Silva Named to Naismith Trophy Watch List

ATLANTA, Ga. –– Senior forward Chris Silva was one of fifty players to be named to the 2019 Citizen Naismith Trophy Men’s Watch List, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced on Monday morning. He’s the first Gamecock to appear on the watch list since Devan Downey prior to the 2008-09 season.

A list of the Naismith Midseason 30 Team will be released on Feb. 13, 2019, followed by the 10 national semifinalists and four finalists on March 4, 2019 and March 19, 2019, respectively. The 2019 Citizen Naismith Trophy will be awarded at the Naismith Awards Brunch on April 7, 2019, during the Final Four in Minneapolis.

The Libreville, Gabon, native started all 33 games for Carolina last season leading the team in points per game (14.3), rebounds (8.0), field goal percentage (46.7%), blocks (1.4), free throws attempted (283) and free throws made (213). He was named First Team All-SEC by the league’s coaches and was voted the SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year alongside Texas A&M’s Robert Williams. Silva, a Preseason All-SEC selection this season, was recently named to the Karl Malone Award Preseason Watch List.

Silva is one of nine players in the SEC to be named to the 50-player Naismith watch list. Players who do not make the watch list are still eligible to be selected for the Naismith Midseason 30 Team.

Click here to read the full release from the Atlanta Tipoff Club.

Gamecocks Athletics contributed to this article.