Collin Gillespie named to 2021 Bob Cousy Award Watch List

On Monday afternoon, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced its preseason watch list for the Bob Cousy Award, an accolade given to the top point guard in men’s college basketball and Villanova’s Collin Gillespie made the list.

The award is named after Cousy, who is also known as the “Houdini of the Hardwood.” He played college basketball at Holy Cross, where he was a three-time All-American and a NCAA champion in 1947. He went on to be drafted third overall in the 1950 NBA Draft and would gain a reputation of being one of the top playmakers in the league, leading the NBA in dimes for eight straight seasons. Along the way, he would team up with Bill Russell and Boston would see the Cousy-Russell tandem lead the way to six NBA championships when they were together.

Cousy was named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1971, and this award has been given out since 2004. Oregon’s Payton Pritchard won the award last year. Villanova’s Jalen Brunson won the award in 2018.

Last season, Gillespie averaged 15.1 points and 4.5 assists. He shot 40.6% on the floor.

He is one of three Big East players on the list, with Creighton’s Marcus Zegarowski and Seton Hall’s Bryce Aiken making the cut.

Here is a list of all 20 point guards:

• Remy Martin, Arizona State
• Jared Butler, Baylor
• McKinley Wright IV, Colorado
• Marcus Zegarowski, Creighton
• Jalen Crutcher, Dayton
• Scottie Barnes, Florida State
• Jalen Suggs, Gonzaga
• Ayo Dosunmu Illinois
• Marcus Garrett, Kansas
• Javonte Smart, LSU
• Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State
• Colbey Ross, Pepperdine
• Fatts Russell, Rhode Island
• Jacob Gilyard, Richmond
• Geo Baker, Rutgers
• Bryce Aiken, Seton Hall
• Matt Coleman III Texas
• Collin Gillespie, Villanova
• Kihei Clark, Virginia
• D’Mitrik Trice, Wisconsin