SAN DIEGO – For the second time on Thursday, San Diego State junior guard Malachi Flynn was recognized as one of the finest players in Division I men's basketball with his inclusion on the Citizen Naismith Trophy 2020 Midseason Team. He is one of 30 student-athletes to make the list. The announcement was made by the Atlanta Tipoff Club on Thursday.
Flynn is the only player from the Mountain West to appear on the watch list and the lone player in the nation to average 16.5 points and five assists with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3:1 or better to receive inclusion. The Tacoma, Wash., native has scored in double figures in 24-of-25 games this season and led the Aztecs, the only unbeaten team in Division I men's college basketball, to the 2019-20 Mountain West regular-season title.
Flynn is the fourth SDSU men's basketball player to be named to the Naismith Trophy Midseason Watch list following Aztec Hall of Fame inductees Kawhi Leonard, Jamaal Franklin and Xavier Thames who received the honor during the 2010-11, 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons, respectively.
Next month the list will narrow even further to 10 national semifinalists. The four finalists will be announced later in March and fans will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite player leading up to the final announcement. The 2020 Citizen Naismith Trophy will be awarded at the Naismith Awards Brunch during the Final Four in Atlanta. Only players on the midseason team are eligible to advance to the next round.
Citizen Naismith Trophy 2020 Midseason Team
Precious Achiuwa, Memphis
Udoka Azubuike, Kansas
Kamar Baldwin, Butler
Saddiq Bey, Villanova
Jared Butler, Baylor
Vernon Carey, Jr., Duke
Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois
Devon Dotson, Kansas
Anthony Edwards, Georgia
Malachi Flynn, San Diego State
Jordan Ford, St. Mary's
Luka Garza, Iowa
Markus Howard, Marquette
Mason Jones, Arkansas
Tre Jones, Duke
Nathan Knight, William & Mary
John Mooney, Notre Dame
Jordan Nwora, Louisville
Daniel Oturu, Minnesota
Filip Petrusev, Gonzaga
Myles Powell, Seton Hall
Payton Pritchard, Oregon
Nick Richards, Kentucky
Fatts Russell, Rhode Island
Jalen Smith, Maryland
Lamar Stevens, Penn State
Isaiah Stewart, Washington
Obi Toppin, Dayton
Kaleb Wesson, Ohio State
Cassius Winston, Michigan State-SDSU-