INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) -- Twenty-five standout first-year players have been named to the preseason watch list for the 2025-26 Wayman Tisdale Award by the board of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.
Since the 1988-89 season, the USBWA has named a men's freshman national player of the year and, since the 2010-11 season the award has been named for Wayman Tisdale, the late Oklahoma All-American. The award is voted on by the entire membership of the association and is based on regular-season performance.
"The Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year Award could be in for a phenomenal race," said 2025-26 USBWA President Matt Norlander of CBS Sports. "In some years, finding 25 freshmen to fill out a Watch List at the start of the season proves a little difficult due to uncertainty with impact and playing time. Not this year. This is as loaded of a list as we've ever had heading into a season. The USBWA is proud to reveal our first Watch List for 2025-26 and eager to see which newcomers show out and uplift the sport in the months to come."
Last season Duke's Cooper Flagg won the award, along with the Oscar Robertson Trophy, joining Zion Williamson, Anthony Davis and Kevin Durant as the only freshmen to sweep both awards.
Following is the complete 2025-26 Wayman Tisdale Award preseason watch list:
2025-26 WAYMAN TISDALE AWARD PRESEASON WATCH LIST (25) | |
| Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas | Jasper Johnson, Kentucky |
| Nate Ament, Tennessee | Nik Khamenia, Duke |
| Neoklis Avdalas, Virginia Tech | Acaden Lewis, Villanova |
| Cameron Boozer, Duke | Trey McKenney, Michigan |
| Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville | Kayden Mingo, Penn State |
| Brayden Burries, Arizona | Braylon Mullins, UConn |
| Chris Cenac Jr., Houston | Koa Peat, Arizona |
| Thijs De Ridder, Virginia | Darryn Peterson, Kansas |
| AJ Dybantsa, BYU | Meleek Thomas, Arkansas |
| Kingston Flemings, Houston | Sadiq White Jr., Syracuse |
| Isaiah Harwell, Houston | Caleb Wilson, North Carolina |
| Shelton Henderson, Miami | Tounde Yessoufou, Baylor |
| CJ Ingram, Florida | |
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 800 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. For more information on the USBWA and its award programs, contact executive director Malcolm Moran at 814-574-1485.