Matthew Hurt is the 6’9” freshman power forward playing for the Duke Blue Devils men’s basketball team. While playing high school basketball in Minnesota as a senior, Hurt averaged 36.8 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game and was named Minnesota Mr. Basketball. He also received offers from North Carolina, Kentucky, and Kansas, among others.
The 19-year-old Hurt has been added to the watch list for the 2020 Julius Erving Award, which is presented to the best small forward in college basketball by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Hurt is one of 20 small forwards on the list. Keep in mind, just six months ago, Hurt was wearing braces at his high school prom! See photo below.
The Julius Erving Award started in 2015. Past recipients are, in chronological order: Arizona freshman Stanley Johnson; Michigan State senior Denzel Valentine; Villanova senior Josh Hart; Villanova junior Mikal Bridges; and Gonzaga junior Rui Hachimura.
The Kansas vs. Duke State Farm Champions Classic game will broadcast live from Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, November 5 at 7 pm on ESPN.
