INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected Wake Forest guard
Alondes Williams as its Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week for games ending the week of Sunday, Dec. 19.
As the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Week, Williams was nominated for the weekly award, which was chosen by a representative of the USBWA board of directors from a list of Division I conference players of the week. Once again, the USBWA will select a Division I men's National Player of the Week each Tuesday throughout the season. The USBWA has named Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week since the 2009-10 season. Williams is the first Wake Forest player to earn the honor.
Williams, a 6-5 graduate guard from Milwaukee, Wis., averaged 35.0 points and 6.5 rebounds in a pair of non-conference wins for the Demon Deacons who are off to a 12-1 start, the program's best since the 2008-09 season.
Last Tuesday, Williams scored a career-high 36 points while playing all 40 minutes in a 77-70 win over VMI. He added five rebounds and three assists and was 12-for-13 from the free-throw line as the Deacs overcame a 13-point halftime deficit led by Williams' 23 second-half points. Then on Friday, Williams recorded his third 30-point game of the season, scoring 34 points in 39 minutes in a dramatic 82-79 win at Charlotte, as teammate Isaiah Mucius nailed a game-winning three-pointer at the horn. Williams had eight rebounds and seven assists to go with a career-high 15 field goals. He leads the nation in field goals made and points and is the only player in the country with 250-plus points, 75-plus rebounds and 50-plus assists. Jeff Teague is the last Wake Forest player to have back-to-back 30-point games in Jan. 2009 and Williams became the first Wake Forest player over the past 25 seasons to record at least 30 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in a game.
Since the 1958-59 season, the USBWA has named a National Player of the Year. In 1998, the award was named in honor of the University of Cincinnati Hall of Famer and two-time USBWA Player of the Year Oscar Robertson. It is the nation's oldest award and the only one named after a former player.
At the conclusion of the regular season, the USBWA will name finalists for the award, which is voted on by the entire membership.
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 900 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57 season. For more information on the USBWA and the Oscar Robertson Trophy, contact executive director Malcolm Moran at 814-574-1485.
2021-22 Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week
Week ending Dec. 12: Bennedict Mathurin, Arizona (Pac-12
Conference)
· Week ending Dec. 19: Alondes
Williams, Wake Forest (Atlantic Coast Conference)
·
Week ending Dec. 26: Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky (Southeastern
Conference)
· Week ending Jan. 2: Walker Kessler,
Auburn (Southeastern Conference)
· Week ending
Jan. 9: Johnny Davis, Wisconsin (Big Ten Conference)
·
Week ending Jan. 16: Armando Bacot, North Carolina
(Atlantic Coast Conference)
· Week ending Jan.
23: Isiaih Mosley, Missouri State (Missouri Valley Conference)
·
Week ending Jan. 30: Bryce Hamilton, UNLV (Mountain
West Conference)
· Week ending Feb. 6: Hunter
Maldonado, Wyoming (Mountain West Conference)
·
Week ending Feb. 13: KJ Williams, Murray State (Ohio
Valley Conference)
· Week ending Feb. 20: Julian
Champagnie, St. John's (Big East Conference)
·
Week ending Feb. 27: KJ Williams, Murray State (Ohio
Valley Conference)
· Week ending March 6: Jaime
Jaquez Jr., UCLA (Pac-12 Conference)