Robinson Wooden Candidate

Kansas junior forward Thomas Robinson has been named to the John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 list announced Monday by The Los Angeles Athletic Club.

Robinson, one of four Big 12 student-athletes on the list, is Kansas' leading returning rebounder from last season when he averaged 6.4 rebounds per game. The 6-9 Washington, D.C., native also scored 7.6 points per game and had a team-best 60.1 field goal percentage and 22 blocked shots.

"This is based on potential and I am grateful to be named to the list," Robinson said. "We have a lot of great players on our team, like Tyshawn (Taylor), that could be on the list just like me."

Last year, KU's Marcus Morris was named to the Wooden Award Preseason top 50 and later was on the 10-member Wooden Award All-American Team.

Transfers, freshmen and medical redshirts are not eligible for the preseason list. These players and others who excel throughout the season will be evaluated and considered for December's Midseason list and the official voting ballot released in March. The National Ballot consists of approximately 20 top players who have proven to their universities that they are also making progress toward graduation and maintaining at least a cumulative 2.0 GPA. The Wooden Award All-American Team will be announced the week of the "Elite Eight" round of the NCAA Tournament.

Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award is the most prestigious individual honor in college basketball. Kansas' Danny Manning was the 1988 recipient.

A complete list of candidates is available at http://www.woodenaward.com/.