Metu Named To Oscar Robertson Trophy Watch List As Nation's Top College Player

USC junior Chimezie Metu was one of 32 players to be named to the preseason watch list for the Oscar Robertson Trophy as the national player of the year, it was announced by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) today (Nov. 6). Also today, Metu and senior guard Jordan McLaughlin have both been named to the Lute Olson National Player of the Year preseason watch list as the nation's top Division I player who has played at least two seasons, it was announced by CollegeInsider.com.

Metu started all 36 games for USC in the 2016-17 season and averaged 14.8 points and 7.8 rebounds. He was named the 2017 Pac-12 Most Improved Player, All-Pac-12 second team and All-Academic honorable mention. He had at least six rebounds and 10 or more points in 27 of 36 games and posted six double-doubles. He scored in double figures in 31 of 36 games, including five games of 20 or more points. His 534 points scored tied for the 15th-most in a single season by a Trojan and the most since Nikola Vucevic scored 582 in 2011. He averaged 16.9 points and 8.2 rebounds in USC's final 13 games. Metu also had 80 dunks, more than the total (74) of all of USC's opponent's dunks during the 2016-17 season.

McLaughlin, a three-year team captain, averaged 12.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 5.5 assists during the 2016-17 season. He ranks second on USC's all-time career assists list with 457 and 22nd on its all-time scoring list with 1,188 points. McLaughlin was the only men's college basketball player last season to record at least three assists in every game his team played. McLaughlin ranks first in career assists, first in career steals (141), second in career points and third in career three-point baskets made (131) among returning Pac-12 players.

In mid-March, the USBWA will announce its 2017-18 All-America Team and, at that time, finalists will also be chosen for the player of the year. Once finalists are announced, the entire USBWA membership will vote for the winner of the Oscar Robertson Trophy, who will be presented at the Final Four in San Antonio, Texas.

The 2017-18 Lute Olson National Player of the Year Award will be announced on March 31, 2018 at the CollegeInsider.com Awards Event in San Antonio, site of the men's NCAA Basketball Championship.

Previously, it was announced that McLaughlin was named to the Bob Cousy Award watch list as the nation's top point guard and Metu to the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar watch list as the nation's top center.

Players Mentioned

Jordan McLaughlin

Chimezie Metu