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OGDEN - Michael Jordan. Larry Bird. Tim Duncan.
The junior shooting guard for Weber State's men's basketball team has been listed as one of 25 candidates for the John R. Wooden award.
The Wooden award is presented annually to the outstanding collegiate basketball player of the year, as selected by a 26-person National Advisory Board. Past winners of the award include aforementioned NBA legends Larry Bird, Tim Duncan, and Michael Jordan.
Candidates are submitted by the votes of over 1,000 sportswriters and sportscasters who collectively represent each of the 50 states, with the number of voters from each state being dependent on the state's population.
Candidates are considered for their accomplishments in the regular season, conference tournaments and postseason, as well as the individual character they display, and their contributions to the community.
Weber State head basketball coach Randy Rahe couldn't speak highly enough of Lillard.
"It's a great honor for Damian, but it's something that he as truly earned," Rahe said. "This kid has worked so hard to make himself into a very good player, and anything good that comes his way, he's earned every bit of it. It's nice to see a kid work this hard becoming as good as he can be, and being rewarded for it."
Lillard, who currently leads the NCAA in points per game, has some stiff competition for the award this year.
Among nominated candidates are Thomas Robinson of Kansas, Doug McDermott of Creighton, and Anthony Davis of Kentucky - all of which are projected to be more likely to receive the award, among others. McDermott has led Creighton from the depths of obscurity to a Top 25 national placement, while Davis has cemented his status as one of the most dominant post players in the country.
Robinson is the current favorite for the award. The Kansas star has averaged 17.8 points and 12.0 rebounds per game while leading the Jayhawks to an undefeated record in the Big 12, and a 17-3 record overall. Robinson also lost his mother during the 2010-11 season, and has had the support of friends, family, and the media in taking on a huge role as part of a highly touted Kansas program.
BYU sensation Jimmer Fredette received the honor in 2011.
Many comparisons have been made between Fredette and Lillard. Fredette led the league in scoring last year with 28.9 points per game. Lillard was benched with an injury for the majority of that year, but leads the nation this year with 25.1 points per game.
"I think they're different as players," Rahe said of the comparisons. "Damian's a bit more athletic and explosive. Jimmer was more of a guy that had a great feel for the game, and beat you because of it. They're both great kids -- I mean, Jimmer's a wonderful kid, a tremendously high character kid, and so is Damian. I think their approach to how they got to where they are is where the similarities come from."
The difference between the two stars, then, primarily lies in the limelight.
"Jimmer-mania" ran rampant as the BYU Cougars advanced to the Sweet 16 last year for the first time since 1981, carried by huge performances by Fredette against Gonzaga and Wofford. Fredette essentially became the face of NCAA basketball, and developed a near-cult following in his adopted hometown of Provo as viral videos swept the country of fans doing "The Jimmer."
Lillard's Wildcats have done little to highlight themselves.
Despite an overall record of 15-3, the Big Sky still dwells in the shadows of larger, more covered NCAA conferences. The biggest draw, of course, comes from Lillard's nation-leading scoring average, which even drew a nationally published article in USA Today.
However, their three losses on the season so far -- to Saint Mary's, California, and the Jimmer-less Cougars -- have been to teams that they were expected to lose to, and they've been the favorite in every victory thus far. Weber State is 8-0 in Big Sky conference play. Their remaining schedule remains within the conference, except for a likely bracketbuster game, and Lillard likely won't be given the chance to prove himself against top- tier competition until the NCAA tournament in March.
The 2012 John R. Wooden Award winners and the Wooden Award All American teams will be presented at the Los Angeles Athletic Club the weekend of April 6-8. Will Lillard's name be called at the podium?
Probably not. But the honor remains, all the same.
