ESPN News Services are reporting that Duke's J.J. Redick and Gonzaga's Adam Morrison were selected co-players of the year Thursday, the first time in the 50-year history of the United States Basketball Writers Association that two players have received the honor.

"About once in a generation, we see a situation where there are two extraordinary players who separate themselves from the rest of college basketball and clearly stand together as the best in the game," USBWA president Tony Barnhart said in a statement Thursday.

"It happened in 1979 with Larry Bird and Magic Johnson and the USBWA feels it has happened again with Adam Morrison and J.J. Redick. Our organization has never voted for co-players of the year but on this, the 50th anniversary of the USBWA, it seems entirely appropriate to break with precedent in order to honor two equally deserving young men," he said.

Redick and Morrison will be presented with the Oscar Robertson Trophy during an awards ceremony at Conseco Fieldhouse on Friday.