Emanuel Sharp Named Jerry West Award Midseason Top-10 Candidate as Houston Continues Dominant Season
HOUSTON - Another day, another accolade for the Houston Cougars. Senior guard Emanuel Sharp has been named one of the top 10 midseason candidates for the Jerry West Award, which honors the best shooting guard in college basketball each year. It’s a well-earned nod for a player who’s been a steady force for one of the nation’s top programs.
The recognition comes just 24 hours after freshman point guard Kingston Flemings was named a midseason candidate for the Bob Cousy Award, given to the country’s best point guard. In short, Houston is not just winning games - it’s stacking up national recognition at multiple positions.
Sharp’s Impact: Numbers, Leadership, and a Legacy in the Making
Emanuel Sharp has been a cornerstone of Houston’s success over the past four years. A four-year letterman, Sharp has helped the Cougars compile a staggering 114-14 record during his time on campus - a mark that ties him with Ja’Vier Francis for the fourth-most wins in program history. That kind of sustained excellence doesn’t happen without consistent leadership and production, and Sharp has delivered both.
With 1,472 career points, Sharp currently ranks 14th on Houston’s all-time scoring list. But perhaps even more impressive is what he’s doing from beyond the arc.
With 267 career three-pointers, he’s just 10 shy of surpassing former Cougar great Marcus Sasser to become the program’s all-time leader in made threes. That’s not just a milestone - it’s a testament to the kind of shooter and scorer Sharp has become.
This season, he’s averaging 16.3 points per game - second on the team - and ranks among the Big 12’s top 10 in both three-point makes per game (2.6) and three-point percentage (.369). He’s already logged seven 20-point games this season, including a season-high 27-point outburst against Florida State at the Houston Hoops Showdown back in December.
Houston’s National Profile Keeps Rising
With Sharp playing a key role, Houston has stormed out to a 19-2 overall record and a 7-1 start in Big 12 play. The Cougars have been a fixture in the Top 10 of both national polls all season long and currently own the longest active streak in the AP Top 25 - 119 consecutive weeks and counting. That kind of consistency is rare, and it speaks volumes about the culture head coach Kelvin Sampson has built and the players, like Sharp, who continue to raise the bar.
The Road to the Jerry West Award
Sharp finds himself in elite company on the Jerry West Award Midseason Top-10 list. Other names on the list include Brayden Burries (Arizona), Cameron Carr (Baylor), Richie Saunders (BYU), Isaiah Evans (Duke), Keaton Wagler (Illinois), Darryn Peterson (Kansas), Solo Ball (UConn), Duke Miles (Vanderbilt), and John Blackwell (Wisconsin).
The award process now moves into the fan voting phase, which begins Friday at hoophallawards.com. Fan votes will count as one official vote in the selection process. In mid-March, the list will be trimmed to five finalists, with the winner announced later that month as part of the Naismith Hall of Fame’s “Men’s Starting Five” - a group that also includes the Cousy, Erving, Malone, and Abdul-Jabbar Awards.
What’s Next for Houston
The Cougars are back at home this Wednesday, hosting UCF at Fertitta Center with tip-off set for 6 p.m. CT on FS1. After that, Houston heads west for a tough two-game road swing through Utah, beginning with a marquee matchup against #13 BYU in Provo, followed by a clash with Utah in Salt Lake City.
As the Cougars gear up for the stretch run of conference play, Sharp’s shooting, leadership, and big-game experience will be crucial. He’s not just chasing awards - he’s helping Houston chase another Big 12 title and a deep NCAA Tournament run.
And if his play so far is any indication, he’s not done making noise.