Rui Hachimura named Naismith Player of the Year Award semifinalist

Gonzaga Bulldogs junior forward Rui Hachimura is one of 10 players to be named a Naismith Player of the Year Award semifinalist.

Hachimura leads the No. 1 Zags with 20.6 points per game, shooting 61.3 percent from the floor, for the most potent offense in college basketball.

Interestingly enough, his frontcourt teammate, Brandon Clarke, is nowhere to be seen on the list. We have written before about how Clarke deserves more Player of the Year Award chatter, but you know, #zion.

Here are the other nine semifinalists for Player of the Year:

• R.J. Barrett, Duke, freshman
• Carsen Edwards, Purdue, junior
• Markus Howard, Marquette, junior
• Dedric Lawson, Kansas, junior
• Ja Morant, Murray State, sophomore
• P.J. Washington, Kentucky, sophomore
• Grant Williams, Tennessee, junior
• Zion Williamson, Duke, freshman
• Cassius Winston, Michigan State, junior

Four finalists will be announced on March 19, and the final award will be announced on April 7, during the Final Four. The 10 semifinalists are the only players available to advance to the next round.