Taylor Jones selected to Lisa Leslie Award watch list

AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Junior Women’s Basketball Taylor Jones was named to the 20-player watch list for the 2023 Lisa Leslie Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) announced Friday.

The Longhorns are one of three programs in NCAA DI Women’s Basketball to have a representative on each of the five position award watch lists (Harmon Street-The Nancy Lieberman Award, Sonya Morris-Ann Meyers Drysdale Award, Thin thing-The Cheryl Miller Award, Aaliyah Moore-The Katrina McClain Award, Taylor Jones-Lisa Leslie Award).

Named after the three-time National Player of the Year and Class of 2015 All-American, the annual award in its sixth year recognizes the top centers in NCAA women’s college basketball. A national committee of senior college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.

Jones joined the Longhorns after three seasons at Oregon State. In the 2021-22 season, she was a preseason All-Pac 12 selection and averaged 12.4 points and 6.9 rebounds per game while shooting 64.9 percent from the floor. In her sophomore season, she averaged 12.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game and scored a season-high 24 points against Montana Western. Jones had a double-double with 16 points and 11 boards against UCLA.

2023 Lisa Leslie PRICE Candidates*

*The players can Play Theirs ORDER ABOUT AND turned off of list IN any point IN of 2022-23 the season

Fans are encouraged to participate in the Fan Vote, presented by Dell Technologies, in each of the three rounds beginning today, October 21. In late January, the 20-player watch list for the 2023 Lisa Leslie Award will be narrowed down to 10 and then in late February to just five. In March, the five finalists will be presented to Leslie and the Hall of Fame selection committee, where a winner will be chosen.

The 2023 Lisa Leslie Award winner will be presented at a date to be determined, along with the other four members of the Women’s Initial Five. Additional awards being presented include the Nancy Lieberman Award (Point Guard), the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award (Shooting Guard), the Cheryl Miller Award (Small Forward) and the Katrina McClain Award (Power Forward), in addition to the men’s starting five.

Previous winners of the Lisa Leslie Award are Aliyah Boston, South Carolina (2020-22), Megan GustafsonIowa (2019) and This is WilsonSouth Carolina (2018).

For more information on the 2023 Lisa Leslie Award and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophall AND #Leslie Award on Twitter and Instagram.

About Lisa Leslie:

Widely considered the best player in the country during her senior year of high school, Leslie decided to play basketball closer to home at the University of Southern California. While at USC, she set Pac-10 records for scoring, rebounding and blocked shots, earning All-Pac-10 honors each of her four seasons. In 1991, she was named the National Freshman of the Year and went on to earn All-American Honors the following three seasons. In her first season, she won multiple national player of the year awards, including Naismith College Player of the Year and WBCA Player of the Year. In the summer of 1997, the National Women’s Basketball Association was created and with it, Lisa Leslie became a household name. The Los Angeles Sparks landed the hometown star, who would help them win two world championships. As an eight-time All-Star and three-time MVP, Leslie became the face of the WNBA. In 2002, she became the first player to fall in a WNBA game. Leslie retired as the all-time leading rebounder in WNBA history and was an eight-time first team All-WNBA performer. Internationally, Leslie won four gold medals in Olympic competition. Since retiring from the professional game, Leslie has worked as a sports commentator and analyst for several networks, while also exploring fashion modeling and acting.

About the WBCA:

Founded in 1981, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association is the professional association of women’s and girls’ basketball coaches at all levels of competition. The WBCA provides the educational resources coaches need to help them become better leaders, teachers and mentors to their players; provides opportunities for coaches to network with colleagues; serves as the unifying voice of a diverse community of coaches for those organizations that control the game; and celebrates those coaches, players and other individuals who excel each year and contribute to the advancement of the sport. For more information, visit us online: WBCA.org, follow @wbca1981 or call 1-770-279-8027.

About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame:

Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the birthplace of basketball, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting, preserving and celebrating the game of basketball at every level – men’s and women’s , amateur and professional players, coaches and contributors, at home and abroad. The Hall of Fame Museum is home to more than 400 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience interactive exhibits and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo “Court of Dreams.” Best known for its annual Enshrinement Ceremony, which honors the game’s elite, the Hall of Fame also hosts over 70 high school and college competitions each year across the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, the museum and its events, visit hoophall.com, follow @hoophall or call 1-877-4HOOPLA.