Photo by: Rob Moseley/GoDucks.com
Kelly Named to John R. Wooden Award Watch List
11/07/24 | Women's Basketball
LOS ANGELES — Oregon guard Deja Kelly is one of 50 athletes named to the preseason watch list for The Los Angeles Athletic Club John. R. Wooden Award, presented by Principle, as announced on Thursday.
Kelly is named to the John R. Wooden Award watch list for the third consecutive season and as a junior in 2022-23, was selected to the midseason top 25 watch list. In October, Kelly was one of 20 athletes named to the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year watch list and one of 50 selected to the Naismith Trophy Player of the Year watch list.
Through two games and leading Oregon to a 2-0 record this season, Kelly is averaging 15.5 points, 5.5 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game while shooting 52.2 percent from the floor. Kelly scored a game-high 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting in the Ducks' 76-58 win over Nevada Wednesday night.
A three-time all-ACC first-team selection at North Carolina, Kelly left as the eighth-leading scorer in UNC history with 1,858 points, which has her seventh among active players entering the 2024-25 season. In her last season as a Tar Heel, she was named a WBCA all-America region finalist, while also being named to watch lists for the Naismith Trophy, Wooden Award and USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale Player of the Year Award.
Kelly led UNC in scoring for the third straight season in 2023-24, averaging better than 16.0 points per game in each campaign. The Duncanville, Texas, product led the Tar Heels to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including a trip to the Sweet Sixteen in 2022.
The preseason watch list was chosen by a preseason poll of national college basketball experts and are considered strong candidates for the 2025 John R. Wooden Award Women's Player of the Year and Wooden Award All-America Team. The field will be trimmed throughout the season with the Wooden award midseason list, late season list and the final national ballot. The national ballot will consist of the top 15 players.
The Wooden Award All-America Team will be announced the week of the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, with the winner of the John. R. Wooden Award being presented on April 11, 2025.
Former Oregon superstar Sabrina Ionescu won the John R. Wooden Award in 2019 and 2020, and is one of just six athletes to win the prestigious honor in consecutive seasons.
Kelly is named to the John R. Wooden Award watch list for the third consecutive season and as a junior in 2022-23, was selected to the midseason top 25 watch list. In October, Kelly was one of 20 athletes named to the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year watch list and one of 50 selected to the Naismith Trophy Player of the Year watch list.
Through two games and leading Oregon to a 2-0 record this season, Kelly is averaging 15.5 points, 5.5 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game while shooting 52.2 percent from the floor. Kelly scored a game-high 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting in the Ducks' 76-58 win over Nevada Wednesday night.
A three-time all-ACC first-team selection at North Carolina, Kelly left as the eighth-leading scorer in UNC history with 1,858 points, which has her seventh among active players entering the 2024-25 season. In her last season as a Tar Heel, she was named a WBCA all-America region finalist, while also being named to watch lists for the Naismith Trophy, Wooden Award and USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale Player of the Year Award.
Kelly led UNC in scoring for the third straight season in 2023-24, averaging better than 16.0 points per game in each campaign. The Duncanville, Texas, product led the Tar Heels to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including a trip to the Sweet Sixteen in 2022.
The preseason watch list was chosen by a preseason poll of national college basketball experts and are considered strong candidates for the 2025 John R. Wooden Award Women's Player of the Year and Wooden Award All-America Team. The field will be trimmed throughout the season with the Wooden award midseason list, late season list and the final national ballot. The national ballot will consist of the top 15 players.
The Wooden Award All-America Team will be announced the week of the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, with the winner of the John. R. Wooden Award being presented on April 11, 2025.
Former Oregon superstar Sabrina Ionescu won the John R. Wooden Award in 2019 and 2020, and is one of just six athletes to win the prestigious honor in consecutive seasons.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's BasketballKelly Graves | Postgame vs. Utah State
Monday, November 24
Sarah Rambus & Mia Jacobs | Postgame vs. Utah State
Monday, November 24
Sofia Bell & Amina Muhammad | Postgame vs. Army
Monday, November 17
Kelly Graves | Postgame vs. Army
Monday, November 17
