By SEAN BOCK
The Naismith Trophy Watch List was published on Thursday morning. In its 50th year, the list is composed of the top-50 players in college basketball for the upcoming season and is cut to 30 players in mid-February.
Nine players from the ACC are represented while the Big Ten, Pac-12, and SEC each have eight student-athletes on the ballot.
Four Duke players made the cut along with three from USC and Arizona. The four Duke players are senior G Grayson Allen, freshman F Marvin Bagley III, freshman F Wendell Carter, Jr., and freshman G Trevon Duval.
Last year’s award winner was Kansas guard Frank Mason.
Here are this year’s preseason candidates.
| Jaylen Adams | Sr. | G | St. Bonaventure | Atlantic 10 |
| Deng Adel | Jr. | F | Louisville | ACC |
| Rawle Alkins | So. | G | Arizona | Pac-12 |
| Grayson Allen | Sr. | G | Duke | ACC |
| KeVaughn Allen | Jr. | G | Florida | SEC |
| Deandre Ayton | Fr. | F | Arizona | Pac-12 |
| Marvin Bagley III | Fr. | F | Duke | ACC |
| Mohamed Bamba | Fr. | F | Texas | Big 12 |
| Joel Berry II | Sr. | G | UNC | ACC |
| Trevon Bluiett | Sr. | G | Xavier | BIG East |
| Bennie Boatwright | Jr. | F | USC | Pac-12 |
| Miles Bridges | So. | G/F | Michigan State | Big Ten |
| Bruce Brown | So. | G | Miami | ACC |
| Jalen Brunson | Jr. | G | Villanova | BIG EAST |
| Jeffrey Carroll | Sr. | G | Oklahoma State | Big 12 |
| Jevon Carter | Sr. | G | West Virginia | Big 12 |
| Wendell Carter Jr. | Fr. | F | Duke | ACC |
| Bonzie Colson | Sr. | F | Notre Dame | ACC |
| Mike Daum | Jr. | F | South Dakota State | Summit League |
| Tyler Davis | Jr. | C | Texas A&M | SEC |
| Angel Delgado | Sr. | C | Seton Hall | BIG EAST |
| Hamidou Diallo | Fr. | G | Kentucky | SEC |
| Trevon Duval | Fr. | G | Duke | ACC |
| Vince Edwards | Sr. | F | Purdue | Big Ten |
| Matt Farrell | Sr. | G | Notre Dame | ACC |
| Marcus Foster | Sr. | G | Creighton | BIG EAST |
| Devonte’ Graham | Sr. | G | Kansas | Big 12 |
| Ethan Happ | Jr. | F | Wisconsin | Big Ten |
| Aaron Holiday | Jr. | G | UCLA | Pac-12 |
| Chandler Hutchison | Sr. | G | Boise State | Mountain West |
| Justin Jackson | So. | F | Maryland | Big Ten |
| Kevin Knox | Fr. | F | Kentucky | SEC |
| Jock Landale | Sr. | C | St. Mary’s | WCC |
| Kelan Martin | Sr. | F | Butler | BIG EAST |
| Nate Mason | Sr. | G | Minnesota | Big Ten |
| Yante Maten | Sr. | F | Georgia | SEC |
| Bryant McIntosh | Sr. | G | Northwestern | Big Ten |
| Jordan McLaughlin | Sr. | G | USC | Pac-12 |
| Chimezie Metu | Jr. | F | USC | Pac-12 |
| Shake Milton | Jr. | G | SMU | American Athletic |
| Malik Newman | So. | G | Kansas | Big 12 |
| Michael Porter Jr. | Fr. | F | Missouri | SEC |
| Collin Sexton | Fr. | G | Alabama | SEC |
| Landry Shamet | So. | G | Wichita State | American Athletic |
| Reid Travis | Sr. | F | Stanford | Pac-12 |
| Allonzo Trier | Jr. | G | Arizona | Pac-12 |
| Moritz Wagner | Jr. | F | Michigan | Big Ten |
| Nick Ward | So. | F | Michigan State | Big Ten |
| Jonathan Williams | Sr. | F | Gonzaga | WCC |
| Robert Williams | So. | F | Texas A&M | SEC |
Photo: Sports Illustrated
