Jameer Nelson

Saint Joseph’s star guard Jameer Nelson was named college basketball player of the year and presented with the prestigious John R. Wooden Award. Coach Wooden made the announcement during a national CBS telecast of the award show at the Los Angeles Athletic Club. The first-ever Hawk to land the Wooden Award honor, Nelson finished ahead of other finalists including Stanford’s Josh Childress, Duke’s Chris Duhon, Connecticut’s Emeka Okafor and Lawrence Roberts of Mississippi State. The 5-foot-11 Nelson averaged 20.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.9 steals this season, leading the Hawks to a 30-2 record, a No. 1 national ranking and a top seed in the NCAA Tournament. He shot 47.5 percent from the field, including 39 percent from 3-point range, and shot 79.2 percent from the free throw line. He finished as the school’s all-time leader in points (2,094) and assists (713), and his jersey already has been retired.