Keita Bates-Diop Named to Naismith Late Season Watch List

The frontrunner for Big Ten Player of the Year is beginning to garner more national attention. 

Ohio State redshirt junior forward Keita Bates-Diop was named to the Naismith late season watch list on Wednesday, a list that consists of 30 of the nation's top players. It is the second such late season watch list that Bates-Diop has appeared on this season after he was added to the John R. Wooden award late season list, after being left off the midseason watch list in January. 

@KBD_33 has been named one of thirty players on the @NaismithTrophy late season watch list.#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/c0fIntEziz

— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) February 14, 2018

The Normal, Ill., native is also on the Oscar Robertson midseason watch list that was released in late January. All three awards honor the top college basketball player in the country, but the Naismith Award is considered by many to be the highest honor of the three. 

This season, Bates-Diop is leading the Big Ten in scoring, averaging 19.9 points per game, and is third in the conference in rebounding, pulling down 9.0 boards per contest. His 1.6 blocked shots per game also check in at No. 6 in the league.

The last and only Buckeye to win the award was Evan Turner, who took home the honor in 2010.

Bates-Diop and the Buckeyes are set to return to action Thursday at 8 p.m. against Penn State in State College, Pa.