AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer Headline 2026 Naismith Men's College Player of the Year Finalists

The finalists for the 2026 Naismith Men's College Player of the Year list were announced Friday, with BYU's AJ Dybantsa and Duke's Cameron Boozer highlighting the group.

Arkansas' Darius Acuff and Michigan's Yaxel Lendeborg are also finalists for one of college basketball's most coveted awards.

The winner of the Naismith Men's College Player of the Year, along with other awards, is typically announced before the Final Four weekend, which begins April 5.

Boozer, the son of NBA icon Carlos Boozer, has had a phenomenal freshman season for the Blue Devils, putting up 22.4 points and 10.3 rebounds per game on an efficient 56.3 percent from the field and 39.8 percent from deep.

Boozer, who is widely projected to be a top-three pick in this year's NBA draft, helped lead Duke to the top overall seed in the tournament and is now looking to deliver the Blue Devils their first national title since 2015.

As impressive a season as Boozer has had, Dybantsa has been right there with him. Dybantsa, who very well could be the first pick in the NBA draft in June, led the nation in scoring with 25.5 points per game, adding 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 51 percent from the field.

The individual success from Dybantsa wasn't enough to lead the Cougars on a run, though, as they faced a first-round upset loss against Texas.

Acuff, the SEC Player of the Year, has had a tremendous year and made a strong case to be a top pick in the draft in June. He averaged 23.3 points and 6.5 assists per game to lead the Razorbacks to the Sweet 16.

Lendeborg, a senior who is in his first season with the Wolverines, has put up 14.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game this year, leading Michigan to one of its best seasons in program history. The Wolverines will look to keep their season alive on Friday against Alabama in the Sweet 16.