Anderson tabbed for Cousy award

The University of Richmond's basketball star Kevin Anderson has been named a top-20 finalist for the Bob Cousy Award -- the award for the nation's best point guard.

The award is named after Bob Cousy, a point guard for the Boston Celtics in the 1950s, and is given to the top collegiate male basketball point guard annually, according to the Basketball Hall of Fame. This award is like being nominated for an Oscar, said Jim Miller, director of athletics. Miller said just being nominated was a huge honor, and that Anderson was one of the few athletes who could win the award.

As good of a basketball player as Anderson is, he is also equally as good of a person, Miller said.

Anderson is great with the community work the team does, specifically interacting with the kids and local charities, said Mark Kwolek, director of athletic public relations. Kwolek said Anderson was always the first person to volunteer.

Miller, who first met Anderson when he was a freshman, said during his four years, he had become a leader by example.

"I think that Anderson is one of the very main reasons we are where we are now and why we are a successful team," Miller said. "He's a point guard that can score, get assists and handle the ball."

Anderson said that although the award was an honor, he was happy to see the team progress. The team has been getting big wins -- Richmond is 17-5 overall and 6-2 in the Atlantic 10.

"We don't have any egos on our team, we play for each other, and I think that's why we're so good on the road," Anderson said after the Dayton game last week.

Anderson attributed most of the team's success to the team dynamic, especially because of coach Chris Mooney's efforts. Mooney picks players that mesh well, Anderson said.

Mooney said Anderson was one of the main reasons for the team's success. He said he was a tremendous player, and he had played his best in the biggest moments when the team needed him the most.

"We've brought in guys who are all-around good players and who do a little bit of everything," Mooney said. "That's the best reason we've had good chemistry."

Anderson said his mother was a huge part of his decision to play at Richmond, and also the main reason he went to private high school.

"My mom pushed me to go because she wanted to give me the opportunity that she never had," he said.

Anderson attended and played basketball his freshman, sophomore and junior year at Whitefield Academy in Atlanta, Ga., and then transferred to Peachtree Ridge High School, a public school in Suwanee, Ga., in order to have more options for college recruitment, he said.

Transferring to Peachtree helped him because a lot more college coaches came to see him play, he said.

Whitefield Academy varsity basketball coach Tyrone Johnson said that he had been very proud of Anderson when he heard about his nomination for the Cousy Award, and had watched him grow into an amazing player during his three years on the team at Whitefield Academy.

During Anderson's freshman year of high school he was 5 feet tall and only weighed 85 pounds, Johnson said. He was so small that, although he was skilled, he was not effective at the varsity level, he said.

Sophomore year, he got stronger and became solid, Johnson said. During his junior year, he was one of the best guards in Georgia, and two of the three years he was at Whitefield Academy, he led the team to state final appearances.

"The following year, we went back to the state finals and lost in overtime," Johnson said. "I believe if he had been there, we would have won it."

Anderson said that aside from his favorite basketball player, Allen Iverson, his mother and his cousin had been the two biggest influences on him in his basketball career.

"I looked up to my cousin when I was a kid," Anderson said. "He is the reason why I wear jersey number 14."

Anderson's mother attends many of the home basketball games, especially this year, he said.

"My mother has always been a great supporter of me," Anderson said. "Maybe she would be hard on me if I got the last-place award."

During his four years at Richmond, Anderson has become more vocal and more of a leader, Mooney said.

"He is a special player," Mooney said. "It has been fun to coach him, but also a pleasure to watch him."

Forward Conor Smith said he got to know Anderson when they went on their recruiting visit at Richmond together. Smith said Anderson came off the bench his freshman year, handled the ball well and never turned it over; he seemed to lead the team right away.

"The last couple of years, what's elevated his game is his ability to knock down shots," Smith said. "His career at Richmond has been beyond anyone's expectations, and he's turned out to be a huge steal for Richmond."

Anderson's modesty, despite his many accolades, has made him a unique teammate, Smith said.

Fifth-year senior Dan Geriot has known Anderson since his visit to Richmond during his senior year of high school in 2007, he said. Geriot said Anderson had changed a lot and has been able to handle the pressure of being the point guard.

"After the Xavier game during Anderson's sophomore year, Xavier head coach Sean Miller said that Anderson was the best point guard in the country," Geriot said. "This caught a lot of people in the country by surprise, and it became Anderson's coming-out party."

Smith said there had been a lot of pressure on Anderson's shoulders the last two years.

"He consciously knows what people think of him and what expectations they have of him," he said, "but I think he's pretty grounded and doesn't act how he could or how some people would expect him to act."

Senior forward Kevin Smith said that the team hadn't thought much of the nomination. He said it was an individual achievement, but that basketball was a team sport and there were bigger things for the team.

"We put in a lot of work to turn the program around, and now we're seeing the results of that," he said. "Anderson is a big part of that; he's a leader without having to lead."

Anderson said he was looking forward to his professional career, and said he planned to see how far he could go with basketball.

"If that doesn't work out, I want to be a financial consultant, on the marketing side," he said.

But Mooney said he had confidence in his point guard. People in the NBA know who Anderson is and he has a good chance to make it, Mooney said.

Contact reporter Rachael Specter at rachael.specter@richmond.edu