LOS ANGELES-- University of Detroit Mercy sophomore guard
Ray McCallum (Beverly Hills, Mich./Detroit Country Day) was named to the John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 list, according to a release Monday. The list recognizes the top returning players in all of college basketball (transfers, freshmen and medical redshirts are not eligible for the preseason list).
The Los Angeles Athletic Club compiles the list which is chosen by a preseason poll of national college basketball media members. Each year these 50 student-athletes who, based on last year's individual performance and team records, are the early frontrunners for college basketball's most prestigious honor (although do not have to be listed to qualify for the postseason award).
McCallum was the Horizon League's Newcomer of the Year following a solid season by the frosh. The coach's son started all 33 games in his rookie season and racked-up 446 points (13.5 ppg) to lead the team. He was selected to the All-League Second Team and became the first Titan true freshman to be named to an all-conference team in the program's history. He topped-off his superb first-year effort by ranking in the top handful of players nationally in assists (161) while leading the team in steals (54) and free throws made (141).
He was named to the CollegeInsider.com Freshmen All-America Team at season's end and began a whirlwind tour this summer that would take him across the country and overseas.
McCallum was involved in the Deron Williams Skills Academy in Chicago in June and drew an invite to the LeBron James Skills Academy a few weeks later. He parlayed those experiences into a last-minute tryout with Team USA for the World University Games. There, he impressed coaches and staff and was named to the 12-man final roster that competed in Shenzhen, China.
Already, he's been tabbed by Lindy's as the HL's Preseason Player of the Year and was included in the Sporting News' Preseason All-Horizon League Team. 10 of the 12 Team USA members made the top 50 list.
The 36th annual Wooden Award ceremony marks the 25th anniversary of the selection of the Naval Academy's David Robinson as the Wooden Award winner. The 2012 event will honor the Men's and Women's Wooden Award winners, and will include the presentation of the Wooden Award All American Teams and the Legends of Coaching Award. It will take place the weekend of April 6-8, 2012.
What they're saying about
Ray McCallum:
"He's one of the most under the radar guards in college basketball. He will have a huge year." -
Miles Simon, ESPN college basketball analyst and former University of Arizona standout
"USA Basketball should be great experience for team's only rising sophomore, Ray McCallum of Detroit. The Titans will benefit from this." -
Fran Fraschilla, ESPN college basketball analyst and former coach at Manhattan, Saint John's and New Mexico
2011-12 John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 List, Men
Name Height Class Position University Conference
Tim Abromaitis 6-8 GS F Notre Dame Big East
Harrison Barnes 6-8 So. F North Carolina ACC
Will Barton 6-6 So. G Memphis Conference USA
Dee Bost 6-2 Sr. G Mississippi State SEC
William Buford 6-5 Sr. G Ohio State Big Ten
Allen Crabbe 6-6 So. G California Pac-12
Aaron Craft 6-2 So. G Ohio State Big Ten
Marcus Denmon 6-3 Sr. G Missouri Big 12
Festus Ezeli 6-11 Sr. C Vanderbilt SEC
Ashton Gibbs 6-2 Sr. G Pitt Big East
Michael Glover 6-7 Sr. F Iona MAAC
Drew Gordon 6-9 Sr. F New Mexico Mountain West
Draymond Green 6-7 Sr. F Michigan State Big Ten
JaMychal Green 6-8 Sr. F Alabama SEC
Jorge Gutierrez 6-3 Sr. G California? Pac-12
Tim Hardaway, Jr. 6-5 So. G Michigan Big Ten
Elias Harris 6-7 Jr. F Gonzaga WCC
John Henson 6-11 Jr. F North Carolina ACC
Tu Holloway 6-0 Sr. G Xavier Atlantic 10
Robbie Hummel 6-8 Sr. F Purdue Big Ten
Joe Jackson 6-1 So. G Memphis Conference USA
Scoop Jardine 6-2 Sr. G Syracuse Big East
John Jenkins 6-3 Jr. G Vanderbilt SEC
Orlando Johnson 6-5 Sr. G UCSB Big West
Darius Johnson-Odom 6-2 Sr. G Marquette Big East
Kevin Jones 6-8 Sr. F West Virginia Big East
Terrence Jones 6-8 So. F Kentucky SEC
Perry Jones III 6-11 So. F Baylor Big 12
Kris Joseph 6-7 Sr. F Syracuse Big East
Jeremy Lamb 6-5 So. G Connecticut Big East
Kendall Marshall 6-4 So. G North Carolina ACC
Trevor Mbakwe 6-8 Sr. F Minnesota Big Ten
Ray McCallum 6-1 So. G Detroit Horizon League
Doug McDermott 6-7 So. F Creighton Missouri Valley
Khris Middleton 6-7 Jr. F Texas A&M Big 12
Reeves Nelson 6-8 Jr. F UCLA Pac-12
Andrew Nicholson 6-9 Sr. F St. Bonaventure Atlantic 10
Alex Oriakhi 6-9 Jr. C Connecticut Big East
Thomas Robinson 6-9 Jr. F Kansas Big 12
John Shurna 6-9 Sr. F Northwestern Big Ten
Peyton Siva 6-0 Jr. G Louisville Big East
Joshua Smith 6-10 So. C UCLA Pac-12
Jared Sullinger* 6-9 So. C Ohio State Big Ten
Jeffery Taylor 6-7 Sr. G/F Vanderbilt SEC
Jordan Taylor 6-1 Sr. G Wisconsin Big Ten
Casper Ware 5-10 Sr. G Long Beach State Big West
Maalik Wayns 6-2 Jr. G Villanova Big East
Keith Wright 6-8 Sr. F Harvard Ivy League
Patric Young 6-9 So. F/C Florida SEC
Tyler Zeller 7-0 Sr. F North Carolina ACC
Players listed alphabetically *indicates player chosen to the 2011 Wooden All American Team; GS=Graduate Student
Based on a preseason poll.
