Virginia basketball: Malcolm Brogdon named finalist for Naismith Trophy

Malcolm Brogdon has been named a finalist for this year's Naismith Trophy, one of several national player of the year awards given out annually.

Brogdon has already been named a finalist for the Wooden Award, and joins Oklahoma's Buddy Hield, Michigan State's Denzel Valentine, and Kentucky's Tyler Ulis as contenders for the Naismith, given out by the Tipoff Club of Brogdon's hometown of Atlanta.

A first-team All-American for the second straight year, Brogdon was instrumental on Saturday night in keeping Virginia's season alive. He held Butler's Andrew Chrabascz without a field goal for the final 16:33 after Chrabascz already scored 24 points on 9-for-11 from the floor, including 4-for-4 from three.

Brogdon had a team-high 22 points and five assists, plus five rebounds and two steals. In doing so, he passed Harold Deane for ninth place on the all-time scoring list at Virginia. At 1,765 career points, he's 48 away from passing Chris Williams for eighth.

If he wins the award, Brogdon would be the first UVa player to do so since Ralph Sampson.