizes the top point guard in Division I men’s college basketball. Penn State fans can support Pickett in the remaining rounds by participating in Fan Voting starting Friday, February 10 on hoophallawards.com. The Fan Vote will count as one committee vote during the finalist selection process. 

As the college basketball season rolls into the thick of February, Pickett is the only player in the country averaging at least 17 points (17.3) per game, seven rebounds per game (7.8) and seven assists (7.0) per game. Only one men’s college basketball player in the last 30 years (since 1992-93 season) has finished the season averaging 17/7/7. Michigan State’s Denzel Valentine finished the 2015-16 season averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game en route to first team All-America honors and Big Ten Player of the Year accolades.
 
The six-foot-four guard has played his best in Big Ten play, averaging 18.4 points per game, 8.9 rebounds per game and 6.3 assists per game through 12 conference contests. He’s shooting 54.2% from the field, 41.2% percent from 3-point range and 75.8% from the free throw line in conference action. 
 
Pickett leads the conference and ranks fourth nationally in both assists per game (7.0) and assist-to-turnover ratio (3.20). The Rochester, N.Y. native is the only Big Ten player that ranks in the top 10 of the conference statistical standings in scoring (fifth), rebounding (seventh) and assists (first). Pickett needs to average just 4.2 helpers per game through the remaining nine guaranteed games to best the school-record mark.

The top 10 candidacy for the Bob Cousy Award adds to Pickett’s lengthy list of mid/late-season recognition that includes Wooden Award Late Season Top 20 Watch List, Oscar Robertson Trophy Midseason Watch List and Sporting News Midseason All-America Third Team. 

Previous winners of the Bob Cousy Award include Collin Gillespie, Villanova (2022), Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois (2021), Ja Morant, Murray State (2019), Jalen Brunson, Villanova (2018), Trey Burke, Michigan (2013), Kendall Marshall, North Carolina (2012), Kemba Walker, Connecticut (2011) and Jameer Nelson, St. Joseph’s (2004).

2023 Bob Cousy Award Top 10 Candidates

• Jalen Pickett, Penn State
• Max Abmas, Oral Roberts
• Souly Boum, Xavier
• Tyger Campbell, UCLA
• Yuri Collins, St. Louis
• Antoine Davis, Detroit Mercy
• Kendric Davis, Memphis
• Tyler Kolek, Marquette
• Mike Miles, TCU

Markquis Nowell, Kansas State