Sophomore center Charles Bassey has been selected as one of 46 members of the watch list for the Oscar Robertson Trophy, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association announced on Thursday.

The Oscar Robertson Trophy is presented annually to the men’s national player of the year. The USBWA also selects an All-America team, All-District teams, players and coaches of the year.

The USBWA has named a national player of the year since its founding in 1956, but the award was named in honor of the legendary Oscar Robertson, “The Big O,” in the 1997-98 season.

The 6-foot-11, 230-pounder was also named to the watch lists for the Naismith Trophy, the John R. Wooden Award and the 2020 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award.

He was also earned the Conference USA Player of the Week award for the first time in his career on Monday.

The Lagos, Nigeria, native leads WKU this season with averages of 15.9 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 52.5% from the field.

Bassey has 143 points, 86 rebounds, 15 blocks and eight steals this season. As of Thursday, he was the only player in the nation with at least those numbers.

The 2019-20 Oscar Robertson Trophy will be presented at the NCAA Final Four in Atlanta in April. The winner will be also be honored at the annual USBWA Awards Luncheon at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis on Monday, April 13.

While all Division I players are eligible, the USBWA board has chosen the players on the watch list to promote the award and give the membership, which votes on all USBWA awards, an early look at some of the best players in the country.

In January, the USBWA will release a second watch list, followed by finalists after All-America balloting is complete in March.

Last season, Duke’s Zion Williamson was the recipient of both the Oscar Robertson Trophy and the Wayman Tisdale Award.

The USBWA formally expanded its All-America team to 15 players in 2019 and many of the players on this watch list will contend for All-America honors. The USBWA also names an Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week each Tuesday.

The full watch list can be found here.