TUCSON, Ariz. ?C?University of Arizona menˇ?s basketball player Chase Budinger was named to the 2007-08 Naismith Trophy preseason watch list, it was announced Thursday by the Atlanta Tipoff Clubˇ?s board of selectors.
The Wildcat sophomore is included among a list of 50 student-athletes who are under consideration for the 2008 Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T, which has been given to college basketballˇ?s player of the year annually since 1969. Arizona is one of seven Pac-10 schools to have at least one player on the list and the conference had a total of 12 candidates, which is the most in the nation.
Budinger, a 6-foot-7, 203-pound forward from Encinitas, Calif., averaged 15.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game in 31 appearances last season. He shot 48.5 percent (176-of-363) from the field and a led the team with 50 three-point field goals (.368 percentage). He had 26 double-figure scoring games to his credit in 2006-07 and posted five double-doubles. Budinger was the 2007 Pac-10 Freshman of the Year.
In January, the Naismith Trophy voting academy, comprised of leading basketball journalists, coaches and administrators from around the country, will narrow its preseason list to the Top 30 players in the nation. Those players, and others who distinguish themselves throughout the season, will be eligible for the final ballot in March. Beginning in mid-February, CBSˇ? "AT&T at the Half" will feature a weekly Naismith Trophy update highlighting the players in contention. In April, the Naismith Trophy winner will be recognized at the NCAA Menˇ?s Final Four in San Antonio.
The Arizona menˇ?s basketball team opens the 2007-08 season on Tue., Nov. 13, against Northern Arizona. Tip-off in McKale Center is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. MST and will be televised on FSN Arizona.?
The pre-season Menˇ?s candidates for the Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T, listed in alphabetical order, are as follows:
| Last | First | Position | Class | School |
| Anderson | Ryan | Forward | Sophomore | California |
| Arthur | Darrell | Forward | Sophomore | Kansas |
| Augustin | DJ | Guard | Sophomore | Texas |
| Beverley | Patrick | Guard | Sophomore | Arkansas |
| Brockman | Jon | Forward | Junior | Washington |
| Budinger | Chase | Forward | Sophomore | Arizona |
| Carroll | Jaycee | Guard | Senior | Utah State |
| Chalmers | Mario | Guard | Junior | Kansas |
| Claxton | Geary | Guard/Forward | Senior | Penn State |
| Collison | Darren | Guard | Senior | UCLA |
| Costner | Brandon | Forward | Sophomore | North Carolina State |
| Curry | Stephen | Guard | Sophomore | Davidson |
| Daniels | Will | Forward | Senior | Rhode Island |
| Dorsey | Joey | Forward | Senior | Memphis |
| Douglas-Roberts | Chris | Guard | Junior | Memphis |
| Ellington | Wayne | Guard | Sophomore | North Carolina |
| Gibson | Taj | Forward | Sophomore | USC |
| Gordon | Jamont | Guard | Junior | Mississippi State |
| Hansbrough | Tyler | Forward | Junior | North Carolina |
| Hardin | DeVon | Center | Senior | California |
| Henderson | Gerald | Guard | Sophomore | Duke |
| Heytvelt | Josh | Forward | Junior | Gonzaga |
| Hibbert | Roy | Center | Senior | Georgetown |
| Hill | Lawrence | Forward | Junior | Stanford |
| James | Dominic | Guard | Junior | Marquette |
| Kemp | Marcelus | Guard | Senior | Nevada |
| Lavender | Drew | Guard | Senior | Xavier |
| Lawson | Ty | Guard | Sophomore | North Carolina |
| Lee | Courtney | Guard/Forward | Senior | Western Kentucky |
| Lofton | Chris | Guard | Senior | Tennessee |
| Lopez | Brook | Forward | Sophomore | Stanford |
| Low | Derek | Guard | Junior | Washington State |
| Maric | Aleks | Center | Senior | Nebraska |
| Maynor | Eric | Guard | Junior | Virginia Commonwealth |
| Mbah a Moute | Luc Richard | Forward | Junior | UCLA |
| McCauley | Ben | Forward | Junior | North Carolina State |
| Morgan | Raymar | Forward | Sophomore | Michigan State |
| Neitzel | Drew | Guard | Senior | Michigan State |
| Nivins | Ahmad | Forward | Junior | St. Joseph |
| Padgett | David | Center | Senior | Louisville |
| Reynolds | Scottie | Guard | Sophomore | Villanova |
| Rush | Brandon | Guard | Junior | Kansas |
| Shipp | Josh | Guard/Forward | Junior | UCLA |
| Singletary | Sean | Guard | Senior | Virginia |
| Speights | Marreese | Forward | Sophomore | Florida |
| Thabeet | Hasheem | Center | Sophomore | Connecticut |
| Wallace | Jonathan | Guard | Senior | Georgetown |
| Weaver | Kyle | Guard | Junior | Washington State |
| White | DJ | Forward | Senior | Indiana |
| Williams | Terrence | Forward | Junior | Louisville |
