Multiple College Stars Named to 2025-26 Naismith Player of Year Watch List

Several college basketball players have been named to the 2025-26 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Men's College Player of the Year Watch List, highlighting top contenders for the prestigious award. Texas Tech's junior forward Toppin, who led his team with 18.2 points and 9.4 rebounds per game last season, received multiple preseason honors including Big 12 Player of the Year and Consensus Second Team All-America. Gonzaga's forward Graham Ike, known for his high scoring and efficient field goal percentage, also made the list along with preseason accolades such as the NABC Player of the Year and Karl Malone Award watch lists. The University of Houston had three players named, including Sharp, who was instrumental in their recent NCAA tournament success and is close to becoming the school's all-time leader in three-pointers. Iowa's senior Bennett Stirtz, who led the Missouri Valley Conference in scoring and other key stats last season, was also named to the watch list and various preseason All-American teams. These players represent a broad range of schools and conferences, underscoring the depth of talent in college basketball this season.