Cason Wallace and Antonio Reeves make Jerry West Award Watch List

Kentucky Wildcats guards Antonio Reeves and Cason Wallace have been named to the 2023 Jerry West Award Watch List, the school announced Tuesday.

Named after Naismith Hall of Famer and 1959 NCAA Final Four MVP Jerry West, the award is in its ninth year of existence. Malik Monk is the only previous Wildcat to win the award (2017).

Kentucky is one of two schools with two players on the list, joining Gonzaga with Rasir Bolton and Malachi Smith. Other SEC candidates include Arkansas’ Nick Smith, Missouri’s Isiaih Mosley and Tennessee’s Santiago Vescovi.

Reeves, a transfer from Illinois State, was a team captain and Missouri Valley Conference Second-Team pick last season. The Chicago (IL) native has played in 89 games over three seasons, turning in his best year in the 2021-22 season when he averaged 20.1 points, 3.6 boards and 1.8 assists per game. Reeves scored 662 points on the year, the fourth-most in a single season in Redbirds’ history, and became the first Illinois State player to average at least 20 points per game since 2001.

Wallace, a true freshman from Dallas (TX), was a consensus 5-star recruit who averaged 19.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 6.1 assists per contest as a senior at Richardson High School. Ranked the No. 7 overall player by Rivals, No. 8 by 247 Sports and No. 20 by ESPN, Wallace was named the 2022 Texas Gatorade Player of the Year and The Dallas Morning News’ Player of the Year, while being named a McDonald’s All-American and a selection to the Jordan Brand Classic.

The Wildcats are two of 20 candidates on the list for best shooting guard in college basketball, as point guard Sahvir Wheeler was named to the Bob Cousy Award watch list on Monday.