Two UConn Players Named To Naismith Men’s Player Of The Year Watch List
The UConn Huskies have not one, but two players on the Naismith Men’s Player of the Year Watch List.
The list showcases the top 50 players in the country to watch for Player of the Year. Another list from the Naismith committee is released mid-season and narrows the pool down to 30 players, and then a voting corps of coaches, journalists, and administrators decide on four finalists for the award near the end of the season.
UConn’s junior do-it-all forward Alex Karaban and five-star freshman Liam McNeeley have been named to the list of 50.
Karaban is widely seen as one of the best players in the nation, and he is expected to shoulder a heavier burden for UConn this season. He’s also projected to be a first round pick in the 2025 NBA draft should he decide to declare after this year.
McNeeley is one of the highest-rated recruits that Dan Hurley has ever landed at UConn. He’s been projected by FOX Sports’ John Fanta to go as high as No. 5 in the 2025 draft, and Hurley has even called McNeeley the “best freshman” he’s brought into Storrs.
The Huskies will probably need both Karaban and McNeeley to play like first round picks if UConn wants to repeat, although the rise of Jayden Ross and Jaylin Stewart on the wings could ease the burden, depending on how good those two are this year (one or both could take a leap).
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Colin Keane is a contributing journalist for "UConn Huskies On SI." Born in Illinois, Colin grew up in Massachusetts as the third of four brothers. For his high school education, Colin attended St. Mark's School (Southborough, MA), where he played basketball and soccer and served as student body president. He went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Villanova University. Colin currently resides in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "UConn Huskies On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org