Wilson Named To Naismith Trophy Watch List

University of North Carolina freshman Caleb Wilson is one of 50 players nationally to earn a spot on the preseason watch list for the 2025-26 Naismith Trophy, given to the national player of the year.

Wilson, a 6-10 forward from Atlanta, will play his first official collegiate game tonight when the 25th-ranked Tar Heels host Central Arkansas at 7 p.m. in the Smith Center on ACC Network.

The 50 candidates for the Naismith Trophy are listed below.

Last Name	First Name	Full Name	Class	Position	School	Conference
Acuff Jr.	Darius	Darius Acuff Jr.	Freshman	Guard	Arkansas	SEC
Ament	Nate	Nate Ament	Freshman	Forward	Tennessee	SEC
Avila	Robbie	Robbie Avila	Senior	Center	St. Louis	Atlantic 10
Ball	Solo	Solo Ball	Junior	Guard	UConn	BIG EAST
Bittle	Nate	Nate Bittle	Senior	Center	Oregon	Big Ten
Blackwell	John	John Blackwell	Junior	Guard	Wisconsin	Big Ten
Boozer	Cameron	Cameron Boozer	Freshman	Forward	Duke	ACC
Brown Jr.	Mikel	Mikel Brown Jr.	Freshman	Guard	Louisville	ACC
Burton	Markus	Markus Burton	Junior	Guard	Notre Dame	ACC
Condon	Alex	Alex Condon	Junior	Forward/Center	Florida	SEC
Conwell	Ryan	Ryan Conwell	Senior	Guard	Louisville	ACC
Dent	Donovan	Donovan Dent	Senior	Guard	UCLA	Big Ten
DeVries	Tucker	Tucker DeVries	Senior	Forward	Indiana	Big Ten
Dix	Josh	Josh Dix	Senior	Guard	Creighton	BIG EAST
Dybantsa	A.J.	A.J. Dybantsa	Freshman	Forward	BYU	Big 12
Ejiofor	Zuby	Zuby Ejiofor	Senior	Forward	St. John's	BIG EAST
Evans	Isaiah	Isaiah Evans	Sophomore	Guard/Forward	Duke	ACC
Fland	Boogie	Boogie Fland	Sophomore	Guard	Florida	SEC
Gillespie	Ja'Kobi	Ja'Kobi Gillespie	Senior	Guard	Tennessee	SEC
Haggerty	P.J.	P.J. Haggerty	Junior	Guard	Kansas State	Big 12
Haugh	Thomas	Thomas Haugh	Junior	Forward	Florida	SEC
Hopkins	Bryce	Bryce Hopkins	Graduate Student	Forward/Guard	St. John's	BIG EAST
Hubbard	Josh	Josh Hubbard	Junior	Guard	Mississippi State	SEC
Ike	Graham	Graham Ike	Graduate Student	Forward	Gonzaga	WCC
Ivišić	Tomislav	Tomislav Ivišić	Junior	Center	Illinois	Big Ten
Jackson	Ian	Ian Jackson	Sophomore	Guard	St. John's	BIG EAST
Karaban	Alex	Alex Karaban	Senior	Forward	UConn	BIG EAST
Kaufman-Renn	Trey	Trey Kaufman-Renn	Senior	Forward	Purdue	Big Ten
Lee	Xaivian	Xaivian Lee	Senior	Guard	Florida	SEC
Lendeborg	Yaxel	Yaxel Lendeborg	Graduate Student	Forward	Michigan	Big Ten
Lipsey	Tamin	Tamin Lipsey	Senior	Guard	Iowa State	Big 12
Lowe	Jaland	Jaland Lowe	Junior	Guard	Kentucky	SEC
Martinelli	Nick	Nick Martinelli	Senior	Forward	Northwestern	Big Ten
Oweh	Otega	Otega Oweh	Senior	Guard	Kentucky	SEC
Peat	Koa	Koa Peat	Freshman	Forward	Arizona	Big 12
Peterson	Darryn	Darryn Peterson	Freshman	Guard	Kansas	Big 12
Pettiford	Tahaad	Tahaad Pettiford	Sophomore	Guard	Auburn	SEC
Philon Jr.	Labaron	Labaron Philon Jr.	Sophomore	Guard	Alabama	SEC
Saunders	Richie	Richie Saunders	Senior	Forward	BYU	Big 12
Sharpe	Emanuel	Emanuel Sharp	Senior	Guard	Houston	Big 12
Shelstad	Jackson	Jackson Shelstad	Junior	Guard	Oregon	Big Ten
Smith	Braden	Braden Smith	Senior	Guard	Purdue	Big Ten
Stirtz	Bennett	Bennett Stirtz	Senior	Guard	Iowa	Big Ten
Stojaković	Andrej	Andrej Stojaković	Junior	Guard	Illinois	Big Ten
Thornton	Bruce	Bruce Thornton	Senior	Guard	Ohio State	Big Ten
Toppin	JT	JT Toppin	Junior	Forward	Texas Tech	Big 12
Tugler	Joseph	Joseph Tugler	Junior	Forward	Houston	Big 12
Uzan	Milos	Milos Uzan	Senior	Guard	Houston	Big 12
Williams	Darrion	Darrion Williams	Senior	Forward	NC State	ACC
Wilson	Caleb	Caleb Wilson	Freshman	Forward	North Carolina	ACC

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University of North Carolina Athletics

Players Mentioned

Ian Jackson

Caleb Wilson

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