The NCAA is naming the award for the top freshman in college basketball after OU basketball legend Wayman Tisdale.
The United States Basketball Writers Association will select winner of The Wayman Tisdale Award each year.
"This could quickly be considered the nation's most valuable player award,” former OU coach Billy Tubbs told the Oklahoman.
Tubbs coached Tisdale in during his basketball career at Oklahoma from 1983 to 1985. Tisdale was the first player in collegiate history to be named a first-team All American by the AP in his freshman, sophomore and junior seasons.
As a freshman, Tisdale averaged 24.5 points, 10.3 rebounds for the Sooners. He went on to win a Gold Medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics, teaming with fellow collegians Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing.
"I don't think anybody had a better freshman year than Wayman, let's put it that way,” Tubbs said. "I think it's a very appropriate honor, considering Wayman was the first freshman to ever make All-American.”
Tisdale passed away in May 2009 after a lengthy battle with cancer. His widow Regina is said to be “very receptive” to his name being used for the award. The winner will receive a bronze statuette at the annual Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame gala each May in Oklahoma City.
The Tisdale Award will raise money to support local charities. The Wayman Tisdale Charitable Foundation will be a direct beneficiary. The foundation helps raise funds to help amputees with the prosthetic process, which is not always covered by an individual’s health insurance.
"There's been a lot of thought process to this, and the people in charge are doing an outstanding job,” said Tubbs.
Read about how Sooners Basketball Examiner Mike Aikins went one-on-one with Wayman Tisdale
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