SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Boise State redshirt senior Derrick Alston, Jr. was named to the 2021 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award Watch List, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Wednesday. Alston was one of 10 finalists for the award last season, and is joined by Gonzaga’s Corey Kispert as the only players from last year’s top-10 list to appear on this season’s watch list.
Named after Class of 1993 Hall of Famer and 16-year professional basketball player Julius Erving, the annual honor - in its seventh year - recognizes the top small forwards in Division I men’s college basketball.
Boise State’s leader in scoring and assists last season, Alston averaged 17.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game, leading the Broncos to its eighth 20-win season in the last 10 years. He has appeared in 76 games during his career, already ranking among the school’s 1,000-point scorers. Alston initially declared for the 2020 NBA Draft, but withdrew his name in July, returning for his final season in the Blue and Orange.
Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies goes live Friday (Nov. 6) at hoophallawards.com. In late January, the 20-player watch list will be narrowed to just 10. In late February, five finalists will be presented to Erving and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. Fans can vote during each of the three rounds, helping their favorite players advance in the process.
The winner of the 2021 Julius Erving Award will be presented on Friday, April 9, 2021, along with the other four members of the Men’s Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Bob Cousy Point Guard Award, the Jerry West Shooting Guard Award, the Karl Malone Power Forward Award and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center Award, in addition to the Women’s Starting Five.
2021 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award Candidates*
*Players can play their way onto and off of the list at any point in the 2020-21 season*
Named after Class of 1993 Hall of Famer and 16-year professional basketball player Julius Erving, the annual honor - in its seventh year - recognizes the top small forwards in Division I men’s college basketball.
Boise State’s leader in scoring and assists last season, Alston averaged 17.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game, leading the Broncos to its eighth 20-win season in the last 10 years. He has appeared in 76 games during his career, already ranking among the school’s 1,000-point scorers. Alston initially declared for the 2020 NBA Draft, but withdrew his name in July, returning for his final season in the Blue and Orange.
Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies goes live Friday (Nov. 6) at hoophallawards.com. In late January, the 20-player watch list will be narrowed to just 10. In late February, five finalists will be presented to Erving and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. Fans can vote during each of the three rounds, helping their favorite players advance in the process.
The winner of the 2021 Julius Erving Award will be presented on Friday, April 9, 2021, along with the other four members of the Men’s Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Bob Cousy Point Guard Award, the Jerry West Shooting Guard Award, the Karl Malone Power Forward Award and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center Award, in addition to the Women’s Starting Five.
2021 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award Candidates*
| Derrick Alston Jr. | Boise State |
| Jalen Johnson | Duke |
| Wendell Moore | Duke |
| Jayden Gardner | East Carolina |
| Keyontae Johnson | Florida |
| Corey Kispert | Gonzaga |
| Brandon Boston Jr. | Kentucky |
| D.J. Jeffries | Memphis |
| Aaron Wiggins | Maryland |
| Franz Wagner | Michigan |
| Aaron Henry | Michigan State |
| Ron Harper Jr. | Rutgers |
| Matt Mitchell | San Diego State |
| Ziaire Williams | Stanford |
| Yves Pons | Tennessee |
| Terrence Shannon, Jr. | Texas Tech |
| Chris Smith | UCLA |
| Timmy Allen | Utah |
| Jermaine Samuels | Villanova |
| Sam Hauser | Virginia |
*Players can play their way onto and off of the list at any point in the 2020-21 season*
