UCLA’s Bailey, McCoy Among Candidates for Wooden Award

UCLA’s senior guard Toby Bailey and junior center Jelani McCoy were among 25 preseason candidates named Friday for the John R. Wooden Award as the nation’s top college basketball player.

A preseason poll of national media selected the 25 players. At season’s end, 10 players will be selected for the All-American team along with the player of the year.

Two of the players, forward Antwan Jamison of North Carolina and center Raef LaFrentz of Kansas were named to the Wooden All-American team last season.

Other nominees were guards Mike Bibby and Miles Simon of defending national champion Arizona, guard Chad Austin of Purdue, guard Rashid Bey of St. Joseph’s, guard Lenny Brown of Xavier (Ohio), guard Cory Carr of Texas Tech, guard Anthony Carter of Hawaii, center Michael Doleac of Utah, forward Pat Garrity of Notre Dame, forward Matt Harpring of Georgia Tech, forward Sam Jacobson of Minnesota, guard Trajan Langdon of Duke, forward Corey Louis of Florida State, guard B.J. McKie of South Carolina, center Brad Millard of St. Mary’s, forward Sam Okey of Wisconsin, guard Paul Pierce of Kansas, center Brian Skinner of Baylor, forward Kenny Thomas of New Mexico, forward Bonzi Wells of Ball State and guard Tyson Wheeler of Rhode Island.