LJ Cryer Named to Jerry West Award Preseason Watch List

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POSTED: October 24, 2023 -- 12:30 p.m. CT

Houston Cougars senior point guard LJ Cryer was recognized as one of 20 candidates nationally for the Jerry West Award Preseason Watch List, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced Tuesday.

A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the Jerry West Preseason Watch List.

Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting in each of the three rounds starting on Friday. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2024 Jerry West Award will be narrowed to 10, and then in late February, to just five.

In March, the five finalists will be presented to West and the Hall of Fame's selection committee, where a winner will be selected.

The winner of the 2024 Jerry West Award will be presented on a to be determined date, along with the other four members of the Men's Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Bob Cousy Award (Point Guard), Julius Erving Award (Small Forward), Karl Malone Award (Power Forward), and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award (Center), in addition to the Women's Starting Five.

In 2022-23, Consensus First-Team All-American guard Marcus Sasser received the Jerry West Award, becoming the first Cougar in program history to receive that honor.

Cryer is in his first season at Houston in 2023-24 after transferring from Baylor during the summer.

A three-year letterman during an award-winning career, Cryer earned 2022-23 All-Big 12 and USBWA All-District VII Team recognition after averaging 15.0 points per game while hitting 45.3 percent (163-of-360) from the field, including 41.5 percent (80-of-193) from behind the arc.

Cryer from -- Katy, Texas -- set Baylor's NCAA Tournament scoring record with 30 points against rv/#22 Creighton and posted the program's single-season free throw percentage record at 89.4 percent (59-of-66).

As a freshman, Cryer competed in 20 games while helping lead the Bears to the Big 12 title and the NCAA national championship.

2023-24 Jerry West Award Preseason Watch List Candidates

* - Players can play their way onto and off the list at any point in the 2023-24 season.

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