
<p>The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced <a href="https://x.com/hoophallu/status/1896622554011574327">the five guards who are now finalists</a> for the 2025 Bob Cousy Award.</p>



<p>This is the 22nd season of the Cousy Award with it going to the top point guard in <a href="https://www.on3.com/category/basketball/news/">college basketball</a>. It’s earned alongside the Jerry West Award (Shooting Guard), Julius Erving Award (Small Forward), Karl Malone Award (Power Forward), and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award (Center) along with <a href="https://www.on3.com/her/news/finalists-for-the-2025-nancy-lieberman-award-announced/">respective awards</a> in <a href="https://www.on3.com/her/category/womens-basketball/news/">the women’s game</a> as well.</p>



<p>The Cousy and Hall of Fame Selection Committees will vote on the winner among the finalists later on in March with the winner to be presented with the honor at a later date. With that, fans <a href="https://www.hoophallawards.com/">can vote on the finalists themselves</a> starting on March 7th (Friday) with each one cast counting as one vote on the committee. All five finalists are also in contention for other honors, including all five being on <a href="https://www.woodenaward.com/john_r_wooden_award_midseason_top_25_watchlist">the Midseason Watch List</a> for the Wooden Award.</p>



<p>Per <a href="https://www.hoophall.com/news/naismith-basketball-hall-of-fame-announces-five-finalists-for-the-2025-mens-and-womens-point-guard-of-the-year-awards/">their release</a> on Monday, the five points guards up for the award this year are as follows:</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mark-sears-alabama-crimson-tide"><a href="https://www.on3.com/db/mark-sears-83557/">Mark Sears</a> – <a href="https://www.on3.com/teams/alabama-crimson-tide/">Alabama Crimson Tide</a></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="538" src="https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03124735/Untitled-design-77-1024x538.png" alt="Alabama G Mark Sears" class="wp-image-3151588" srcset="https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03124735/Untitled-design-77-1024x538.png 1024w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03124735/Untitled-design-77-300x158.png 300w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03124735/Untitled-design-77-768x403.png 768w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03124735/Untitled-design-77-50x26.png 50w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03124735/Untitled-design-77.png 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(Randy Sartin | Imagn Images)</figcaption></figure>



<p>Sears is one of two finalists who are on this list in consecutive seasons and one of three who are out of the SEC.</p>



<p>Sears, in his fifth total season and third with the Crimson Tide, is having another great year in Tuscaloosa with averages of 19.1 points, on a career-best tying total of 2.6 threes, as one of the leading scorers nationally and in the league, and a career-best of 5.0 assists in leading the top offense in the nation. That has ‘Bama at 23-6 overall as a projected top-two seed with Sears in contention for more conference and national honors.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-walter-clayton-jr-florida-gators"><a href="https://www.on3.com/db/walter-clayton-jr-120078/">Walter Clayton Jr.</a> – <a href="https://www.on3.com/teams/florida-gators/">Florida Gators</a></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="538" src="https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03124818/Untitled-design-78-1024x538.png" alt="Florida G Walter Clayton Jr." class="wp-image-3151594" srcset="https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03124818/Untitled-design-78-1024x538.png 1024w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03124818/Untitled-design-78-300x158.png 300w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03124818/Untitled-design-78-768x403.png 768w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03124818/Untitled-design-78-50x26.png 50w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03124818/Untitled-design-78.png 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(Matt Pendleton | Imagn Images)</figcaption></figure>



<p>Clayton Jr. is having a very similar season for the Gators down in the SEC.</p>



<p>Clayton Jr., in his second season there, is posting 16.9 points, while making a career-best of 2.8 threes per game, along with a career-high of 4.0 assists and 1.3 steals. That has helped Florida to a record of 25-4, one of their best since in the past decade or so, and to a top-ten offense nationally with Clayton Jr., like Sears, also in consideration for further recognition.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-kam-jones-marquette-golden-eagles"><a href="https://www.on3.com/db/kam-jones-145396/">Kam Jones</a> – <a href="https://www.on3.com/college/marquette-golden-eagles/">Marquette Golden Eagles</a></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="538" src="https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03124901/Untitled-design-79-1024x538.png" alt="Marquette G Kam Jones" class="wp-image-3151599" srcset="https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03124901/Untitled-design-79-1024x538.png 1024w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03124901/Untitled-design-79-300x158.png 300w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03124901/Untitled-design-79-768x403.png 768w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03124901/Untitled-design-79-50x26.png 50w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03124901/Untitled-design-79.png 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(Daniel Kucin Jr. | Imagn Images)</figcaption></figure>



<p>Jones has developed to this point of having his best collegiate season as a senior with the Golden Eagles.</p>



<p>Jones is averaging career-highs across the boards with 18.4 points, 6.2 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.8 steals with the assist numbers, especially the assist-to-turnover ratio at 3.4, being among the best in the country. That has Marquette, one of the top teams in the Big East, at 22-7 overall as Jones will again be All-Big East being top-three in scoring and assists if not more nationally.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-braden-smith-purdue-boilermakers"><a href="https://www.on3.com/db/braden-smith-11729/">Braden Smith</a> – <a href="https://www.on3.com/teams/purdue-boilermakers/">Purdue Boilermakers</a></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="538" src="https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03124938/Untitled-design-80-1024x538.png" alt="Purdue G Braden Smith" class="wp-image-3151604" srcset="https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03124938/Untitled-design-80-1024x538.png 1024w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03124938/Untitled-design-80-300x158.png 300w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03124938/Untitled-design-80-768x403.png 768w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03124938/Untitled-design-80-50x26.png 50w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03124938/Untitled-design-80.png 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(Alex Martin | Journal and Courier | USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)</figcaption></figure>



<p>Smith is the other consecutive finalist for the Cousy Award. That’s with what he has done as a junior this season for the Boilermakers.</p>



<p>Smith has posted career-bests of 16.0 points (44.6% FG), on 2.3 triples a game, 8.7 assists, and 2.4 steals – with him being second in assists and around the top-ten in steals nationally while being first in each in the Big Ten. With that, Purdue is 20-9 overall and Smith will again be in the running for more honors.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-zakai-zeigler-tennessee-volunteers"><a href="https://www.on3.com/db/zakai-zeigler-147026/">Zakai Zeigler</a> – <a href="https://www.on3.com/teams/tennessee-volunteers/">Tennessee Volunteers</a></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="538" src="https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03125020/Untitled-design-81-1024x538.png" alt="Tennessee G Zakai Zeigler" class="wp-image-3151609" srcset="https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03125020/Untitled-design-81-1024x538.png 1024w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03125020/Untitled-design-81-300x158.png 300w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03125020/Untitled-design-81-768x403.png 768w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03125020/Untitled-design-81-50x26.png 50w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2025/03/03125020/Untitled-design-81.png 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(Randy Sartin | Imagn Images)</figcaption></figure>



<p>Zeigler is the final guard out of the SEC with him having a great year as well as compared to Sears and Clayton.</p>



<p>Zeigler is averaging career-bests of 13.7 points, 7.2 assists, and 2.0 steals with the assists leading the SEC and being top-ten in the NCAA. That has Tennessee at 24-5 as a potential top seed this season as Zeigler will earn more honors as All-SEC.</p>


On3 Basketball

Finalists for the 2025 Bob Cousy Award announced

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