Monte Morris listed as Wooden Award candidate by ESPN

Dec 10, 2015; Ames, IA, USA; Iowa State Cyclones guard Monte Morris (11) hits the game winning shot against the Iowa Hawkeyes at James H. Hilton Coliseum. The Cyclones beat the Hawkeyes 83-82. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports

For the second year in a row, an Iowa State basketball player will find his name in the conversation for one of college basketball’s most prestigious awards. ESPN’s Jeff Goodman included Cyclone senior point guard Monte Morris as one of the players with a chance to win the Wooden Award in 2016-17.

“Another veteran who will have a chance is Iowa State floor leader Monte Morris,” Goodman wrote. “[He] should be “The Guy” for Steve Prohm now that Georges Niang is gone.”

Morris averaged 13.8 points, 6.9 assists and 1.8 steals per game during his junior season Cardinal and Gold. The 6-foot-2-inch, 170-pound, floor general burst on to the scene during his freshman season when he broke the NCAA record for turnover-to-assist ratio.

It will likely take a pretty big jump in production for Morris to find his name in the conversation come March, but there is no doubt he has the skill set and name recognition necessary to get the talk started.

A few other Big 12 players made the list including Kansas freshman Josh Jackson, Jayhawk point guard Frank Mason III and Oklahoma State point guard Juwan Evans. Goodman listed Duke guard Grayson Allen first as he’s the best returning player for the preseason’s best team.

Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield won the Wooden Award, which is given to the nation’s best player, in 2016-17.

Jared Stansbury

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Jared a native of Clarinda, Iowa, started as the Cyclone Fanatic intern in August 2013, primarily working as a videographer until starting on the women’s basketball beat prior to the 2014-15 season. Upon earning his Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Iowa State in May 2016, Jared was hired as the site’s full-time staff writer, taking over as the primary day-to-day reporter on football and men’s basketball. He was elevated to the position of managing editor in January 2020. He is a regular contributor on 1460 KXNO in Des Moines and makes regular guest appearances on radio stations across the Midwest. Jared resides in Ankeny with his four-year-old puggle, Lolo.

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