Jakucionis Named West Award Top 10 Candidate
February 4, 2025 | Men's Basketball
News
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois freshman Kasparas Jakucionis has been selected a Top 10 candidate for the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced on Tuesday.
Jakucionis is having a standout freshman campaign for the Fighting Illini. He is averaging 15.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists on the season, shooting 47% from the field, 35% from 3-point range, and 83.5% from the foul line. A two-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week honoree, Jakucionis has eight 20-point games, tying the UI freshman season record.
The annual Jerry West Award, named after the late Class of 1980 Hall of Famer and 1959 NCAA Final Four Most Valuable Player, celebrates its 11th year by highlighting the top shooting guards in Division I men's college basketball.
2025 Jerry West Award Top 10 Candidates*
- Caleb Love, Arizona
- VJ Edgecombe, Baylor
- Alijah Martin, Florida
- Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois
- Curtis Jones, Iowa State
- PJ Haggerty, Memphis
- RJ Davis, North Carolina
- Chaz Lanier, Tennessee
- Tre Johnson, Texas
- Hunter Sallis, Wake Forest
- *Players can play their way onto and off the list at any point in the 2024-25 season
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting in both of the remaining rounds starting on Feb. 7, on hoophallawards.com. The Fan Vote will count as one committee vote during the finalist selection process.
In March, the Top 10 list will be narrowed to just five, and in late March, the five finalists will be presented to West's family and the Hall of Fame's selection committees, where the winner will be selected. The Selection Committee for the Jerry West Award is composed of top men's college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.
Previous winners of the Jerry West Award are RJ Davis, North Carolina (2024), Marcus Sasser, Houston (2023), Johnny Davis, Wisconsin (2022), Chris Duarte, Oregon (2021), Myles Powell, Seton Hall (2020), RJ Barrett, Duke (2019), Carsen Edwards, Purdue (2018), Malik Monk, Kentucky (2017), Buddy Hield, Oklahoma (2016), and D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State (2015).
For more information on the 2025 Jerry West Award and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophallu and #WestAward on X and Instagram.
