Story courtesy of the US Basketball Writers Association

INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has named five Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week for games of the week ending Sunday, Feb. 8.

For the 2025-26 season, the USBWA continues its national player of the week program that has been affiliated with the Oscar Robertson Trophy since the 2009-10 season. Prior to the 2024-25 season, the USBWA had recognized just one player each week.

Each Tuesday during the regular season, designated USBWA board members will select five standouts from the 31 Division I conference players of the week to be recognized. This week's selections were chosen from a list of the conferences that named a player of the week on Monday.

The graduate from Hampton, Va., had back-to-back impressive performances that included a career-best 37-point performance in a win against Central Michigan last Tuesday, as well as 21 points in a triple overtime thriller at Coastal Carolina on Saturday. In the win over the Chippewas, Banks Jr. etched his name in the Massachusetts records book by making a program-best 10 three pointers. Banks Jr. and Central Michigan’s Logan McIntire combined for 22 threes, marking the most combined threes made by two players (teammates or opponents) in any NBA, WNBA, or Division I men's or women's game all-time (via @OptaSTATS). Banks Jr., also had the buzzer-beater from just over half court to force a third overtime at Coastal Carolina. For the week, Banks Jr. averaged 29 points per game, shot 54.1% from the field including 14-25 from three (.560), and also averaged 3.5 steals per game.