UCLA Basketball: Jaylen Hands named to the Bob Cousy Award watch list
UCLA basketball’s Jaylen Hands has been named to the 2019 preseason Bob Cousy Award watch list which is given to the top point guard in the nation.
With Aaron Holiday moving onto the NBA, the UCLA basketball team is in the hands of Jaylen Hands who could do great things for the Bruins during the 2018-19 season.
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The talented sophomore will be leading UCLA into battle this season and his potential have many excited, especially the members of the Basketball Hall of Fame who have named him to the 2019 preseason Bob Cousy Award watch list.
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The Cousy Award honors the top point guard in the country. Hands is one of 20 players that have been named to the preseason watch list.
According to the HoopHallAwards.com site in regards to the Cousy Award, “A Basketball Hall of Famer since 1971, Mr. Cousy wanted to continue both his legacy and ensure that the best point guards in the collegiate game are appropriately recognized. Since 2004, the Cousy Award has both recognized some of the games’ best players and students.”
Hands was not only expected to lead the Bruins this coming season, but he will also be expected to do a little more than required. Last week it was announced that the Bruins will be without 4-star freshman point guard Tyger Campbell (who would have backed up Hands) as he tore his ACL in a recent practice. Head coach Steve Alford said that either sophomore SF Chris Smith or freshman SG David Singleton will help out at the 1 spot.
Though Hands will be taking on a bigger load after backing up Holiday last season he should be able to transition smoothly into the leadership role. He will also be able to add to his impressive freshmen stats from 2017-18. Hands was 4th on the team in scoring with 9.9 points per game and second in assists with 2.6. He was also able to pull down 4.0 rebounds per game.
Those numbers will increase this year as his minutes go from 25.2 to about 30-35 per game. It will be a lot for the sophomore to endure, but this is what he has been working on this past off-season, especially with the feedback he received from the NBA combine.
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If he can make the appropriate adjustments, not only will he be able to capture the Cousy Award, but he could also hear his name called in the 2019 NBA Draft. Congrats, Jaylen!