CHICAGO (February 2, 2022) – Lucas Williamson (Chicago, Ill./Whitney Young), a graduate student on the Loyola University Chicago men's basketball team, has been named to the 10-person watch list for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award, it was announced today by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Named after Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Julius Erving, the award recognizes the top small forward in NCAA Division I basketball. 
 
A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates in November, which has now been narrowed to 10 individuals.
 
Williamson, a Chicago native, averages 12.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 steals per game for a Loyola squad that is 16-4 overall and 7-2 in Missouri Valley Conference action. The 2021 MVC Defensive Player of the Year and Second Team All-MVC selection has scored in double figures on 14 occasions this season and has totaled 20 or more points three times. 
 
College basketball fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies in each of the three rounds. In late February, the watch list of 10 players for the 2022 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award will be narrowed to 5. In March those finalists will be presented to Mr. Erving and the Hall of Fame's selection committee where a winner will be selected. 
 
The winner of the 2022 Julius Erving Award will be presented on a to be determined date, along with the other four members of the Men's Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Bob Cousy Point Guard Award, Jerry West Shooting Guard Award, the Karl Malone Power Forward Award and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center Award, in addition to the Women's Starting Five.
 
Previous winners of the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award include Corey Kispert (Gonzaga, 2021), Saddiq Bey (Villanova, 2020), Rui Hachimura (Gonzaga,2019), Mikal Bridges (Villanova, 2018), Josh Hart (Villanova, 2017), Denzel Valentine (Michigan State, 2016) and Stanley Johnson (Arizona, 2015). 
 
For more information on the 2022 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award and the latest updates, log onto www.hoophallawards.comand follow @hoophall and #ErvingAwardon Twitter and Instagram.Starting Five Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies will go live on Friday, February 4.
 
2022 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award Candidates
Kendall Brown, Baylor
Hyunjung Lee, Davidson
Wendell Moore, Duke
Lucas Williamson, Loyola
Caleb Houstan, Michigan
Ron Harper Jr., Rutgers
Julian Champagnie, St. John's
Harrison Ingram, Stanford
Jaime Jaquez Jr., UCLA
Jermaine Samuels, Villanova