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University of Houston Athletics
LJ Cryer Named to Jerry West Award Preseason Watch List
10/29/2024 10:51:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Graduate All-American is one of 20 student-athletes to be recognized on national list
HOUSTON – University of Houston graduate guard LJ Cryer earned a place on the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Top 20 Preseason Watch List on Tuesday.The prestigious award recognizes the best shooting guards in college basketball and is presented by the Basketball Hall of Fame.
This was the latest preseason honor for Cryer. He was an All-America Fourth-Team honoree by Blue Ribbon College Yearbook and joined graduate forward J'Wan Roberts on the Preseason All-Big 12 Conference First-Team.
Fan voting presented by Dell Technologies opens Friday, and Houston fans are encouraged to cast their ballots.
As the 2024-25 season continues, the Watch List will remain fluid. The List will narrow to 10 student-athletes in late January with the five finalists presented to West's family and the Hall of Fame's selection committees.
The winner of the Jerry West Award will be presented on a to-be-determined date with the other four members of the Naismith Starting Five.
A year ago, All-American guard Jamal Shead was honored as a finalist for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year while All-American guard Marcus Sasser received the Jerry West Award following the 2022-23 season.
ABOUT LJ CRYER
Competing in his first season with the Cougars a year ago, Cryer led Houston and finished fifth in the Big 12 with 15.5 points per game. This was the second straight season in which he has named to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team.
The Katy, Texas, native was one of only three Cougars to start all 37 games in 2023-24 and led Houston and the league with 3.0 3-point field goals per game.
Cryer paced Houston with 13 20-point games and 27 double-digit performances, including a season-high 26 points against rv/– Texas inside Fertitta Center on Feb. 17.
For his impressive efforts, Cryer was named an All-America Honorable Mention by the United States Basketball Writers Association and was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team by the league and the Associated Press.
Cryer also received National Association of Basketball Coaches All-District 8 Second-Team recognition and was named the Shriners Children's Charleston Classic Most Valuable Player.
Cryer was one of four student-athletes from the Big 12 Conference to be named to the Watch List, joining Caleb Love (Arizona), VJ Edgecombe (Baylor) and Zeke Mayo (Kansas).
2024-25 JERRY WEST SHOOTING GUARD of the YEAR AWARD PRESEASON WATCH LIST
| Name | School |
| LJ Cryer | Houston |
| Caleb Love | Arizona |
| Johnell Davis | Arkansas |
| Boogie Fland | Arkansas |
| VJ Edgecombe | Baylor |
| Caleb Foster | Duke |
| Kon Knueppel | Duke |
| Tyson Grant Foster | GCU |
| Zeke Mayo | Kansas |
| Kam Jones | Marquette |
| Jalil Bethea | Miami (Fla.) |
| RJ Davis | North Carolina |
| Meechie Johnson | Mississippi |
| Matthew Murrell | Mississippi |
| Fletcher Loyer | Purdue |
| Kadary Richmond | St. John's |
| Chaz Lanier | Tennessee |
| Tre Johnson | Texas |
| Aidan Mahaney | UConn |
| Hunter Sallis | Wake Forest |
BUY 2024-25 TICKETS
Non-season ticket holders interested in purchasing season tickets are invited to place their names on the Season Ticket Wait List by clicking here.
UP NEXT
Cryer and the Cougars open their regular season when they play host to Jackson State at 7 p.m., Monday, inside Fertitta Center.
From there, Houston meets #11/11 Auburn during the Mattress Firm Battleground 2k24 inside Toyota Center on Nov. 9. The Cougars will be the second game of a doubleheader inside Toyota Center in downtown Houston beginning at 8:30 p.m., with Rice facing Florida State in 6 p.m., in the first game.
Fans can purchase tickets for the Mattress Firm Battleground 2k24 by clicking here.
SUPPORT YOUR COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Men's Basketball by supporting Linking Coogs – UH's NIL collective – and by joining the 50-50 Club, which provides financial support directly to Houston Men's Basketball for needs beyond its operating budget.
Fans who join the 50-50 Club will receive embroidered Jordan Brand team apparel, invitations to exclusive events, regular updates about the program and much more.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarMBK on X, formerly known as Twitter, and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at UHCougarMBK or by visiting the team's Instagram page at UHCougarMBK.
– UHCougars.com –
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