The Pacific-10 Conference recognized seven Wildcat basketball players this week, naming seniors Luke Walton and Jason Gardner to the All-Pac-10 team.

Sophomores Channing Frye and Salim Stoudamire and senior Rick Anderson were given honorable mention all-conference honors.

Freshmen Hassan Adams and Andre Iguodala were also named to the Pac-10 All-Freshman team.

"I am very pleased that we had seven guys honored," UA head coach Lute Olson said. "It just shows the balance that we have on our team."

Walton, Gardner named Wooden Award finalists

Walton and Gardner were also chosen as finalists for the 2002-2003 Wooden Award.

Each of the 22 finalists has been chosen for his on-court contributions, while maintaining a minimum 2.00 grade point average.

Walton is the only 2001-2002 Wooden All-American to make the list of finalists this season.

Kansas, with senior standouts Kurt Hinrich and Nick Collison, joins Arizona as the only teams with multiple finalists.

Gardner, a three-time All-Pac-10 performer, has averaged 14.7 points, five assists and 3.9 rebounds per game this season. Gardner is only the 38th player in Pac-10 history to earn all-conference honors three times during his career.

"The next month will give players a chance to play in competitive tournaments," Gardner said. "This will give everyone a chance to show who the best players are in college basketball."

The Wooden All-American team will be announced on April 1, with the top five candidates honored on April 12 in Los Angeles.

The John R. Wooden Scholarship Fund will make a contribution in the name of each honoree to his university's general scholarship fund.

Former 'Cat Kerr named to Pacific-10 hall of honors

Former Wildcat and current NBA player Steve Kerr is getting inducted into the Pac-10 Hall of Honors later today.

Kerr is one of two Wildcats, along with Sean Elliott, to have his jersey retired in McKale Center.

Kerr finished his UA career as an AP second team All-American and has gone on to have a successful NBA career, making stops in Phoenix, Cleveland, Chicago and Portland prior to his current stint with the San Antonio Spurs.

Kerr is the NCAA all-time career leader in 3-point percentage, posting a .573 career mark from behind the arc during his days at UA.

Olson said Kerr is a perfect example of what the UA basketball program is all about.

"If you look at the development of our program, Steve has been a big influence," Olson said. "He left our program as an All-American and a member of a Final Four team."

Kerr is unable to make today's ceremony, so Olson will be accepting the award in his honor. Olson said Kerr wanted him to make sure to show the appreciation and respect he has for each of his mentors.

Kerr wanted to thank former Bulls assistant Tex Winter and legendary UCLA coach John Wooden, both of whom Kerr said played an instrumental role in his development as a player.

As a youngster, Kerr was a ball boy for the Bruins, giving him access to Wooden's basketball wisdom.

Oregon's Ridnour named Pac-10 Player of the Year

Luke Ridnour of Oregon was named the 2002-03 Pac-10 Player of the Year, despite Oregon's fifth place conference finish.

"Ridnour is a great player," Olson said. "I think that the MVP should go to the player that leads their team to the conference championship. I think the balance on our team hurt Jason's chances, but I just want to make sure that everyone knows that I think Ridnour is an outstanding player."

Olson said he felt the balance on the Arizona roster caused votes to be shared between Gardner, Walton, Salim Stoudamire and Channing Frye.

In order for that to change, Olson said he would suggest that each coach submit the MVP of their respective team and then have the conference coaches vote based on the 10 players that have been selected.