OKLAHOMA CITY – The focus of NCAA men’s college basketball will be squarely on Oklahoma April 15, 2013 when the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards honors four of the game’s best. The name of the new awards event, formally known as the Wayman Tisdale Awards Gala, was unveiled this morning at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, the site of the 2013 gala.

As was announced earlier this year, the presentation of the Oscar Robertson Player of the Year Trophy presented by AFLAC, the Henry Iba Coach of the Year Award, and the Integris Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year Award, will be combined into a gala to be held annually the Monday following the NCAA Men’s Final Four. The U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) has previously presented the Robertson and Iba awards at its Champions Breakfast annually at the Final Four. The honoree receiving the Wayman Tisdale Humanitarian Award, presented by Devon Energy, will also be recognized at the Oklahoma City gala. ESPN’s Dick Vitale and Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski were the first two Humanitarian honorees and were on hand at the event.

Devon Energy has been the founding presenting sponsor of the Tisdale event since its inception in 2011 and Alan Marcum, Devon executive vice president of administration, was on hand Monday morning to announce Devon’s commitment to the event and specifically to the Tisdale name through the Humanitarian Award.

“It will be exciting for Devon, as an Oklahoma City-based company, to have the winners of these four prestigious awards here on the same stage for the first time,” Marcum said. “We are also pleased to continue our commitment to honoring the legacy of Wayman Tisdale through the Humanitarian Award. Wayman was an outstanding ambassador for Oklahoma and the game of basketball.”

The player and coach awards will continue to be selected by the members of the USBWA and Access Sports will serve as the host for the gala and select the Humanitarian honoree. Funds raised through the gala are used to support youth basketball programs in Oklahoma that allow disadvantaged youth the opportunity to participate in leagues and training. The 2012-13 watch lists for the Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year were also announced Monday.

The watch list for the Oscar Robertson Award, presented by AFLAC, for player of the year includes:

• Trey Burke, Michigan
• Isaiah Canaan, Murray State
• Aaron Craft, Ohio State
• Pierre Jackson, Baylor
• C.J. Leslie, N.C. State
• Doug McDermott, Creighton
• Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA
• Peyton Siva, Louisville
• Deshaun Thomas, Ohio State
• Cody Zeller, Indiana

The watch list for the Integris Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year Award includes:

• Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State
• Steve Adams, Pittsburgh
• Kyle Anderson, UCLA
• Isaiah Austin, Baylor
• Anthony Bennett, UNLV
• Grant Jerrett, Arizona
• Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA
• Nerlens Noel, Kentucky
• Alex Pothyress, Kentucky
• Cameron Ridley, Texas

The University of Kentucky’s Anthony Davis, the first pick in the 2012 NBA draft, was honored as both Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year earlier this year.

About Access Sports

Access Sports is an Oklahoma City-based 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization committed to supporting various charitable causes, including youth basketball programs throughout the state of Oklahoma through the Wayman’s Lightning Basketball League. More information is available at www.access-sports.net.

About The United States Basketball Writers Association

Formed in 1956, The U. S. Basketball Writers Association is comprised of nearly 1,000 sports journalists who cover college basketball for newspapers, magazines and websites. More information can be found at www. usbwa.com.

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