Longhorns' Forward Timmy Allen Earns Spot on Preseason Watchlist for 2022 Julius Erving Award

Texas Longhorns small forward Timmy Allen has been named to the preseason watchlist for the 2022 Julius Erving Award, according to an announcement from the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Wednesday.
The award annually recognizes the best small forward in Division 1 men's college basketball. Given that he hasn't even played his first game as a Longhorn yet, Allen's inclusion on this list is that much more impressive.
Watch List SZN 🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/qQKiKcjUbH
— Texas Men’s Basketball (@TexasMBB) October 20, 2021
Last season at Utah, Allen was undoubtedly the most important player for a Utes team that finished with a 12-13 record in a Pac-12 conference that saw flourishing success in the NCAA tournament.
The Mesa, Ariz. native posted team-high per-game averages for points (17.2), rebounds (6.4), steals (1.3), and minutes (35.1). Allen also led the team in total assists (98) while shooting 46.5 percent from the floor.
This earned Allen a spot as a selection on All-Pac 12 First Team for the 2020-2021 season. Additionally, he was one of only six Division 1 men's basketball players last season to average at least 17 points, six rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game.
Allen will face some stout competition at his position in Big-12 play this season, as four other players from the conference made their way onto the preseason watchlist for the Julius Erving Award.
Baylor's Matt Mayer and Kendall Brown both earned spots as preseason candidates, while Kansas' Jalen Wilson and Texas Tech's Kevin Obanor were also included.
Allen will have to matchup with all four of these players at least twice during the upcoming season.
But first, the Longhorns will have to make to make their way through a 13-game non-conference schedule before Big-12 play begins on Jan. 1. Texas tips-off the 2021-2022 season at the Frank Erwin Center on Nov. 9 against Houston Baptist.
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Zach Dimmitt is the Deputy Editor for Texas Longhorns On SI and Texas A&M Aggies On SI. He also contributes as a writer for the On SI channels of the Oregon Ducks, Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans. He was previously the editor-in-chief of Buffalo Bills on SI, Philadelphia Eagles on SI and Seattle Seahawks on SI. Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, Dimmitt received his Bachelor’s Degree in journalism at the University of Texas at Austin in 2022. He originally started with SI’s Fan Nation network in 2021, providing extensive coverage of the NFL and NBA along with college football and basketball. In that time, Dimmitt has published thousands of stories and has reached millions of people across multiple fan bases. You can follow him on X at @ZachDimmitt7
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