The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has announced Duke sophomore Mark Mitchell as one of 20 watch list candidates for the 2024 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award.
Named after Class of 1993 Hall of Famer and 16-year professional basketball player Julius Erving, the annual honor, in its tenth year, recognizes the top small forwards in Division I men’s college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.
Mitchell is one of four Duke starters returning from the 2022-23 team and started in all 35 of the games he played in as a freshman. A versatile member of the Duke roster, Mitchell helped establish Duke as one of the best defensive teams in the country last season, as he ranked in the 94th percentile as an on-ball defender as a freshman. He logged 16 double-figure scoring games en route to averaging 9.1 points per game while shooting 114-243 (.469) from the field while also snagging 4.5 rebounds per game. Mitchell was presented with the Pagliuca Family Coach’s Award at the team’s annual banquet, an award given to the player that best exemplifies the commitment and values of Duke Basketball.
College basketball fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies in each of the three rounds. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the Erving Award will be narrowed to 10. In late February, five finalists will be presented to Mr. Cousy and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. The winner of the award will be presented on a to-be-determined date, along with the other four members of the Men’s Starting Five.
For more information on the 2024 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award and the latest updates, visit www.hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophall and #CousyAward on Twitter and Instagram. Starting Five Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies will go live on Friday, October 27.
2024 Julius Erving Award Candidates
Jalen Bridges – Baylor
Jaylon Tyson – Cal
Baylor Scheierman – Creighton
Tucker DeVries – Drake
Mark Mitchell – Duke
Anton Watson – Gonzaga
Payton Sandfort – Iowa
Johnny Furphy – Kansas
Arthur Kaluma – Kansas State
Justin Edwards – Kentucky
David Joplin – Marquette
Matthew Cleveland – Miami (Fla.)
Coen Carr – Michigan State
Harrison Ingram – North Carolina
Jamison Battle – Ohio State
Glenn Taylor Jr. – St. John’s
Dalton Knecht – Tennessee
Tyler Burton – Villanova
Dillon Jones – Weber State
Tyler Wahl – Wisconsin
