INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association is proud and excited to unveil a new monthly feature for the 2025-26 season. At the beginning of each month, the organization is awarding two Oscar Robertson Player of the Month honors, with one at the high-major level and the other for a mid-major standout. This will continue to spotlight big-time performers and add a little more attention and recognition beyond our five-man Player of the Week spotlights.
The monthly awards are voted on by the USBWA’s 11-person executive board. In November, Cameron Boozer of Duke and Delrecco Gillespie of Kent State won the inaugural honors. Here are our December winners:
High-Major Player of the Month: AJ Dybantsa, BYU
After a historic six-game run in the final month of 2025, BYU’s outstanding first-year player is the USBWA’S honoree at the power-conference level. Dybantsa capped his brilliant December with his first collegiate triple-double, going for 33 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a 109-81 win against Eastern Washington on Dec. 22, becoming the first BYU player to log a triple-double since Kyle Collinsworth in March of 2016.
The Brockton, Mass., native had another high-profile game against Clemson in mid-December, when he catalyzed a 22-point comeback against the Tigers at Madison Square Garden in the Jimmy V Classic. Dybantsa finished with 28 points, most of them in the second half, helping set a program record for the greatest halftime deficit overcome in a win.
For the month, Dybantsa averaged 27.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 2.3 steals, shot 65.9% from the field, 78.0 from the foul line and, most remarkable of all, had only one foul committed in 193 minutes across six games. All six games were BYU wins.
At 23.1 points per game, Dybantsa is tracking to break BYU’s freshman scoring average, set by Danny Ainge at 21.1 in 1977-78.
Mid-Major Player of the Month: Cruz Davis, Hofstra
A competitive voting round for December saw Hofstra’s junior point guard earn the honor after averaging 24.3 points, 5.3 assists and 2.8 rebounds in a 5-1 month for the Pride. Cruz had 20 or more points in all five of Hofstra’s games against D-I competition in December. His shooting splits were outstanding: 55% from the field, 47% from 3, 84% from the free throw line.
Cruz has been one of the most reliable mid-major players in the sport through the first two months of the 2025-26 season, averaging 21.3 points in addition to 37.0 minutes per game — fourth nationally — including four games of 40 minutes.
His best showing came on Dec. 7, when Hofstra won at Pitt 80-73 behind 36 points from Cruz. The performance marked the first time a CAA player poured in 30-plus against an ACC foe since Dec. 2, 2007. The win was Hofstra’s first against an ACC team in more than 10 years.
Cruz was previously honored in December as one of the Players of the Week for the week of Dec. 9. The Pride are the top-ranked team at KenPom heading into CAA league play at the start of January.
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Since the 1958-59 season, the USBWA has named a National Player of the Year. In 1998, the award was named in honor of the University of Cincinnati Hall of Famer and two-time USBWA Player of the Year Oscar Robertson. It is the nation's oldest award and the only one named after a former player.
At the conclusion of the regular season, the USBWA will name finalists for the award, which is voted on by the entire membership. The winner of the award will be announced at the 2026 Men's Final Four in Indianapolis, with the formal presentation to follow at the annual USBWA Awards Luncheon hosted by the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis.
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. It has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57 season. For more information on the USBWA and the Oscar Robertson Trophy, contact executive director Malcolm Moran at 814-574-1485.
2025-26 USBWA Men's Monthly Honors
• November: Cameron Boozer, Duke (HIgh-Major); Delrecco Gillespie, Kent State (Mid-Major).
• December: AJ Dybantsa, BYU (HIgh-Major); Cruz Davis, Hofstra (Mid-Major).