Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist are each finalists for the Wooden Award. (Britney McIntosh, UK Athletics)
The final ballot for the 2011-12 John R. Wooden Award was announced on Tuesday and top-ranked Kentucky is the only school to be represented by two athletes.Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist are among the 15 finalists from which voters will choose the winner of the prestigious player of the year award. Davis and Kidd-Gilchrist are also the only freshmen on the list, along with Austin Rivers of Duke.Ballots will be sent this week and voters have until Monday, March 19 to cast their votes. The Wooden Award All American Teams will be unveiled the week of the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight.The two roommates have already begun to reel in postseason awards, as Davis was named Player of the Year, first-team All-America and All-Freshman by Sporting News. Kidd-Gilchrist was a second-team All-America and All-Freshman honoree according to the same outlet.In another positive sign for his Wooden Award chances, Davis barely edged out Thomas Robinson of Kansas in the final ESPN.com player of the year “Straw Poll,” receiving 31 first-place votes to Robinson’s 22.Finally, Davis was named District IV Player of the Year by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. The district includes the states of Kentucky, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and Florida. Kidd-Gilchrist joined him on the All-District team.Goodwin selected for Nike Hoops SummitArchie Goodwin, a member of the next generation of star UK freshmen, earned a spot on the 2012 USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Select Team. As a part of the team, he will play in the Nike Hoops Summit on April 7 in the Rose Garden in Portland, Ore.